Average score
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.9
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.1
app ecosystem
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.4

Reviews describe a broad Suunto ecosystem, with an app store that had already caught up and roughly 200 partner apps extending features and data flows.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

ConnectIQ is highlighted as a large marketplace for extra apps and watch faces, with many free options.

band quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

The band is described as comfortable on skin, suggesting solid everyday strap quality.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

The band gets a positive note for micro-adjustment-like stretch and stable wear.

battery life
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.9

Battery life is one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly calling it fantastic, exceptional, or unusually long-lasting.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.2

Battery life is the main hardware compromise: acceptable to good with sensible settings, but clearly worse than some Garmins or rivals when brightness and always-on display are pushed.

blood oxygen tracking
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.7

Blood oxygen is present as a watch/app feature, but reviewers give only limited evaluation beyond its inclusion in the broader toolset.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.0

PulseOx support is present for overnight breathing-related data, and one reviewer found its overnight battery impact minimal.

Bluetooth connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.2

Bluetooth support covers common sport sensors and phone-linked functions like music control.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

Bluetooth support is broad enough for external sensors and accessories, with no major complaints in the cited review.

brightness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

The improved backlight gets very bright, helping the display in darker conditions.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.7

Brightness is a standout upgrade and among the most frequently praised hardware changes.

build quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.8

Reviewers describe the watch as luxurious yet rugged and even tank-like, pointing to strong build quality.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

The overall construction feels premium, with sapphire and titanium helping the watch feel like a true flagship.

button controls
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.4

The physical controls are easy to use, including with gloves, and the buttons are generally well-regarded.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Physical buttons remain a strength, giving reliable control alongside the touchscreen.

call handling
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.6

On-wrist calling works and is convenient, but speaker volume or overall call quality is not universally praised.

calorie tracking usefulness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.2

One reviewer found the watch’s calorie-related training data more realistic than competing devices, making the readouts reasonably useful.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
No score yet
charging convenience
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

The magnetic charger is easy to align or attach, though it remains a dedicated charging solution.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
No score yet
charging speed
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.7

Charging speed feedback is mixed: one review saw a very fast recharge, while another reported fast-charging issues.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
No score yet
coaching features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

Coaching tools are present through VO2 max estimation and Suunto Coach guidance, but they are framed as helpful rather than especially advanced.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.8

Garmin Coach and triathlon planning are consistently praised for building detailed, adaptive training plans.

comfort
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

Comfort is a plus, with the band feeling good on skin and the watch avoiding an overly clunky feel.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.7

Reviewers consistently find the watch comfortable enough for all-day wear.

companion app quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

The companion app is consistently praised for usability, organization, route planning, and depth of information.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.3

Garmin Connect is described as comprehensive, but not consistently elegant, with one reviewer criticizing layout while another praises data presentation.

contactless payments
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
1.0

One review explicitly notes that NFC payments are not included.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

Garmin Pay is available and described as easy or useful where banks are supported.

cross-platform compatibility
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

Reviewers used it with iPhone/Komoot and also noted access to the app on tablet or macOS desktop.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.8

Compatibility across Apple and Android phones is present, but capabilities differ and iOS remains more limited.

customization options
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

Users can customize pages, widgets, watch-face elements, and colors, giving the watch strong personalization options.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.8

Customization is extensive, from sport-profile behavior to data fields and watch-face choices.

display quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.4

Reviewers describe the larger screen as easy to read and notably improved over older Suunto displays, especially for map use.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.8

The AMOLED display is repeatedly praised for looking bright, sharp, and premium.

durability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.8

Reviews point to strong durability through real-world wear and formal ruggedness claims.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.6

Sapphire protection and tougher materials are repeatedly credited with improving scratch resistance and day-to-day durability.

ECG functionality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
1.0

One review explicitly states that ECG functionality is missing.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

The watch adds manual ECG support and reviewers consistently present it as a meaningful upgrade, though one notes it is still a manual snapshot tool rather than continuous monitoring.

fit
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.9

Fit is mixed-positive: the large case may take getting used to, but it does not feel especially chunky on wrist.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Despite the 47 mm case, multiple reviewers say the watch sits well and feels manageable on the wrist.

fitness tracking accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.2

One reviewer says the overall training data looked more accurate than on competing watches.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

In multisport and gym use, one reviewer says the watch tracked indoor training sessions reliably.

GPS accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.8

GPS accuracy is a standout strength, with repeated praise for precise tracks and strong performance against major rivals.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.7

GPS performance is one of the clearest strengths, with multiple reviewers calling it impeccable, highly accurate, or spot-on across varied conditions.

heart rate accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
2.4

Optical heart-rate accuracy is a recurring weakness, especially for sports use, with under-reading and inconsistency noted.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.6

Across runs and workouts, reviewers repeatedly describe optical heart rate as close to chest straps and generally reliable.

