Wear Radar

Garmin Forerunner 170vsXiaomi Watch

10d vs 6d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 170 lasts longer
$14
price gap
Xiaomi Watch cheaper
13g
lighter
Garmin Forerunner 170
Garmin Forerunner 170
Buy/Wait:good

Current model just released

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Xiaomi Watch
Buy/Wait:good

Early in release cycle

Full details →
Garmin Forerunner 170Xiaomi Watch
Pricing
Starting price$299$285
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $70/yr✓ None
Hardware
Weight43g56g
Water resistance5ATM5ATM
Battery10 days6 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidAndroid only
TierSports GPSSmartwatch
Buy timing
ReleasedMay 15, 2026Feb 28, 2026
Cycle advicegoodgood
Deals adviceneutralneutral
Next model

Health Sensors

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
Both
3 shared
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Xiaomi Watch only
2 exclusive sensors
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking

Why buy each?

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.

Xiaomi Watch

6-day battery on Wear OS

Dual-chip design keeps the main Snapdragon W5 dormant during light tasks, dramatically extending battery life beyond any rival Wear OS watch.

Wear OS 6 with ECG and eSIM

First Wear OS 6 device on the market — with ECG monitoring, EMG gesture control, and eSIM for standalone calling.

1.54" AMOLED at a competitive price

Larger and brighter display than Galaxy Watch 8 or Pixel Watch 4, with Hasselblad-tuned health sensors, starting at around $285.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Xiaomi Watch wins

$285 vs $509 over 3 years.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 170 wins

10 days vs 6 days battery.

For health depth
Garmin Forerunner 170 wins

6 sensors.

For daily comfort
Garmin Forerunner 170 wins

43g.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Forerunner 170-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness.
  2. Watch-only sensors: ECG, Skin Temp.
  3. Weight. Forerunner 170 is 13g lighter — relevant for all-day comfort and sleep.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Watch is $14 cheaper upfront ($285 vs $299).
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.

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Pick the Xiaomi Watch if…

Android users who want a full-featured Wear OS smartwatch — ECG, eSIM, a large bright screen — at a price well below Samsung and Google competitors. A natural pairing with Xiaomi phones but fully compatible with any Android device.

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