Compare Suunto Vertical 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 570

P1 Suunto Vertical 2
P2 Garmin Forerunner 570

Comparison Takeaways

Suunto Vertical 2

Where It Has the Edge

  • battery life is 4.7 vs 3.3. Battery life is the headline strength, with nearly every reviewer praising long smartwatch runtime, strong GPS endurance, and...
  • value for money is 4.0 vs 2.6. Value is favorable versus Garmin and other premium rivals, but reviewers still questioned the high titanium price and...
  • reliability is 3.6 vs 2.3. Reliability is mostly positive for navigation and outdoor use, but there are caveats around map rendering, background sync,...
  • cross-platform compatibility is 5.0 vs 4.1. Cross-platform compatibility is directly supported by iOS and Android compatibility, though platform-specific smart features remain limited.

Garmin Forerunner 570

Where It Has the Edge

  • contactless payments is 4.4 vs 1.2. Contactless payment support is confirmed through NFC payments, but reviewers mention it briefly rather than as a major...
  • onboard music storage is 4.1 vs 1.1. Onboard music storage is supported through 8GB storage, MP3s, and streaming-service syncing, giving it better music capability than...
  • call handling is 4.2 vs 2.2. Call handling is a solid new smartwatch feature via microphone, speaker, and Bluetooth, though reviewers usually treat it...
  • smartwatch features is 4.1 vs 2.3. Smartwatch features improved meaningfully with mic, speaker, calls, voice commands, music, NFC, reports, and notifications, though it is...
Average score
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.8
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0
activity auto-detection
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Evidence for automatic activity handling is limited; the clearest support is commute logging for walking or cycling rather than broad automatic workout detection.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0

Reviewers noted helpful race/activity automation, especially AutoLap timing gates and finish-line cleanup, but evidence is narrow rather than a broad auto-detection theme.

app ecosystem
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.6

The app ecosystem is serviceable and can connect with health/training platforms, but multiple reviewers explicitly said it is not as deep or rich as Garmin's.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.2

Garmin's app ecosystem is useful through Connect IQ and watchface downloads, though reviewers repeatedly describe it as more limited than Apple or Wear OS.

band quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Band quality is mostly positive, especially softness, stretch, and comfort, though one reviewer disliked the stock band and another noted initial stiffness.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

The silicone/translucent bands are generally praised for softness, fit, sweat comfort, and durability, with one reviewer noting a strap tail/bump annoyance.

battery life
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.7

Battery life is the headline strength, with nearly every reviewer praising long smartwatch runtime, strong GPS endurance, and unusually good AMOLED stamina.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.3

Battery life is divisive: still far better than mainstream smartwatches for some users, but several reviewers saw a drop from the 265 and short always-on endurance.

blood oxygen tracking
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Blood oxygen tracking is present and repeatedly mentioned as part of the health suite, with one reviewer noting more stable readings from the redesigned sensor.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0

Blood oxygen tracking is present and used in overnight health tracking, but reviewers mention it as part of the health suite rather than a standout accuracy feature.

Bluetooth connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Bluetooth support is useful for headphones, turn prompts, and music control, but the evidence is narrower than for core fitness features.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.6

Bluetooth supports calls and pairing with phones/sensors, but one reviewer reported frequent phone disconnect notices, making connectivity evidence mixed.

brightness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.7

Brightness was strongly praised, with multiple reviewers highlighting the 2,000-nit AMOLED screen and strong lighting performance, despite one complaint about dim indoor behavior.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.7

Brightness is one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers calling the AMOLED screen brighter, vivid, and among Garmin's brightest.

build quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.4

Build quality is rugged and premium, with reviewers citing solid metal construction, sapphire protection, and little concern about normal outdoor knocks.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Build quality is viewed positively thanks to a robust-feeling case and upgraded aluminum bezel, with no major build concerns outside price-tier omissions.

button controls
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Button controls are a strong outdoor feature, especially with gloves, though several reviewers preferred a dial or wanted more consistent back-button behavior.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6

The five-button setup is repeatedly praised for sweaty, rainy, gloved, and swimming use, while also complementing the touchscreen well.

call handling
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
2.2

Call handling is limited. Reviewers mention seeing, answering, or declining calls, but not full on-watch calling.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.2

