COROS Pace 4 Pro vs Garmin Forerunner 970: Which Multisport Watch Wins?

COROS’s newly launched Pace 4 Pro and Garmin’s Forerunner 970 both target the same buyer — a triathlete or runner who wants AMOLED brightness and premium build without stepping up to a full outdoor-adventure watch. They land at very different prices, though, so here’s how the two actually compare on the numbers that matter.

Price

COROS Pace 4 Pro — £389
Garmin Forerunner 970 — UK retailers currently list it from around £565–£630 depending on colourway; check the current price before buying since it moves around

That’s roughly a £200 gap. Nothing here changes that basic maths, so if budget is the deciding factor, COROS wins by default.

Display

Pace 4 Pro — 1.47in AMOLED, 3,500 nits peak brightness, sapphire crystal
Forerunner 970 — 1.4in AMOLED, 454×454 resolution, sapphire crystal lens, always-on option

Both use sapphire glass and both are AMOLED — this is closer than the price gap suggests. COROS’s quoted brightness figure is higher on paper, but Garmin’s always-on display mode is a genuine everyday convenience the Pace 4 Pro doesn’t specifically advertise.

Battery

Pace 4 Pro — 60 hours GPS (single-frequency, High mode) / 40 hours GPS (dual-frequency, Max mode)
Forerunner 970 — up to 15 days smartwatch mode / 26 hours in GPS-only mode

This is the biggest real-world gap. COROS’s GPS-mode battery life more than doubles Garmin’s — useful if you’re training for a full-distance Ironman and want to leave the charger at home for a long weekend of sessions. Garmin’s 15-day smartwatch-mode figure matters more if you wear the watch 24/7 for sleep and HRV tracking between sessions.

GPS and Extra Features

Both watches offer dual-frequency GPS, so neither has a clear accuracy edge on paper — real-world performance will need independent testing to separate them. Garmin pulls ahead on smartwatch extras: the Forerunner 970 has a built-in LED flashlight, ECG, a speaker and microphone for phone calls, skin-temperature tracking and Garmin’s Triathlon Coach adaptive training plans. COROS’s ecosystem is leaner by design — it leans on training load, running form and recovery metrics rather than smart-watch features.

Verdict

Buy the COROS Pace 4 Pro if you want long GPS battery life and premium build without paying flagship Garmin prices — it’s the better pick for long-course triathletes who care more about training metrics than smartwatch extras. Buy the Garmin Forerunner 970 if you already live in Garmin Connect, want on-wrist calls and a flashlight, or need the deeper third-party app ecosystem Garmin still leads on.

Buy the COROS Pace 4 Pro direct from COROS

Check price on Amazon (Garmin Forerunner 970, Carbon Grey DLC Titanium)

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