Compare Suunto Vertical 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 170 Music

Heart-rate accuracy was mixed-positive: many reviewers saw accurate or much-improved readings, while others reported startup wobble, high-intensity drift, fit sensitivity, or inconsistent results.

Heart-rate tracking is generally strong for running and mixed training, with several reviewers calling the older Elevate 4 sensor very good. Hard intervals and strength work can expose some lag, so a chest strap remains the cleaner choice for precision.

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly calling land-based tracking accurate, rock-solid, spot-on, or near-perfect.

GPS performance earned unusually consistent praise despite the single-band hardware, with reviewers finding it close to pricier multi-band Garmins and accurate on city, coastal, and woodland routes. Multi-band remains preferable for the toughest dense-city or deep-trail conditions.

Sports tracking was described as solid overall, with accuracy tied to GPS performance and getting the watch fit right.

Across running, swimming, gym work, elevation tracking, and race-style intervals, reviewers found the watch consistently accurate and useful for analyzing performance.

Sleep tracking drew mixed feedback: several reviewers found it accurate or improved, but others noted hit-or-miss results, missed wake periods, or quirks.

Sleep tracking has improved enough to broadly match an Oura Ring on sleep duration, bedtime, and key stages on most nights, though Garmin’s history here was acknowledged as weaker.

Coaching features were useful for structured progress, though one advanced pacing feature was less convenient because it required a chest strap.

Garmin Coach and Quick Workouts are standout strengths, offering adaptive plans, fast structured sessions, and useful guidance for everyone from first-race runners to experienced athletes. Suggested Quick Workouts can occasionally be tougher than expected.

Recovery insights were generally useful, with reviewers saying advice or training-state feedback aligned with how they felt and helped track progress.

Training Readiness, Training Status, load, and recovery guidance are among the watch’s biggest strengths, helping runners structure training and avoid overdoing it. One reviewer cautioned that beginners can become too dependent on recovery scores instead of listening to their bodies.

Workout variety was a clear strength, with reviewers repeatedly praising the very broad set of sport modes and activity profiles.

The jump to more than 80 sport profiles makes the watch far more versatile than older entry Forerunners, covering running, gym, team, winter, and water activities. The lack of native HYROX and multisport/triathlon modes still leaves gaps for some athletes.

Wellness insights were seen as meaningful but fairly lean, especially the Resources-style daily energy framing.

Garmin’s broader wellness package is viewed positively, especially the comprehensive health data and useful evening reports that recap the day and help frame the next one.

Blood oxygen evidence was limited but positive, tied to a redesigned sensor that improved stability during demanding outdoor use.

Pulse Ox is welcomed as part of the expanded health package, bringing a feature that previously sat above this entry-to-midrange tier.

Battery life was the strongest point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly called it class-leading or excellent for AMOLED, with a few real-world caveats versus claims.

Battery life is adequate rather than class-leading. Depending on display settings and training load, reviewers saw roughly three-and-a-half to six days in heavier real-world use; most runners found that workable, but it trails some cheaper or older alternatives.

Charging convenience was a major improvement, with reviewers praising the stronger magnetic charger, better clip, and reliable connection.

Charging is a clear annoyance: the proprietary Garmin cable can be finicky to keep seated and feels dated compared with USB-C.

Comfort was mixed: reviewers often found it wearable or balanced for its size, but the heavy, bulky case was a recurring caveat.

The light, slim case is exceptionally easy to wear for workouts, sleep, and daily use, especially on smaller wrists. The main comfort caveat is skin irritation reported from the strap or back casing by a couple of reviewers.

Materials quality was praised through the metal casing and sapphire-glass construction.

Materials are a weak spot compared with premium Garmins: the polymer construction feels basic, and one report flagged possible skin irritation from the plastic back during prolonged wear.

Build quality was repeatedly described as intentional, solid, tank-like, and suited to hard outdoor use.

The build is functional and familiar rather than premium, described as standard Garmin fare with a lightweight plastic character.

