Like many of you, checking YouTube for the latest Garmin updates has become a daily ritual for me. I’m always on the hunt for firmware leaks or new device rumors to share here. But this morning, a video from The Gizmo Garage caught my eye: “Why I Returned Garmin Venu X1 After 5 Months for Forerunner 970.”
It’s rare to see a tech journalist or creator admit a flagship device just didn’t cut it after the “honeymoon phase,” and honestly, after watching his breakdown, I find myself agreeing with him on almost every point.
The Comfort Trap
The reviewer didn’t start with complaints. In fact, for five months, the Venu X1 was his daily driver. He praised the “insanely thin” design and the hypoallergenic titanium back. I have to give Garmin credit here—the X1 is arguably the most comfortable watch they’ve ever made. If you hate the “chunk” of a typical sports watch, the Venu X1 feels like a dream.
The Dealbreakers: Battery and GPS
However, as the months rolled by, two major pain points became impossible to ignore. This is where the video really hit home for me, as these are the exact issues I’ve been weighing lately:
-
The 5-Day Wall: The Venu X1 offers about 5 days of battery life. For a casual user, that’s fine. But for those of us who live in the Garmin ecosystem, we’re used to more. Switching to the Forerunner 970 jumps that to two weeks. As someone who tracks everything from HRV to sleep, having to charge every few days is a constant, minor annoyance that eventually wears you down.
-
Single-Band GPS Frustrations: I completely agree with his take on the GPS. The Venu X1 uses single-band, while the 970 has dual-band (Multi-Band) technology.
-
The Wait: He noted that the X1 takes several seconds longer to lock onto a signal. It sounds small, but when you’re standing outside in the cold, ready to run, those extra seconds feel like an eternity.
-
Precision: He found the “Auto-Stop” feature lagged because the single-band GPS wasn’t precise enough to know exactly when he stopped. When you’re data-driven, that lack of “snappiness” is a hard pill to swallow.
-
Form vs. Function
The video also touched on something I’ve noticed: The Square vs. Round debate. While the Venu X1’s square display is great for reading text, most of Garmin’s best watch faces and widgets are designed for round screens. You end up with a lot of “wasted space” on the X1, which makes the round 970 feel more cohesive.
My Take
Watching this video felt like a reality check. We often get blinded by a beautiful design or a slim profile, but for serious fitness tracking, the fundamentals—GPS accuracy and battery longevity—are king.
The Forerunner 970 might be a bit “chunkier” and lacks the premium titanium back of the X1, but it gains ECG capabilities and the reliability that athletes actually need. If you’re currently torn between these two, I’d suggest following the Gizmo Garage’s lead: unless you absolutely need the thinnest watch possible, the 970 is the smarter long-term bet.
What do you think? Is a 5-day battery life a dealbreaker for you in 2026? Let me know in the comments.
Also Read: The 5 Garmin Launches I’m Saving My Money For in H2 2026
