I Ran a 10K With a Top-of-the-Line Garmin on One Wrist and a Budget Model on the Other, and Here'…

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I Ran a 10K With a Top-of-the-Line Garmin on One Wrist and a Budget Model on the Other, and Here's What Happened

Lifehacker·Meredith Dietz·6 months ago

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Meredith Dietz

Meredith Dietz Senior Staff Writer

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Meredith is a marathon runner and stand-up comedian. As Lifehacker’s Senior Staff Writer, she covers personal fitness tech, home gym equipment, and more.

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May 5, 2026

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Credit: Meredith Dietz

Table of Contents

Last weekend I strapped two different Garmin running watches to my wrists and raced a 10K. On one arm, I wore the Forerunner 970 , Garmin's top-of-the-line, $750 running watch. On the other, I wore the Forerunner 165 Music , which is far more budget-friendly at $300. I wanted to see if having a fancy running watch really makes a difference during a race. The answer is complicated.

Consider this: The weekend before my race, the winners of the London Marathon competed wearing the Forerunner 55 and the Forerunner 255 —two watches that are, by tech standards, practically ancient.…

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I Ran a 10K With a Top-of-the-Line Garmin on One Wrist and a Budget Model on the Other, and Here's What Happened