Call handling is a solid new smartwatch feature via microphone, speaker, and Bluetooth, though reviewers usually treat it as handy rather than essential.

calorie tracking usefulness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.4

Calorie data is available in daily and workout summaries, but usefulness is moderated by one reviewer's concern that calories were overestimated.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0

Calorie tracking is available and tied into activity details, including pack-weight calculations, but reviewers do not deeply validate calorie accuracy.

charging convenience
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.5

Charging convenience is much improved thanks to a stronger magnetic USB-C charger, with reviewers repeatedly saying it stays attached and fixes older friction.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.7

Charging convenience is acceptable but not premium: Garmin's connector is functional and fast enough, yet the lack of wireless charging is a recurring caveat.

charging speed
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Charging speed is acceptable rather than exceptional, with evidence around roughly 90 minutes to 1 hour 45 minutes for a full or near-full charge.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Charging speed receives positive user evidence, with one long-term reviewer saying it can recharge during a morning shower.

coaching features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.1

Coaching features are meaningful, with Suunto Coach, AI-driven suggestions, and plans appearing in multiple reviews, but one reviewer found plan duration limitations.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Coaching features are a major strength, including Garmin Coach, triathlon plans, daily workout suggestions, and adaptive training guidance.

comfort
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.4

Comfort is the main physical tradeoff: several reviewers found it wearable or surprisingly comfortable, but many also called it heavy, bulky, or chunky for sleep and daily wear.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Comfort is broadly strong, with reviewers calling it light and wearable all day; only larger-size sleep comfort and strap buckle issues temper the praise.

companion app quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

The companion app is generally clean, useful, and increasingly complete, but it is not universally praised because some reviewers found it less engaging or less reliable in the background.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.2

Garmin Connect is powerful and data-rich, though one reviewer notes its learning curve and depth can feel overwhelming.

contactless payments
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
1.2

Contactless payment support is effectively absent; reviewers directly noted no tap-to-pay or wallet-style functionality.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Contactless payment support is confirmed through NFC payments, but reviewers mention it briefly rather than as a major buying reason.

cross-platform compatibility
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
5.0

Cross-platform compatibility is directly supported by iOS and Android compatibility, though platform-specific smart features remain limited.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.1

Cross-platform use is solid for notifications on Android and iPhone, but iPhone reply limitations keep it short of Apple Watch-level integration.

customization options
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Customization is solid for data fields, shortcuts, sports modes, widgets, and watch faces, though some changes require the app or SuuntoPlus.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Customization is strong across watchfaces, widgets, data fields, layouts, colors, and report options, with several reviewers highlighting personalization.

display quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.6

Display quality was one of the most consistent strengths: reviewers praised the AMOLED screen as bright, sharp, colorful, clear, and a major upgrade.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.7

Display quality is a standout: the AMOLED panel is sharp, vivid, responsive, and frequently cited as a major upgrade.

durability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.4

Durability is a strong point, with reviewers reporting scratch resistance, tough outdoor confidence, and only minor wear in some cases.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Durability evidence is mostly positive, with bezels, bands, water use, and glass holding up well, though one review noted small scratches or heat-related unresponsiveness.

ECG functionality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
1.0

ECG functionality is the clearest omission: many reviewers criticize the lack of ECG despite the newer heart-rate sensor and the price.

fit
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Fit is generally secure once dialed in, with reviewers praising wrist stability while also noting that fit matters for heart-rate accuracy on a larger watch.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Fit is praised for secure, no-bounce wear and useful size options, particularly for smaller wrists.

fitness tracking accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.3

Fitness tracking was generally trusted, especially when reviewers considered GPS and heart-rate data together, though the broader accuracy picture still depends on activity and fit.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6

Fitness tracking accuracy is strong overall, anchored by consistently praised GPS and heart-rate performance across running, cycling, and multisport use.

