u/DerGigantAusDemAll

Hallo everyone,

I bought the FR170 (without music) right after release and would like to share my experiences with you here. I am writing this text in German and having it translated into English by an AI. However, all of the experiences described are exclusively my own.

Briefly about my background:

I have been using Garmin watches for many years and in the past I have owned a Vivoactive 4, Venu 3, Fenix 8, FR970, and a Coros Pace 4. The Fenix 8 eventually felt too bulky for me, which is why I switched to the FR970. With the FR970, I had an issue with the start button that annoyed me so much over time that I decided to make the jump to the Coros Pace 4. After a while, however, I realized that I simply missed Garmin, which is why I took the opportunity when the FR170 was released. In addition, my girlfriend owns a Venu 4. I mention this because I think the FR970, the Pace 4, and the Venu 4 in particular are interesting comparison devices.

I run between 120 and 140 km per week, do strength training four times a week, play padel once a week, occasionally ride a bike, and generally enjoy walking. So I am a very physically active person and was therefore able to gather quite a few impressions of the FR170 even within this short period of time.

Price positioning:

Garmin has changed its pricing strategy in recent years in a way that almost pushes people toward buying the most expensive models. The cheaper options in their portfolio have therefore recently come with compromises that, especially considering the increasingly strong competition, felt unfair. The newer Vivoactive models, for example, do not have an altimeter and lack Garmin’s really good and mature training metrics. Map navigation is only available on the high end models. Until now, I personally considered the Venu 4 a good compromise, although even there the lack of map navigation at that price point still feels like an unfair limitation. The same goes for the fact that, despite breadcrumb navigation, there are for some reason no turn by turn directions, which for me personally is a dealbreaker. With the FR170, the situation is different. It is almost half the price of the Venu 4 (€300 vs €550), which makes the lack of map navigation easier to accept, even though it would still be nice if it had it, especially because manufacturers like Amazfit already offer this for under €100. The notable differences compared to the Venu 4 are basically:

Elevate 4 instead of Elevate 5 sensor and therefore no ECG or skin temperature measurement (however, the accuracy is nearly identical in my use case)

no metal bezel

no microphone/no speaker

less bright display

no music and no Wi Fi for fast synchronization and software updates (although this is possible for an extra €50)

no Performance Status

no Running Tolerance

no flashlight

no multisport mode

no multi band GNSS

Compared to the FR970, you additionally lose the already mentioned map navigation as well as Climb Pro. For me personally, these are all things I can easily live without considering the price. I do not notice any difference between single band and multi band GNSS. Accuracy is identical during my runs through forests or streets with many buildings. Heart rate accuracy is almost the same, skin temperature tracking mainly matters for the female menstrual cycle, and I do not need ECG as someone with a healthy heart. I have also only made phone calls with a smartwatch two or three times in my life. I do not listen to music while running, otherwise I would have simply paid €50 more and still saved a huge amount compared to a Venu 4. The flashlight is a useful feature that I would definitely like to have. Other than that, however, the compromises are almost nonexistent for me personally. On the contrary, the button controls, lower weight, and turn by turn directions make the FR170 the better option for me even regardless of price. Compared to the FR970, for someone like me the only real question is whether the flashlight and map navigation are worth an additional €450. All relevant training metrics and Garmin refinements are also available on the FR170. The Coros Pace 4 is also very good in many respects, but it does not have any meaningful metric that replaces Garmin’s Training Readiness and overall simply is not as comprehensive.

Overall, the price to performance ratio within Garmin’s ecosystem is almost absurdly good because for €300 you get almost everything they have to offer, all important core functions, even if you are someone like me who does a lot of sports and likes to go into detail.

So much for my assessment of the value proposition. Now I would like to talk about the most important aspects of the FR170 itself.

Build quality:

The watch is made entirely of polymer, which is actually the case for most Garmin watches for the most part. The more expensive models usually only add structural reinforcement through metal bezels and metal buttons, which are more durable but also add weight. The polymer itself, however, seems to be of the same excellent quality as on the FR970. And the Pace 4 is also made entirely of polymer. So in that regard, I am satisfied.

Display:

The FR970 and Venu 4 have brighter displays. However, on my FR970 I always turned the brightness down because I did not need it and preferred getting a bit more battery life instead. Overall, the brightness is absolutely sufficient even in direct sunlight and comparable to the Fenix 8.

Battery life:

Here the FR970, Fenix 8, and Pace 4 clearly have more to offer. The Venu 4 also has slightly better battery life. Over the last 5 days, I reduced the battery from 80% to 5%. So with my usage, around 6 days seem realistic overall. However, I also use the watch extremely intensively.

Measurement accuracy:

Regarding GNSS, heart rate, altitude measurement, and step counting, I notice no differences compared to the Fenix 8 or FR970.

