Suunto Race 3S vs Garmin Forerunner 570 and 970

The Suunto Race 3S is the value-focused long-distance option beside Garmin’s Forerunner 570 and 970. According to The5kRunner’s comparison, it combines free worldwide offline maps, climb tools and up to 38 hours of multi-band GPS for £435 / $599. That puts it below both Garmins in the UK, while its full-accuracy battery claim is far ahead of the 14-hour Forerunner 570 and 21-hour Forerunner 970. For trail runners, ultra racers and long-course triathletes, that is a meaningful split.

Maps and endurance first

Suunto’s strongest argument is simple: the Race 3S supplies mapping hardware and endurance without making athletes buy into a higher tier. Its maps include contour lines and place names, while Climb Guidance lays out climbs and descents on a loaded route. The Forerunner 570 has no onboard maps at all, only a breadcrumb course line. The Forerunner 970 is the richer navigation watch, with turn-by-turn directions, round-trip routing, Up Ahead points and ClimbPro, but it costs £649.99. For more on the watch itself, see our [Suunto Race 3S launch coverage](/en/articles/suunto-race-3s-lightweight-with-dual-band-gps-2026-10-15).

The battery difference changes race planning, not just the charging routine. The5kRunner says the Race 3S reaches 38 hours in multi-band GPS mode with the always-on display enabled. That covers a 24-hour event with room left. The Forerunner 570 is not the full-accuracy choice for that kind of race, and the 970 is much closer to the line. Garmin pulls ahead in ordinary smartwatch longevity, where the comparison lists 15 days for the 970, 12 for the 570 and 11 for the Race 3S. Still, for athletes who spend whole days following a route, Suunto has picked the more useful battleground.

Garmin remains the deeper training platform

Garmin gives both Forerunners Training Readiness, Training Status, Daily Suggested Workouts, Race Predictor, Garmin Coach plans and wrist-based running power. The 970 then adds Running Tolerance, Hill Score, Endurance Score and Real-Time Stamina. It also supports both ANT+ and Bluetooth sensors, plus Garmin’s Varia radar, Rally power meters and smart trainers. That ecosystem matters for cyclists and triathletes who want their watch, bike computer, power pedals and indoor trainer in one system. The Race 3S is Bluetooth only, which remains enough for most current heart-rate straps, footpods and power meters.

Suunto’s counter is a less cluttered approach. It tracks load, recovery and zones via heart rate, pace and power, while ZoneSense derives intensity from heart-rate variability measured through a chest strap. That strap reads electrical ECG signals, not wrist optical blood-flow data. Suunto AI Coach can create workouts, plans and routes through a conversation, though it becomes paid after three free months. Race 3S also stores 200 routes rather than 15, and adds map layers and tides missing from the Race S, according to The5kRunner. Useful upgrades, but they do not transform the platform.

What is missing is the everyday Garmin convenience package. Race 3S lacks listed live tracking and incident alerts, supports no ANT+, and offers only stored offline music rather than streaming services. Contactless payment is limited to China. Garmin also has Garmin Pay, supported music services, a much larger Connect IQ store and broader third-party integration. The 970 adds an ECG app and voice commands. Suunto’s two-year worldwide warranty and battery replacement service are excellent ownership advantages, yet its smaller software ecosystem remains the compromise.

Our verdict: choose the Race 3S over the Forerunner 570 if maps, climbs and long multi-band GPS outings are central to training. Choose it over the Forerunner 970 when ultra endurance and lower cost outweigh Garmin’s training depth, safety features and connected ecosystem. For athletes already invested in Garmin sensors or demanding richer coaching, the 970 is still the more complete watch. Not perfect. But very well targeted.