For running and cycling? The GPS is excellent. For swimming? Well, it's a bit of a mixed bag.
On roads and trails, the Forerunner 970 absolutely nails it. Multi-band GPS with support for GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, and more means you're pulling signals from satellites all over the sky. Track workouts show near-perfect accuracy, and even in dense forest or urban canyons with tall buildings, it holds its own.
The SatIQ feature is pretty clever. It automatically switches between GPS modes to balance accuracy with battery life. For most runners, this is the set-it-and-forget-it option that works great.
Here's where it gets interesting (and a bit frustrating):
Pool swimming doesn't use GPS at all. It counts laps based on your arm movements. Works well once you set the correct pool length. Some people report occasional hiccups with stroke counting, but most find it reliable.
Open water swimming is where reviewers have noticed some issues. The 970 seems to struggle more than previous Garmins at reacquiring GPS signal when you stop to tread water or take a break. It's not terrible, but if you're a serious open water swimmer and GPS accuracy is critical, you might want to test it yourself or look into this further.
The maps are gorgeous on that AMOLED screen, but fair warning: panning around can feel a bit sluggish. Garmin's been pushing out firmware updates to improve navigation, so make sure you're running the latest version.
