Wear Radar

Garmin Forerunner 570vsApple Watch

11d vs 1d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 570 lasts longer
$150
price gap
Apple Watch cheaper
12g
lighter
Apple Watch
3
more health sensors
Apple Watch
Garmin Forerunner 570
Buy/Wait:good

Early in release cycle

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Apple Watch
Buy/Wait:neutral

Reaching maturity, next model expected soon

Full details →
Garmin Forerunner 570Apple Watch
Pricing
Starting price$549$399
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $70/yr✓ None
Hardware
Weight42g30g
Water resistance5ATM50m
Battery11 days1 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS only
TierSports GPSSmartwatch
Buy timing
ReleasedMay 15, 2025Sep 19, 2025
Cycle advicegoodneutral
Deals adviceneutralneutral
Next modelApple Watch Series 12 (Expected fall 2026)

Health Sensors

Garmin Forerunner 570 only
3 exclusive sensors
Stress TrackingStress estimate from HRV and physiological signals
Body BatteryGarmin's energy reserve — how much fuel left in the tank
Training ReadinessDaily recovery score — how ready you are to perform
Both
4 shared
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking
Apple Watch only
6 exclusive sensors
Irregular RhythmBackground optical check for irregular heart rhythms
Fall DetectionAuto-calls emergency services after a hard fall
Crash DetectionDetects vehicle crashes and alerts emergency contacts
Sleep ApneaFDA-cleared detection of signs of moderate to severe sleep apnea
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
Blood PressureDetects hypertension patterns — trend tracking, not clinical mmHg

Why buy each?

Garmin Forerunner 570

Multi-band GPS and Elevate Gen 5 sensor

L1+L5 dual-frequency GPS for precise tracking in cities and trails, paired with Garmin's most advanced heart rate sensor — adding skin temperature monitoring over the FR265.

Built-in speaker and microphone

A first for this price tier — take phone calls, use voice assistant, and hear Bluetooth audio directly from your wrist. A meaningful upgrade over the silent FR265.

Garmin Triathlon Coach

AI-powered triathlon training plans that adapt to your swim, bike, and run fitness — a key differentiator over the FR265 for multisport athletes.

Apple Watch

Hypertension detection

The Series 11 is the first mainstream smartwatch to offer FDA-cleared hypertension (high blood pressure) detection — a feature that could flag silent health risks.

Thinnest Apple Watch ever

At 9.7mm, the Series 11 is significantly slimmer than previous models — noticeably lighter on the wrist for all-day and sleep tracking.

ECG, SpO2 and sleep apnea detection

On-demand ECG, continuous blood oxygen monitoring, and sleep apnea detection (FDA-cleared) make this one of the most medically relevant consumer wearables available.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Apple Watch wins

$399 vs $759 over 3 years · no required subscription.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 570 wins

11 days vs 1 days battery.

For health depth
Apple Watch wins

10 sensors.

For daily comfort
Apple Watch wins

30g · no required subscription.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Forerunner 570-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness.
  2. Watch-only sensors: Irregular Rhythm, Fall Detection, Crash Detection, Sleep Apnea, ECG, Blood Pressure.
  3. Weight. Watch is 12g lighter — relevant for all-day comfort and sleep.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Watch is $150 cheaper upfront ($399 vs $549).
Pick the Garmin Forerunner 570 if…

Regular runners and triathletes who race 5K to marathon distances and want accurate multi-band GPS, detailed training load management, and Triathlon Coach structured plans. The speaker and microphone make it a more capable daily-wear watch than the FR265 it replaces.

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Pick the Apple Watch if…

iPhone users who want the most capable smartwatch health experience available. Ideal for anyone who values medical-grade monitoring (ECG, blood pressure, SpO2), a premium always-on display, and the best Apple Watch workout tracking. If health is your priority, this is the one to get.

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