Performance:

Better than the Fenix 8 and just as good as the Venu 4. The Pace 4 feels a bit smoother, but overall Garmin has improved a lot in this area.

Bugs:

Especially with the FR970 and Fenix 8, I had many issues at launch. Here, however, actually none at all. You can tell that the new software is now very mature and it is nice not having to be a beta tester once again.

Summary:

I am honestly very surprised by how good of a deal the FR170 actually is. I believe it is by far the most sensible option for the vast majority of runners. Nobody has to pay €750 for a watch unless they truly want to. I think that at least for people who do not need a multisport mode, the FR170 is completely sufficient and honestly even offers more than they will probably ever use. The same likely applies to the FR70, where the barometer has been omitted. Since elevation data is later added to recordings via GNSS, this loss is probably still acceptable for many people. Otherwise, the FR50 also seems to include almost all functions, and at that point the value for money becomes almost absurdly good.

Hallo everyone,

I bought the FR170 (without music) right after release and would like to share my experiences with you here. I am writing this text in German and having it translated into English by an AI. However, all of the experiences described are exclusively my own.

Briefly about my background:

I have been using Garmin watches for many years and in the past I have owned a Vivoactive 4, Venu 3, Fenix 8, FR970, and a Coros Pace 4. The Fenix 8 eventually felt too bulky for me, which is why I switched to the FR970. With the FR970, I had an issue with the start button that annoyed me so much over time that I decided to make the jump to the Coros Pace 4. After a while, however, I realized that I simply missed Garmin, which is why I took the opportunity when the FR170 was released. In addition, my girlfriend owns a Venu 4. I mention this because I think the FR970, the Pace 4, and the Venu 4 in particular are interesting comparison devices.

I run between 120 and 140 km per week, do strength training four times a week, play padel once a week, occasionally ride a bike, and generally enjoy walking. So I am a very physically active person and was therefore able to gather quite a few impressions of the FR170 even within this short period of time.

Price positioning:

Garmin has changed its pricing strategy in recent years in a way that almost pushes people toward buying the most expensive models. The cheaper options in their portfolio have therefore recently come with compromises that, especially considering the increasingly strong competition, felt unfair. The newer Vivoactive models, for example, do not have an altimeter and lack Garmin’s really good and mature training metrics. Map navigation is only available on the high end models. Until now, I personally considered the Venu 4 a good compromise, although even there the lack of map navigation at that price point still feels like an unfair limitation. The same goes for the fact that, despite breadcrumb navigation, there are for some reason no turn by turn directions, which for me personally is a dealbreaker. With the FR170, the situation is different. It is almost half the price of the Venu 4 (€300 vs €550), which makes the lack of map navigation easier to accept, even though it would still be nice if it had it, especially because manufacturers like Amazfit already offer this for under €100. The notable differences compared to the Venu 4 are basically:

Elevate 4 instead of Elevate 5 sensor and therefore no ECG or skin temperature measurement (however, the accuracy is nearly identical in my use case)

no metal bezel

no microphone/no speaker

less bright display

no music and no Wi Fi for fast synchronization and software updates (although this is possible for an extra €50)

no Performance Status

no Running Tolerance

no flashlight

no multisport mode

no multi band GNSS

Compared to the FR970, you additionally lose the already mentioned map navigation as well as Climb Pro. For me personally, these are all things I can easily live without considering the price. I do not notice any difference between single band and multi band GNSS. Accuracy is identical during my runs through forests or streets with many buildings. Heart rate accuracy is almost the same, skin temperature tracking mainly matters for the female menstrual cycle, and I do not need ECG as someone with a healthy heart. I have also only made phone calls with a smartwatch two or three times in my life. I do not listen to music while running, otherwise I would have simply paid €50 more and still saved a huge amount compared to a Venu 4. The flashlight is a useful feature that I would definitely like to have. Other than that, however, the compromises are almost nonexistent for me personally. On the contrary, the button controls, lower weight, and turn by turn directions make the FR170 the better option for me even regardless of price. Compared to the FR970, for someone like me the only real question is whether the flashlight and map navigation are worth an additional €450. All relevant training metrics and Garmin refinements are also available on the FR170. The Coros Pace 4 is also very good in many respects, but it does not have any meaningful metric that replaces Garmin’s Training Readiness and overall simply is not as comprehensive.

Overall, the price to performance ratio within Garmin’s ecosystem is almost absurdly good because for €300 you get almost everything they have to offer, all important core functions, even if you are someone like me who does a lot of sports and likes to go into detail.

So much for my assessment of the value proposition. Now I would like to talk about the most important aspects of the FR170 itself.

