Compare Apple Watch SE 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 170

Auto-detection was useful but not flawless; reviewers found it adequate for walks and workouts, while one later review said it still lagged rivals.

The app ecosystem was one of the SE 3’s strongest advantages, repeatedly described as unmatched or far richer than competing budget watches.

Garmin’s training ecosystem is repeatedly praised as polished and deep, with strong analysis, coaching, and device integration.

Band quality evidence was limited but very positive, with praise for easily replaceable Apple Watch bands.

The silicone strap is soft, stretchy, and easy to replace, while the 170’s metal clasp feels nicer than the cheaper model’s plastic hardware.

Battery life was the main practical compromise, ranging from excellent in some tests to daily-charge frustration in others.

Battery opinions depend heavily on settings: raise-to-wake users often approach a week, while always-on users commonly report about three to four days. It trails the cheaper Forerunner 70 and several rivals.

Blood oxygen tracking was consistently treated as a missing premium health feature, with reviewers noting it remains reserved for higher-end Apple Watches.

Pulse Ox is considered a meaningful upgrade over the previous entry-level generation and adds depth to overnight health monitoring.

Temperature-related capability is valued for cycle tracking, but reviewers also note that Garmin reserves some skin-temperature features for more expensive models.

Brightness was usually adequate and sometimes praised, but reviewers acknowledged it is below the brighter Series and Ultra screens.

The AMOLED is consistently described as bright enough for everyday and outdoor use, though it is not Garmin’s brightest panel.

Build quality was considered solid for the price, with reviewers calling it well made and modern enough despite the older design.

The lightweight plastic case feels sturdy and better finished than older entry models. It avoids feeling cheap, even if it lacks premium materials.

Button and gesture controls were widely praised, especially Double Tap, Wrist Flick, the Digital Crown, and side-button shortcuts.

Five physical buttons are a major usability strength, especially during runs, with gloves, or when sweaty hands make touch controls awkward.

Call handling was rated highly where tested, especially voice isolation and gesture-based call management.

The watch cannot take calls from the wrist because it lacks a microphone and speaker, limiting its appeal as a full smartwatch.

Calorie tracking appeared as part of the useful core fitness toolkit, with one test finding calorie and distance figures matched a comparison watch exactly.

Calorie estimates stayed within about ten percent of a chest-strap comparison, which reviewers considered reasonably useful.

Charging convenience was mixed because faster top-ups help, but sleep tracking still forces many users into a daily charging routine.

Charging speed improved substantially over the SE 2 and was usually praised, even when still slower than pricier Apple Watches.

Charging is quick, reaching a full charge in roughly 65 minutes and providing a substantial top-up in about 20 minutes.

Workout Buddy and coaching features were appreciated as helpful motivation, though reviewers often described them as basic, repetitive, or hit-or-miss.

Garmin Coach, Training Status, adaptive plans, and Quick Workouts give beginners and regular runners unusually strong guidance. Quick Workout targets can be aggressive and its duration options may feel restrictive.

Comfort was a consistent strength, especially for sleep, smaller wrists, and unobtrusive daily wear.

The compact 41 g design is widely praised for all-day, sleep, and long-run comfort. One reviewer warned that the plastic rear casing may irritate sensitive skin during prolonged wear.

The companion app setup drew a mixed note because managing Watch, Health, and Fitness across multiple iPhone apps can feel tedious.

Garmin Connect remains free, easy to use, and effective for reviewing workouts and daily activity.

Apple Pay was positively mentioned as part of the compelling smartwatch feature set and deep Apple ecosystem integration.

Garmin Pay is a useful convenience and a key reason to choose the 170 over the 70. Its value depends on bank support and whether buyers can justify the price premium.

Cross-platform compatibility was a clear limitation because the SE 3 remains an iPhone-only smartwatch.

Customization was useful through watch faces, workout views, and settings, but limited by the lack of third-party watch faces.