GPS accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.6

Land-based GPS accuracy was one of the strongest areas, with reviewers calling it spot-on, near-perfect, or flawless; the main caveat was poorer open-water swim behavior in one test.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.7

GPS accuracy is one of the strongest attributes, with reviewers repeatedly calling tracks excellent, flawless, near-perfect, or among the best tested.

health tracking accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.8

General health metrics were treated as useful and mostly credible, but reviewers tied accuracy to specific metrics and noted edge cases around sleep, steps, calories, and heart-rate behavior.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.3

Health tracking is broad and useful, covering heart rate, sleep, stress, skin temperature, respiration, and wellness metrics, but some illness/sleep limitations appear.

heart rate accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.7

Heart-rate accuracy was improved over older Suuntos and often solid for steady running, hiking, and cycling, but several reviewers saw startup, interval, cadence-lock, or large-watch fit issues.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Heart-rate accuracy is highly rated across most reviews, especially for running and intervals, though lab-style testing found some delays and dips.

LTE connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
1.1

LTE connectivity is not offered; reviewers explicitly note the lack of cellular connection or cellular smartwatch capability.

mapping and navigation
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
2.2

Navigation is the biggest tradeoff: breadcrumb routing works, but the absence of offline/topographic maps is repeatedly criticized at this price.

materials quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.3

Materials quality is high, with stainless steel or titanium, sapphire glass, and metal construction repeatedly highlighted.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Materials quality improves over the 265 with an aluminum bezel and Gorilla Glass, giving the watch a more premium feel.

menu navigation
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.3

Menu navigation is improved but not perfect: reviewers liked the button flow and app structure but cited clunky flashlight access, route limits, and some unintuitive activity organization.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Menu navigation is mostly intuitive and easy, supported by buttons, touchscreen, Glances, and refreshed menus, though phantom clicks hurt one review.

music controls
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Music controls work for phone-based playback and Bluetooth-headphone control, but reviewers consistently position them as basic controls rather than full music features.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0

Music controls are available alongside notifications and calendar previews, but reviewer evidence is brief.

onboard music storage
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
1.1

Onboard music storage is a consistent weakness, with reviewers repeatedly stating that the watch cannot store music or run offline music services.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.1

Onboard music storage is supported through 8GB storage, MP3s, and streaming-service syncing, giving it better music capability than many sports watches.

operating system experience
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

The operating system feels smoother and more intuitive than older Vertical software, but reviewers still see Garmin as more complete.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.0

The updated operating-system experience is cleaner and more modern, with Garmin aligning the 570 with newer Fenix/Forerunner UI styling.

outdoor visibility
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.9

Outdoor visibility was excellent across the evidence, with reviewers repeatedly saying the screen stayed readable in sun, low light, bad weather, and direct sunlight.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.9

Outdoor visibility is excellent, with reviewers praising sunlight readability and the bright AMOLED display in harsh outdoor conditions.

pairing reliability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Pairing and syncing reliability is mixed: one reviewer had no connection issues, another praised fast syncing, while another reported background refresh friction.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.6

Pairing and syncing are mixed: some reviewers found smooth iPhone/Strava syncing, while another saw repeated phone disconnects.

recovery insights
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.1

Recovery insights are a clear strength, with reviewers citing recovery time, resources, training stress, chronic load, and performance trends across the watch and app.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6

Recovery insights are a major reason reviewers liked the watch, especially Training Readiness, Body Battery, HRV, and sleep-informed rest guidance.

reliability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.6

Reliability is mostly positive for navigation and outdoor use, but there are caveats around map rendering, background sync, and setup friction.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
2.3

Reliability is mixed: core tracking is reliable, but reviewers cite occasional crashes, overheating unresponsiveness, software bugs, and phantom clicks.

safety features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.1

Safety features center on the LED flashlight, red mode, alerts, SOS-style patterns, offline maps, and find-back navigation, though true satellite SOS is missing.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.3

Safety features are solid, with LiveTrack, Incident Detection, and safety/tracking features mentioned as part of the package.

size options
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
2.8

Size options are limited. Reviewers repeatedly frame it as a large 49mm watch, with steel and titanium trims but little real case-size choice.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Size options are a strength because the 570 comes in 42mm and 47mm, making it more accessible than single-size Garmin alternatives.

sleep tracking accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.7

Sleep tracking drew mixed-positive comments: some reviewers found it accurate or improved, while others reported quirky stage or wake detection and noted the watch can feel large overnight.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.3

