Garmin Forerunner 70 vs COROS Pace 3: Which GPS Watch Wins?

Overview

The COROS Pace 3 is a proven, well-tested training watch for serious endurance athletes who want multi-band GPS accuracy and long battery life at under €200. The Garmin Forerunner 70 is an entry-level watch announced at $249.99 that brings an AMOLED display and Garmin's health sensor stack to a lower price point, but has no verified real-world performance data available at the time of writing. One device has a full track record; the other does not yet.

Important: The Garmin Forerunner 70 had not appeared in Garmin's confirmed product lineup as of mid-2025. Key specifications are unconfirmed. Verify availability before purchase.

Specs at a glance

Price: Forerunner 70 at $249.99 / £219.99 vs COROS Pace 3 at approximately €199
GPS: Forerunner 70 chipset unconfirmed vs Pace 3 multi-band GNSS (GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, BeiDou) with dual-frequency
Battery in GPS mode: Forerunner 70 unconfirmed vs Pace 3 at 38 hours single-band, 20 hours multi-band
Display: Forerunner 70 AMOLED vs Pace 3 MIP transflective always-on color display
Weight: Forerunner 70 unconfirmed vs Pace 3 at 30g with silicone strap
Sensors: Forerunner 70 includes skin temperature; Pace 3 does not. Both include optical PPG heart rate, HRV, and SpO2
Altimeter: Forerunner 70 unconfirmed vs Pace 3 barometric altimeter confirmed
Water resistance: Forerunner 70 unconfirmed vs Pace 3 at 5 ATM (50 meters)

GPS and tracking accuracy

The COROS Pace 3 has a documented multi-band GNSS system that holds clean routes in urban canyons and dense forest trails where single-band watches drift by 5 to 10 percent on distance. Recorded tracks show tight line-following on technical trail loops. That accuracy is verified through independent testing.

The Garmin Forerunner 70's GPS chipset and positioning system are unconfirmed in available sources. No independent GPS accuracy testing exists at the time of writing. Buyers cannot make an informed accuracy comparison between these two devices based on current data.

Battery life

The COROS Pace 3 delivers 38 hours in standard GPS mode and 20 hours in multi-band GPS mode, with 30 days in watch mode. That covers ultramarathons, back-to-back long training days, and multi-day events without charging anxiety.

The Forerunner 70's GPS battery life is not confirmed in available sources. No real-world endurance runtime can be stated. For any athlete planning efforts beyond a few hours, this is a critical gap in available information.

For athletes: who wins?

Road running: COROS Pace 3. Multi-band GPS accuracy is confirmed. Forerunner 70 GPS performance is unknown.
Trail and ultramarathon: COROS Pace 3. 38-hour GPS battery and barometric altimeter are confirmed and tested. The Forerunner 70 has no verified specs in either category.
Triathlon and multisport: COROS Pace 3. The Pace 3 has confirmed multisport modes and 5 ATM water resistance. Forerunner 70 water resistance is unconfirmed.
Recovery and health tracking: Forerunner 70 may have an edge on paper with skin temperature and Garmin's Connect ecosystem, but real-world accuracy for HRV and health metrics is unverified. Both watches use wrist optical PPG sensors for heart rate, not electrical chest strap ECG signals.

Verdict

Buy the COROS Pace 3. It has confirmed multi-band GPS accuracy, 38 hours of GPS battery life, a 30g weight, and a verified track record across road and trail use. The Garmin Forerunner 70 has a promising spec sheet on paper, but critical specifications including GPS battery life, chipset, water resistance, and weight are unconfirmed, and no independent performance testing exists. Spending $249.99 on unverified hardware when a proven alternative costs less is not a sound decision. If the Forerunner 70 confirms its specs and earns positive real-world reviews after launch, that comparison becomes worth revisiting.