Data layouts, swappable bands, report themes, and vibration patterns give the watch a pleasing level of personalization.

Display quality was a major upgrade thanks to always-on functionality, though reviewers still noted smaller bezels and lower specs than Series models.

The 1.2-inch AMOLED is colorful, sharp, and easy to read while moving. It is not as fluid or premium as flagship smartwatch displays, but testers still rate it highly.

Durability was mixed: stronger Ion-X glass drew praise, but some reviewers noted weaker dust/scratch protection or actual scratching.

Despite its low weight and plastic build, the watch is considered sturdy enough for regular training and daily wear.

ECG was the most repeated missing health feature, often framed as the main reason some higher-risk buyers might step up to the Series line.

ECG is not available on the Forerunner 170, and reviewers note that buyers must move to a pricier Garmin to get it.

Fit evidence was limited and mixed, with one reviewer saying the older body did not sit as flush as the Series 11.

The 43 mm case fit testers securely and should suit many wrists, although the single-size design may not be ideal for everyone.

Fitness tracking accuracy was a clear strength, with reviewers reporting reliable workout, activity, and comparison-test results for the price.

Overall workout tracking impressed testers, with strong agreement between the watch and trusted comparison devices in controlled runs.

A built-in flashlight is missing. Reviewers did not expect it at this tier, but several still considered its absence disappointing.

GPS accuracy was mostly praised for everyday workouts, though reviewers noted single-band GPS can wander in dense urban or more challenging environments.

Most testers found all-systems GPS impressively close to multi-band reference watches on roads and open routes. Dense canopy, steep terrain, and technical trails produced drift or corner cutting for at least one long-term tester.

Reviewers described the core health basics as adequate or mostly complete, especially heart-rate alerts and general tracking, while noting that advanced sensors remain absent.

Heart-rate tracking drew strong praise across testing, with reviewers saying it aligned well with comparison devices and remained usable even in harder workouts.

Steady running and treadmill readings usually tracked closely to chest straps. Rapid intervals, strength work, steep climbs, and some trail sessions exposed lag from the older sensor.

Cellular connectivity was viewed as a useful option, with 5G improving coverage, efficiency, and phone-free use for calls, messages, and downloads.

Navigation evidence was limited but positive, with offline Apple Maps presented as helpful when away from the phone.

Breadcrumb routes are usable for familiar roads, but the absence of offline or topographic maps is a major limitation for trails, hiking, and exploration.

Materials quality evidence was limited but positive, centered on the aluminum case, rounded body, and premium-looking construction.

The fiber-reinforced plastic keeps weight down but does not feel luxurious, and the glass is below sapphire or premium Gorilla Glass standards.

Menu navigation evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer describing the basic home-screen and control flow as simple.

The refreshed Garmin interface makes menus smoother and faster to move through than on earlier entry-level models.

Music controls and speaker/media features were useful additions, though reviewers were split on how often they would actually use playback from the watch speaker.

On-wrist music control is convenient during runs and contributes to the Music model’s beginner-friendly appeal.

The Music model supports useful phone-free playback and major streaming services. Reviewers like the feature but criticize the extra cost and unchanged storage capacity.

watchOS experience received very strong marks for polish, smoothness, and making the SE 3 feel similar to pricier Apple Watches.

Garmin’s newer OS looks more polished, feels more modern, and aligns the watch with higher-end Forerunners.

Outdoor visibility was generally serviceable, but direct sunlight remained a repeated display limitation.

The AMOLED remains clear outdoors and is easy to glance at during runs, even though brighter flagship panels exist.

Pairing/setup evidence was limited but positive, with one review calling setup quick and easy.

Recovery-related evidence was limited, but one fitness-focused review valued training-load tracking as a way to monitor workout volume over time.

Training Readiness, Training Status, HRV, load, and recovery guidance are the watch’s most consistently praised upgrades. They make the 170 useful well beyond beginner-level run tracking.

Reliability evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer concluding the SE 3 has what most users need.

