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Fitbit ChargevsGarmin Forerunner 170

10d vs 7d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 170 lasts longer
$179
price gap
Fitbit Charge cheaper
28g
lighter
Fitbit Charge
Fitbit Charge
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

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Garmin Forerunner 170
Buy/Wait:good

Current model just released

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Fitbit ChargeGarmin Forerunner 170
Pricing
Starting price$120★$299
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $79/yrℹ️ Optional — $70/yr
Hardware
Weight15g★43g
Water resistance50m5ATM
Battery7 days10 days★
Always-on display❌❌
GPS✅✅
Cellular❌❌
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
TierFitness TrackerSports GPS
Buy timing
ReleasedSep 28, 2023May 15, 2026
Cycle advicebadgood★
Deals advicegood★neutral
Next model——

Health Sensors

Fitbit Charge only
3 exclusive sensors
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
EDA / StressSkin conductance sensor measuring stress responses
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking
Both
3 shared
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Garmin Forerunner 170 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

Why buy each?

Fitbit Charge

ECG and EDA stress in a slim band

Full ECG, electrodermal activity stress sensing, SpO2, and continuous heart rate in a tracker thinner than most smartwatches.

Google apps integration

Google Maps navigation, Google Wallet NFC payments, and YouTube Music controls — more useful on-device apps than any previous Charge.

7-day battery with GPS

7 days of typical use, dropping to around 30 minutes per GPS workout session before needing a charge.

Garmin Forerunner 170

Training Readiness at entry level

Training Readiness, full Training Status, and wrist-based running power — analytics previously reserved for Garmin's mid-range — now on a $299.99 watch.

AMOLED display and 10-day battery

A bright 1.2" AMOLED touchscreen with a traditional 5-button design, up to 10 days of battery in smartwatch mode and around 17 hours of GPS.

Garmin Pay and 80+ sports apps

Contactless payments arrive on the entry Forerunner for the first time, alongside 80+ built-in sports apps and Garmin Coach adaptive training plans.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Fitbit Charge wins

$357 vs $509 over 3 years.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 170 wins

10 days vs 7 days battery.

For health depth
Tie

6 sensors each.

For daily comfort
Fitbit Charge wins

15g.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Charge-only sensors: ECG, EDA / Stress, Skin Temp.
  2. Forerunner 170-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness.
  3. Weight. Charge is 28g lighter — relevant for all-day comfort and sleep.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Charge is $179 cheaper upfront ($120 vs $299).
Pick the Fitbit Charge if…

Anyone who wants serious health and fitness tracking without the bulk or cost of a full smartwatch. Works with both Android and iPhone, making it the most accessible Fitbit tracker in the lineup.

Full details →
Pick the Garmin Forerunner 170 if…

Beginner and intermediate runners who want real GPS accuracy and Garmin's analytics depth without the price of the 570 or 970. With Training Readiness and running power now included, it closes much of the gap to Garmin's mid-range — the default first serious GPS watch.

Full details →
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