Sleep tracking is useful but not class-leading; some found it reasonably accurate while others called it less robust or less complete than competitors.

smartphone notifications
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
2.8

Notifications are functional but basic: several reviewers called them read-only or limited, though another found them reliable for calls, messages, and app alerts.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.1

Smartphone notifications work, but evidence is mixed because one reviewer found notification handling intrusive during workouts.

smartwatch features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
2.3

Smartwatch functionality is intentionally stripped back, with reviewers emphasizing the absence of richer lifestyle features and framing it as an outdoor tool.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.1

Smartwatch features improved meaningfully with mic, speaker, calls, voice commands, music, NFC, reports, and notifications, though it is not a full smartwatch.

software smoothness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.4

Software smoothness was widely praised, with repeated comments about faster menus, snappier performance, smoother animations, and a much improved interface.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Software smoothness is generally positive, with reviewers describing the interface as polished, faster, and modern, but not bug-free.

step counting accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.4

Step tracking is supported and visible in daily stats, but evidence is mixed because one reviewer specifically reported frequent step overcounting.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.3

Step counting appears accurate in direct step tests and is part of the daily tracking suite.

stress tracking
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Stress-related tracking appears through ZoneSense, HRV, TSB, and Training Stress Score rather than a simple lifestyle stress widget, making it more training-focused.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Stress tracking feeds into readiness and wellness guidance, giving it practical value for recovery decisions.

style and design
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.4

Style and design were praised more than typical rugged watches, with reviewers calling it sleek, refined, futuristic, and good-looking despite its size.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Style and design are a standout upgrade, with reviewers praising the colorful, expressive, more premium look.

third-party app support
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.4

Third-party support is a bright spot for a performance watch, with repeated mentions of Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot, SuuntoPlus, and partner integrations.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
3.5

Third-party app support exists through Connect IQ, but reviewers view Garmin's store as useful yet limited versus full smartwatch platforms.

touchscreen responsiveness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.8

Touchscreen responsiveness is mostly good, but reviewers noted occasional lag, wet-screen confusion, or preference for physical controls in hard conditions.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6

Touchscreen responsiveness is widely praised as responsive, fast, and useful, especially alongside the physical buttons.

user interface
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.8

The interface is readable and visually organized, with good use of color and fonts, but the touch-first logic and dense training terminology can require adjustment.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.2

The user interface is cleaner and easier to navigate than before, though Garmin's learning curve and rare menu quirks remain.

value for money
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.0

Value is favorable versus Garmin and other premium rivals, but reviewers still questioned the high titanium price and overlap with the cheaper Race 2.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
2.6

Value for money is the most common concern: reviewers like the watch but repeatedly say the price is high versus the 265, 965, 970, and rivals.

voice assistant quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.1

Voice assistant and command quality is good for watch tasks and commands, while phone-assistant workflows can be clunky or dependent on the phone.

watch face quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.3

Watch face feedback is mixed: reviewers liked customization and data, but the dimmed AMOLED state drew criticism for readability.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Watch face quality is strong thanks to customization and readable data layouts, with reviewers highlighting clean default faces and useful widgets.

water resistance
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.5

Water resistance is well supported, with reviewers citing 100-meter resistance, pool use, swimming, snorkeling, and comfort taking it into water.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.4

Water resistance is well supported for swimming and real-world water exposure, including pools, lakes, ocean use, and a 5ATM rating.

wellness insights
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.1

Wellness insights are useful and easy to digest, especially resources, body-energy-style feedback, sleep, HRV, and training trends, though the ecosystem stays leaner than Garmin.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.5

Wellness insights are deep and actionable, especially Body Battery, readiness, stress, sleep, and recovery metrics that shape daily decisions.

Wi-Fi connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
3.5

Wi-Fi is mainly relevant to maps and sync features; reviewers found it necessary and useful, though map downloads or setup could be fiddly.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
No score yet
workout tracking variety
Product 1: Suunto Vertical 2
4.7

Workout coverage was a major point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly cited 100-plus, 115-plus, or even 150-plus activity modes.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 570
4.6

Workout tracking variety is excellent, with triathlon/multisport support, many sport modes, open-water swimming, gym profiles, and new activity types.