Road-running performance is dependable enough for several reviewers to use it as a primary training watch. Reliability becomes more mixed in dense forest, steep terrain, and technical hiking.

Wrist-based running power and dynamics bring advanced training metrics to a relatively affordable watch and are strongly praised.

Safety features were strongly praised, especially fall detection, crash detection, emergency features, and real family anecdotes.

LiveTrack and location-sharing tools are valuable at this price, though live tracking still depends on carrying a connected phone.

Size options were viewed positively for offering 40mm and 44mm choices, especially for smaller wrists.

The compact single case works well for many smaller wrists, but buyers who need multiple case sizes have no alternative.

Sleep tracking was generally useful and often accurate enough, though several reviewers felt Apple’s Sleep Score was simpler than competing systems.

Sleep tracking produced conflicting results: one tester found it close to trusted wearables, while another found REM and deep-sleep estimates inaccurate.

Notification handling was a major everyday strength, with reviewers praising call, text, and response convenience from the wrist.

Notifications are useful for daily wear, but one tester found the buzzing overly reactive during workouts.

Reviewers generally agreed the SE 3 delivers the core Apple Watch experience, making it feel much less like a compromised budget model.

The 170 offers payments, notifications, optional music, and apps, but it remains a training watch first and lacks the breadth of Apple or Samsung smartwatches.

Software smoothness was one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers praising the S10 chip for snappy menus, fast apps, and fluid navigation.

The refreshed software is faster, more polished, and easier to adjust before a run, with useful hidden settings and widgets.

Style and design were the main aesthetic tradeoff: reviewers liked the familiar Apple Watch look but repeatedly called it dated or bezel-heavy.

Reviewers like the compact proportions, colorful two-tone options, and modern AMOLED look. The plastic construction keeps it sporty rather than luxurious.

Third-party app support was praised for extending the native experience, with reviewers highlighting Apple’s App Store depth and useful fitness apps.

Connect IQ supports major services such as Spotify and YouTube Music plus a wide range of community apps and widgets.

Touchscreen responsiveness had limited but very positive evidence, with PCMag saying the watch responded promptly and consistently.

The touchscreen is responsive without feeling overly sensitive, while physical buttons remain available for workouts.

The user interface was praised as easy, cohesive, and fluid, with gestures and Smart Stack improving quick interactions.

The updated UI is polished and easier to use, with quick access to settings and rich data. New Garmin users may still find the menu depth intimidating.

Value for money was the strongest consensus attribute, with reviewers repeatedly calling the SE 3 a standout bargain or best-value Apple Watch.

The base 170 offers a strong blend of training analysis, accuracy, and smart features. Value is less convincing beside the cheaper Forerunner 70, Coros Pace 4, discounted Forerunner 165, or the expensive Music upgrade.

On-device Siri was broadly seen as a useful upgrade, making commands faster and more practical for workouts, timers, weather, and health questions.

There is no onboard voice assistant because the watch lacks a microphone and speaker.

Watch faces were viewed positively, especially the always-on versions and Apple’s high-quality built-in choices.

Report themes add playful personalization, but the default progress-bar watch face can feel frustrating because its goals rarely align.

Water resistance was considered adequate for common needs, with several reviewers accepting the 50m/swimproof rating.

Wellness insights were considered helpful for beginners or casual users, especially Sleep Score, sleep apnea alerts, and the Vitals-style health context.

Body Battery, HRV, sleep guidance, Health Status, and lifestyle logging create a broad wellness package that supports recovery as well as training.

Wi-Fi is useful for downloading music on the Music model. The standard model lacks it, but reviewers found Bluetooth phone syncing adequate for normal use.

Workout variety was viewed very positively, with reviewers noting broad sport profiles and nearly the same workout options as pricier Apple Watches.

More than 80 sport profiles make the watch versatile for running, cycling, gym work, swimming, and outdoor activities. The main gap is a dedicated triathlon or multisport mode.