Fit was generally secure when adjusted correctly, but reviewers stressed that sensor accuracy and stability depend on placement.

The compact case fits smaller wrists well while still being judged suitable for a broad range of wrist sizes, with little catching or digging during wear.

Band quality was mostly positive for softness and security, though reviewers also noted fiddly clasps, stiffness, or awkward break-in.

The silicone band feels soft and stretchy, but one reviewer developed a rash from it, making long-term skin comfort a real point of variability.

Water resistance evidence was positive but limited, with one reviewer calling it fully waterproof and happy in the pool.

The watch handled swimming well in testing and was considered safe and dependable for both pool use and showering.

Style and design were praised as rugged, sleek, good-looking, and more refined than earlier models.

The watch keeps Garmin’s sporty look but earns praise for fun color choices, coordinated bands, and a polished appearance that still feels light on the wrist.

Display quality was one of the strongest positives, with reviewers repeatedly praising the AMOLED screen as bright, sharp, vibrant, clean, and modern.

The AMOLED screen is one of the watch’s most praised features: colorful, sharp enough for dense run data, and easy to read. It is not as fluid or premium as flagship smartwatch panels, but reviewers still rate it highly.

Brightness was strongly praised, with reviewers emphasizing the 2,000-nit output and easy readability in bright conditions.

Reviewers consistently found the AMOLED display bright and vivid enough for normal use, including direct sunlight, even though Garmin’s pricier watches can get brighter.

Outdoor visibility was excellent across the evidence, especially in sun, low light, and map use.

Outdoor readability is excellent, with multiple reviewers saying pace and data remain easy to see in bright sunshine and normal running conditions.

Reliability evidence was limited but positive, centered on performance data, durability, and route reliability.

In demanding race preparation and event use, the watch did its job consistently, delivering dependable data and controls without getting in the way.

Value for money was generally positive because the watch delivers strong outdoor performance at less than some Garmin rivals, though some reviewers flagged competition and higher titanium pricing.

Value depends heavily on what you need. The 170 Music packs premium training tools, accurate tracking, payments, and phone-free audio at a lower tier than Garmin flagships, but several reviewers think the cheaper 70, discounted 165/265, or Coros Pace 4 can be better buys.

Safety features were mixed: the flashlight helped, but one reviewer criticized the lack of a true SOS function.

LiveTrack is a useful safety extra for solo activities, giving contacts a way to follow the wearer’s location when a phone connection is available.

Cross-platform compatibility had an iPhone caveat, with one reviewer noting reduced notification and response behavior when paired to iOS.

Garmin Connect worked almost identically on iPhone and Android in testing, making the core experience effectively platform-neutral.

Onboard music storage was repeatedly criticized or marked absent, with reviewers noting no offline music despite the available storage.

Offline music is one of the Music model’s clearest benefits, letting runners leave the phone behind and load playlists from supported services. The feature is easy to live with, but the price premium and Apple Music gap weaken the value for some users.

Contactless payments were a clear missing feature and one reviewer explicitly docked the product for no tap-to-pay wallet.

Garmin Pay is useful for phone-free runs and everyday purchases, but reviewers disagree on whether it justifies the price premium over the cheaper Forerunner 70.

Smartwatch features were considered limited; reviewers treated the watch as an outdoor tool rather than a full everyday smartwatch.

The 170 Music goes beyond pure run tracking with payments, apps, notifications, music, and a more complete smartwatch interface. Reviewers still see it as a sports watch first rather than a true phone-replacement smartwatch.

Pairing and sync reliability was split: one reviewer had no connection or syncing issues, while another found background activity inconsistent.

Syncing and connection behavior impressed in testing, with near-instant GPS lock and quick, easy Strava synchronization.

Third-party app support was positive where discussed, especially clean syncing with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and health-app workflows.

Streaming support is a mixed point: Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer and some other services work well, but Apple Music’s absence is repeatedly called out as a meaningful limitation. Spotify offline use also requires Premium.

Music controls were serviceable to good for phone playback, but reviewers framed them as limited controls rather than a full music experience.

