When the Garmin Venu 4 was released in September 2025, it nearly mirrored the Garmin Forerunner 570. Both watches carry the same range of fitness and training tools, are alike in shape and weight, and stand at the same price. Yet a few distinctions separate them, most of which lean toward the Venu 4. The most striking of these is the addition of a built-in flashlight, a modest but genuinely useful feature.
The Forerunner 570 does have its own merit in the extra buttons, which make it simpler to manage while exercising, and particularly when swimming. Even so, having used both for a time, I have little doubt that the Venu 4 will suit the majority better. It is the steadier choice – practical, refined, and a little more complete in every respect.
Garmin Venu 4 vs. Garmin Forerunner 570: Pricing & Availability
Each of the two watches is offered in a pair of sizes – the Forerunner 570 comes in 42mm and 47mm versions, while the Venu 4 is made in 41mm and 45mm. The price does not vary between sizes, and both models are set at $549. The Forerunner 570 appears in three colors for each size: black, light blue, and raspberry for the smaller version; black, purple, and a yellow-blue mix for the larger. The Venu 4, on the other hand, offers gold, silver, or black in the 41mm size, and only silver or black in the 45mm.
Garmin Venu 4 vs. Garmin Forerunner 570: Design and Build Quality
The real contrasts between the Venu 4 and the Forerunner 570 lie in their form. Though nearly equal in size and weight – with the Forerunner being a shade larger and heavier – the difference on the wrist is scarcely felt. The Venu 4, however, has a more refined look, with metal worked into the case, and carries only two buttons where the Forerunner has five.
Both watches use the same AMOLED display – 1.2 inches on the smaller versions and 1.4 on the larger – yet the Venu 4 has a finer edge to it, with slimmer bezels framing the screen. Its appearance is cleaner, more deliberate, owing to the added metal and the reduced number of buttons. It carries itself more like a smartwatch, while the Forerunner 570 keeps the air of a sports tool.
The clearest distinction in their design lies in the flashlight built into the Venu 4. It is a small addition, but a most useful one, and Garmin has begun to fit it to many of its newer watches. The Forerunner 570, by chance or by choice, went without. In all other respects, the two are much alike – equally water-resistant to 5 ATM, and carrying the same set of sensors within.
Performance and Activity Tracking: How Each Watch Handles Sports
In earlier years, the Garmin Venu range fell short of the Forerunner series in its sporting abilities, but the Venu 4 closes that gap entirely. It now holds the same training modes, tracking functions, and analysis tools as the Forerunner 570, making the two nearly equal in performance.
The Forerunner 570 does still have one practical edge – its extra buttons. They make it simpler to manage while exercising, especially in the cold or wet, when the touchscreen of the Venu 4 can be awkward to use. For swimmers, in particular, those buttons become essential, allowing quick movement through data screens without breaking rhythm.
Garmin Venu 4 vs. Garmin Forerunner 570: Battery Endurance
Though the official figures for battery life are much the same, small differences do appear in use. The smaller Forerunner 570 holds its charge a little longer than the smaller Venu 4, while among the larger models, the Venu 4 lasts somewhat longer than the Forerunner 570.
Wellness and Health Features: The Edge of Venu 4
The Venu 4 gains a few advantages in health monitoring. It includes the ability to take ECG readings, and it offers on-watch widgets for Garmin’s newer lifestyle tracking and health status tools. Owners of the Forerunner 570 can still access these functions through the Garmin Connect app, and it is possible that a later update will bring them to the watch itself. For the time being, however, those extra features remain exclusive to the Venu 4.
Final Verdict: Which Garmin Smartwatch Deserves Your Wrist?
Though the Forerunner name and its five-button layout will always draw the more serious athlete, I am persuaded that the Venu 4 is, in the end, the wiser choice between the two. Speaking as a runner myself, even one fond of long distances, I find the built-in flashlight too practical to give up. The touchscreen can be a mild irritation during hard training, yet the convenience of that light more than compensates for it.
Much of the decision, of course, will rest on appearance. Here I am torn. The Forerunner 570’s bold colors have a cheerful energy that I admire, while the Venu 4 feels more refined – smaller, lighter, and finished with a touch of polish. Each has its charm, but the Venu 4 leaves the stronger impression of a watch built not just for sport, but for everyday life as well.