Build quality:

The watch is made entirely of polymer, which is actually the case for most Garmin watches for the most part. The more expensive models usually only add structural reinforcement through metal bezels and metal buttons, which are more durable but also add weight. The polymer itself, however, seems to be of the same excellent quality as on the FR970. And the Pace 4 is also made entirely of polymer. So in that regard, I am satisfied.

Display:

The FR970 and Venu 4 have brighter displays. However, on my FR970 I always turned the brightness down because I did not need it and preferred getting a bit more battery life instead. Overall, the brightness is absolutely sufficient even in direct sunlight and comparable to the Fenix 8.

Battery life:

Here the FR970, Fenix 8, and Pace 4 clearly have more to offer. The Venu 4 also has slightly better battery life. Over the last 5 days, I reduced the battery from 80% to 5%. So with my usage, around 6 days seem realistic overall. However, I also use the watch extremely intensively.

Measurement accuracy:

Regarding GNSS, heart rate, altitude measurement, and step counting, I notice no differences compared to the Fenix 8 or FR970.

Performance:

Better than the Fenix 8 and just as good as the Venu 4. The Pace 4 feels a bit smoother, but overall Garmin has improved a lot in this area.

Bugs:

Especially with the FR970 and Fenix 8, I had many issues at launch. Here, however, actually none at all. You can tell that the new software is now very mature and it is nice not having to be a beta tester once again.

Summary:

I am honestly very surprised by how good of a deal the FR170 actually is. I believe it is by far the most sensible option for the vast majority of runners. Nobody has to pay €750 for a watch unless they truly want to. I think that at least for people who do not need a multisport mode, the FR170 is completely sufficient and honestly even offers more than they will probably ever use. The same likely applies to the FR70, where the barometer has been omitted. Since elevation data is later added to recordings via GNSS, this loss is probably still acceptable for many people. Otherwise, the FR50 also seems to include almost all functions, and at that point the value for money becomes almost absurdly good.

Hallo allerseits,

ich habe Mathematik studiert und arbeite derzeit, auch aufgrund der aktuell prekären Arbeitsmarktlage, als Lehrer im Seiteneinstieg an einer Realschule im Ruhrpott. Der Anteil an Flüchtlingen ist an meiner Schule so wie an vielen anderen Schulen hier in der Region ziemlich hoch.

Die meisten Flüchtlinge werden in seperaten Integrationsklassen unterrichtet, da aufgrund des desolaten Bildungsstands eine Eingliederung in den Regelunterricht schlicht nicht möglich ist. Zwei solcher Integrationsklassen unterrichte ich mehrmals die Woche und wollte hier einfach mal meine Erfahrungen mit euch teilen. Ich war schon vor Antritt meines derzeitigen Jobs der aktuellen Migration gegenüber äußerst kritisch, aber meine Erlebnisse im Schuldienst lassen meine damaligen schlimmsten Befürchtungen wie eine wohlwollende Utopie erscheinen.

Für den Kontext: Ein Gros der Integrationsklassen besteht aus in Spanien geborenen Marrokanern, ansonsten sind aber auch Syrer, Afghanen und Roma zahlenmäßig stark vertreten. Der übrige Rest ist ein wildes Potpourri aus Ukrainern und Flüchtlingen aus anderen arabischen oder muslimischen Ländern wie dem Libanon oder Somalia. Eine Klasse setzt sich vor allem aus jüngeren Schülern zwischen 11 und 13 Jahren zusammen, die andere Klasse besteht vor allem aus Teenagern, die um die 16 Jahre alt sind.

Nun eine kleine Zusammenfassung meiner Beobachtungen:

• In etwa die Hälfte der Klassen sind nicht nennenswert in ihrer eigenen Sprache alphabetisiert, knapp über die Hälfte versteht, auch teils nach Jahren im hiesigen Schulsystem, im etwa so gut Deutsch wie ich Mandarin

• Zumindest in Mathe (bei den anderen Fächern kann ich es nur arg beschränkt beurteilen) ist der Bildungsstand ein absolutes Fiasko, selbst bei den älteren Schülern. Wirklich absolut einfachste Rechenaufgaben (5+6 oder 7-4) bereiten schon große Schwierigkeiten. Die Ursache scheint oft kognitiver Natur zu sein, denn selbst, wenn ich die Zahlen durch Gegenstände verdeutliche, sind viele Schüler nicht imstande, entsprechende Aufgaben zu lösen

• Aktuell ist Ramadan. Ukrainische Schüler, die nicht fasten, müssen, wenn sie etwas trinken oder essen wollen, den Raum verlassen. Das ist einerseits eine von den Klassen selbst auferlegte Regel, wird andernseits aber auch von großen Teilen des übrigen Lehrpersonals und der Sozialarbeiterin geduldet oder gar aktiv befürwortet

• Einige männliche Schüler weigern sich aus Glaubensgründen, neben weiblichen Schülerinnen zu sitzen. Dies wird ebenfalls toleriert.