The touchscreen makes on-watch music controls notably easier to use and helps the device feel more like a regular smartwatch.

Mapping and navigation were usually praised for clear, useful offline maps and route guidance, but reviewers noted setup friction, manual toggles, route limits, or Garmin’s easier experience.

Breadcrumb course guidance is useful for everyday routes, but the lack of full offline maps is one of the most repeated omissions. It is fine for familiar roads and basic course following, less convincing for wilderness, ultras, or map-heavy trail use.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly positive, but reviewers noted wet-screen confusion and occasional lag.

The touchscreen is repeatedly described as snappy and responsive without becoming overly sensitive, making swipes and taps reliable in daily use.

Menu navigation was mixed: reviewers liked the clearer flow, but some found the touch-centric interface or long scrolling awkward.

Five-button navigation is generally easy and dependable, especially while running, and the newer software feels smoother. The main drawback is that some capabilities remain buried in settings.

Button controls were broadly praised for glove use and tactile feedback, though some reviewers still preferred a crown or different interface logic.

Garmin’s five-button layout is a major practical strength for runners because it remains easy to operate with sweaty hands, gloves, or a bouncing stride. One reviewer noted a small ambiguity around the start button.

The operating system experience was praised as fast and efficient in the available review evidence.

The latest Garmin software feels more polished and cohesive, bringing sports and smartwatch functions together with a sleeker presentation. Reviewers also value its position for receiving newer features.

The user interface was viewed as more intuitive than earlier Suunto releases, though evidence was limited.

The on-watch interface is widely considered simple, polished, and easy to use through either touch or buttons. Small quirks remain, including buried settings and an occasionally ambiguous start-button interaction.

Companion app quality was mixed: several reviewers liked its clean, digestible dashboard, but others found it less glanceable, overloaded, or inconsistent in background syncing.

Garmin Connect is powerful for training analysis and can make certain tasks easier, but one reviewer felt the app still badly needs a redesign. Its depth is useful, though not always elegant.

Software smoothness was much improved versus older Suunto models, with reviewers calling the UI faster, smoother, and more responsive.

The updated software is praised for faster performance and smoother navigation than Garmin’s older budget-watch experience.

The app ecosystem was a weakness relative to Garmin, with reviewers calling out a lack of deeper training ecosystem or rich smart features.

Connect IQ adds some smartwatch extensibility, but one reviewer found its useful app selection much thinner than Apple’s or Google’s stores.

Customization was praised for watch-face and data flexibility, with reviewers appreciating how much the display could be tailored.

Watch faces, widgets, and data screens can be customized extensively, letting runners prioritize the information they actually want to see.

One reviewer found the run alerts comically loud and disliked having no separate volume adjustment beyond disabling sound and vibration.

Notification handling was mixed: alerts could arrive reliably, but reviewers repeatedly noted read-only limits, short previews, no images, or reduced iPhone behavior.

Watch-face quality was generally liked, especially the clear default face and useful data, though one review noted dim-state readability issues elsewhere.

Wi-Fi connectivity was mainly discussed through map downloads, where reviewers ran into a fiddly process or setup failures.

Calorie estimates were questioned by one reviewer, who said the watch tended to overestimate calories burned.

Reviewers found the broader health metrics generally usable, with one calling the data accurate enough and another seeing solid performance across navigation, sleep, and heart-rate measurements.

Step counting had a minor accuracy concern, with one reviewer saying the watch frequently overcounted steps.

Charging speed was acceptable rather than impressive, with one reviewer calling the roughly 90-minute charge adequate but not great.

Durability evidence was strong, with reviewers reporting protective construction, resistance to scratches, and a solid feel after rough use.

Size options were a weakness because one reviewer specifically criticized the single-size approach.

The flashlight was widely considered useful or even essential, but several reviewers criticized early software behavior, access flow, or clunky controls.

Wrist-based running power is welcomed as a surprisingly advanced training tool at this price, giving runners another way to manage effort and work on form.