LTE connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
1.5

The watch lacks built-in cellular and still depends on a nearby phone for calls or assistant functions.

materials quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.7

Titanium or steel construction and sapphire materials are repeatedly highlighted as premium touches.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

Materials are premium for the category, especially the titanium bezel and sapphire protection, even if the body remains polymer.

menu navigation
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

Menus are easy to navigate, with key items accessible rather than buried.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Voice tools and interface choices can reduce menu digging, making common actions quicker.

music controls
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.0

The watch can control music playing from a connected phone.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
No score yet
onboard music storage
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
1.0

Reviews clearly state that there is no onboard music storage or playback.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Offline music storage is a clear strength, with support for downloaded playlists and ample storage.

operating system experience
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.8

The operating system is seen as usable and reasonably intuitive, though not especially impressive.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

Garmin's software experience is generally praised as polished and strong, with reviewers describing it as among the best in sports watches.

outdoor visibility
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.8

Outdoor readability is strong, with reviewers calling the screen or maps easy to read in bright sunlight.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

The screen remains easy to read outdoors, including in bright sunlight.

pairing reliability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.6

Pairing is mostly stable once connected, but one reviewer noted setup friction with the app.

recovery insights
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.2

Recovery insights are present through recovery/energy features, and reviewers generally found that guidance useful.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Recovery tools such as Training Readiness, Acute Impact Load, and Running Tolerance are widely described as genuinely useful for judging load and avoiding overtraining.

reliability
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
2.3

A few reviewers encountered crashes or notable bugs, especially around routing or call-related features.

safety features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

Safety-relevant tools such as storm alerts, sunset or weather alerts, and ETA are positively mentioned.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Safety tools like incident detection, emergency alerts, and location sharing are a meaningful plus.

size options
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
1.8

Size choice is limited; reviewers note the lineup is essentially one-size.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
2.0

Only one case size is available, which limits choice for smaller wrists.

sleep tracking accuracy
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

Sleep tracking is usually described as accurate or close to real sleep and wake timing.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.1

Sleep timing and general sleep scoring were viewed as good to very good, though one review notes Garmin is less reliable on sleep quality details than Oura.

smartphone notifications
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.0

Smartphone notifications are present and generally work well, though one review notes limited emoji handling.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

Notifications are well supported, with alerts, calendar items, and message visibility noted positively.

smartwatch features
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.2

Smartwatch features are present, but reviewers do not see them as especially complete versus more smartwatch-oriented rivals.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

Smart features such as calls, voice commands, music, notifications, reports, and payments are broader than typical sports watches, though still short of full smartwatch ecosystems.

software smoothness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.0

Software smoothness has improved, but lag remains a recurring complaint.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
2.8

Lag when saving activities, loading screens, or moving around maps is a recurring complaint.

stress tracking
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.0

Stress is tracked through the resources system, which estimates energy levels using stress and recovery inputs.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.8

One reviewer specifically praised stress tracking for catching a severe migraine and adjusting training recommendations accordingly.

style and design
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.7

Reviewers consistently like the styling, describing it as minimal, rugged, or well-designed.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

The design is broadly viewed as sleek, sporty, and attractive, though one reviewer still sees it as a large performance-first watch.

third-party app support
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.5

Third-party syncing and integration support is strong, especially with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and broader partner apps.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.4

Support for services and ecosystems such as Strava, Apple Health, and ConnectIQ add-ons is a notable plus.

touchscreen responsiveness
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.2

Touch interaction is usable but commonly described as laggy or slightly delayed.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.9

Touch interaction is mostly responsive and easy to use, though some reviewers mention sensitivity quirks.

user interface
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.4

The user interface is generally intuitive and easy to learn, even if performance is not always snappy.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.9

The interface is feature-rich and generally easy to use, but some reviewers still find it click-heavy or overwhelming in places.

value for money
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.7

Value is mixed: some reviewers call it a sound investment or relatively cheaper than rivals, while others question the price.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
3.3

Value is mixed: several reviewers say the watch earns its premium performance position, while others argue the price and extras make it harder to justify.

voice assistant quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
No score yet
Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.1

Voice tools are generally described as useful and workable, especially for quick commands, though they are not positioned as class-leading smart assistant replacements.

watch face quality
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
3.4

Watch-face options exist, but at least one reviewer still wanted better designs.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Watch-face choice is a strength, with many downloadable and customizable options.

water resistance
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.0

Water resistance is solid for swimming and snorkelling use, though not pitched as a full diving watch.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.2

The 5ATM/50m rating is sufficient for swimming and general sport use, but it is not positioned as a dive watch.

wellness insights
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

The watch offers wellness-oriented feedback such as VO2 max, fitness age, and training or recovery guidance.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.3

Morning and Evening Reports, sleep guidance, training previews, and broader daily insights are repeatedly described as useful and informative.

Wi-Fi connectivity
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
4.1

Wi‑Fi enables map downloads, but it depends on network availability and can be slow or situational.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
No score yet
workout tracking variety
Product 1: Suunto Vertical
5.0

Workout variety is excellent, with 90-plus to 95 sport modes and specialty options mentioned.

Product 2: Garmin Forerunner 970
4.5

Reviewers describe a massive activity list, with new sport profiles and broad support for running, swimming, cycling, gym work, and more.