• Schlägereien sind an der Tagesordnung und das ist keine Übertreibung. Es findet tatsächlich annähernd täglich mindestens eine Schlägerei statt.

• Vernünftig geführte Schulmappen oder allgemein ein pfleglicher Umgang mit Schulmaterialien existiert nicht. Die meisten kommen bloß mit den Klamotten, die sie am Leibe tragen, in den Unterricht.

• Etwa die Hälfte der Klasse mit den älteren Schülern verspätet sich zur ersten Stunde stets um mindestens 10, gut und gerne mal 20 oder 30 Minuten. Auch nach den Pausen ist die Klasse eigentlich jedes Mal erst 10 Minuten zu spät wieder beisammen.

• Während des Ramadans schläft, ebenfalls vom sonstigen Schulpersonal toleriert, ein guter Anteil regelmäßig im Unterricht, indem der Kopf auf den Tisch gelegt wird

• Weibliche Schülerinnen werden regelmäßig mit stark obszönen Begriffen belegt. Die Ahndung solcher Äußerungen findet entweder gar nicht oder dermaßen zurückhaltend statt, dass einer Wiederholung Vorschub geleistet wird

• An Elternsprechtagen ist mit 90 Prozent der Eltern, auch nach mehrjährigem Aufenthalt in Deutschland, nur über Dolmetscher zu kommunizieren

• Vor ein paar Tagen erzählten mir einige Schüler stolz, welche neuen Handymodelle ihre Geschwister und Eltern denn so haben, die wohlgemerkt fast ausschließlich Transferleistungen empfangen

• Weibliche Kolleginnen haben es grundsätzlich schwieriger als meine Geschlechtsgenossen, die meistens zumindest rudimentär respektiert werden

• Einige Schüler erscheinen oft monatelang ohne Entschuldigung nicht in der Schule

• Eine Ablehnung anderer Religionen ist in vielen Situationen sehr deutlich zu vernehmen

• Bei Gruppenarbeiten in anderen Fächern, die sich über Wochen erstrecken, haben die Resultate einen Umfang, der sich von Normalbegabten innerhalb von fünf Minuten bewerkstelligen lässt

• Es findet keine Durchmischung mit anderen Schülern statt. Man bleibt gerne unter sich. Auch unter den Flüchtlingen bilden sich meistens Gruppen gemäß den entsprechenden Herkünften.

Bei all den negativen Eindrücken gibt es ein paar positive Erfahrungen. Eine Handvoll Schüler gibt sich tatsächlich Mühe und macht Fortschritte. Diese Schüler sind auch der einzige Grund, dass einem die Arbeit nicht als vollkommen zwecklos erscheint.

Ich selber versuche, im Rahmen meiner Möglichkeiten gegenzusteuern, was aber kaum möglich ist, wenn die Rückendeckung seitens des Kollegiums und der Schulleitung fehlt. In einigen Punkten habe ich bereits kapituliert, weil ein entsprechendes Engagement einem bloß die Nerven kaputt macht, ohne etwas zu ändern.

Viele der älteren Schüler verlassen unser Bildungssystem in absehbarer Zeit und damit verliert der Staat die so ziemlich einzige Möglichkeit, irgendwie noch Einfluss zu nehmen. Ich befürchte, dass die Situation an anderen Schulen oft kaum besser ausschaut. Das führt dazu, dass wir Jahr für Jahr Schulabgänger in die freie Wildbahn entsenden, die weder schreiben, lesen noch absolut grundlegendste Grundschulmathematik beherrschen. Solche Menschen sind für keine Art der Arbeit verwertbar und dazu verdammt, ein Leben lang in unserem Sozialsystem dahinzusiechen.

Gerade die muslimischen und afrikanischen Schüler haben häufig für deutsche Verhältnisse absurd viele Geschwister. Wenn man davon ausgeht, dass diese Reproduktionsrate sich nicht mit der aktuellen Generation bricht, sondern vielleicht gar bei den im Vergleich zu den Herkunftsländern fantastischen Bedingungen hier in Deutschland (nicht für Einheimische, aber für Menschen aus Ländern mit einem pro Kopf BIP von 800$ gewiss) ansteigen wird, verstärken sich die Probleme exponentiell.

Mir fehlt jegliche Fantasie, wie man die uns bevorstehende Katastrophe noch irgendwie abwenden könnte und das frustriert mich zunehmend. Wollte das einfach mal mit euch teilen. Danke an die, die bis zum Ende des Textes dabei geblieben sind und sich mein Gejammer gegeben haben.