I run 500 km a month and break 2:30 in the marathon, and I chose these with care. As of Oct 21, 2026, here is the answer. For a beginner, choose a running watch on three things and you won't go wrong: about 40 g, 20+ hours of GPS battery, and a price of JPY 30,000 to 59,999. No. 1 is the Garmin Forerunner 70, released May 2026 (40 g, about 23 hours of GPS, JPY 39,800). No. 2 is the COROS PACE 4 with the longest battery (up to 41 hours, JPY 36,300). We compare 5 and show the 3 that cost JPY 40,000 or less.
The Shoe Nerd's top pick
For a first watch, I pick the Forerunner 70. It won't leave you wondering how to use it. A coach for beginners and run/walk plans are built in, so from the day you strap it on, today's workout is decided. It weighs 40 g and lasts about 23 hours on GPS. If you run three one-hour sessions a week, that's about 7 weeks of GPS. The pricier Forerunner 170 costs JPY 47,800, but what a beginner gains is Suica and a barometric altimeter. If you don't need those, the 70 is enough.
Key points
- For a first watch, pick one around 40 g. The Forerunner 70, PACE 4 and Polar Pacer all weigh 40 g
- If you run three one-hour sessions a week, GPS lasts about 7 weeks on the Forerunner 70 and about 13 weeks on the PACE 4
- The Forerunner 170 costs JPY 8,000 more than the 70. The extra is Suica and a barometric altimeter, and GPS battery is 3 hours shorter
Don't choose your first running watch by how many features it has
A running watch uses GPS (satellites that locate you) to show your pace and distance. On the shop shelf, the price seems to follow the feature count. But what trips up beginners isn't missing features. It's three things: a watch so heavy you notice it, charging that never catches up, and not knowing what to do with it.
So this guide compares five watches on just three numbers: weight, battery with GPS on, and official price. When you run 500 km a month, a light watch that rarely needs charging is the one you end up keeping on.
How We Chose Running Watches for Beginners: Our Criteria
The order isn't by sales. We ranked them on three criteria.
| Criteria | Reason |
|---|---|
| 1. Weighs about 40 g | Light enough that you don't notice it even when you sleep in it |
| 2. GPS battery of 20 hours or more | With one-hour runs, you can go 20 runs without charging |
| 3. Official price of JPY 30,000 to 59,999 | If you stop running, the loss is small |
We didn't compare how accurate the heart rate numbers are. The official sites don't publish figures that let you compare watches that way.
Running Watches for Beginners: 5 Compared
Scroll the table sideways →
| Watches | Weight | GPS battery | Official price | Three 1-hour runs a week |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Forerunner 70 | 40g | About 23 hours | JPY 39,800 | about 7.7 weeks |
| COROS PACE 4 | 40g | Up to 41 hours | JPY 36,300 | about 13.7 weeks |
| Polar Pacer | 40g | 32 hours | JPY 29,700 | about 10.7 weeks |
| Garmin Forerunner 170 | 41g | About 20 hours | JPY 47,800 | about 6.7 weeks |
| SUUNTO Run 2 (4GB) | 35 g (watch only) | Up to 24 hours | JPY 59,950 | 8 weeks |
The battery figures aren't all for the same setting. On the Forerunner 70, a more precise mode that uses several satellites drops it to about 16 hours (from about 23 to about 16). Accuracy and battery trade off. For your first watch, the standard setting is enough.
No. 1 Garmin Forerunner 70: The Beginner's First-Watch Pick
Why it ranks here: what to do is decided from day one. It's Garmin's entry model, released May 28, 2026, and the launch announcement says it added a coach and recommended workouts for beginners. It also has run/walk plans. It weighs 40 g and has a 1.2-inch AMOLED screen.
GPS lasts about 23 hours. That's 23 one-hour runs, or about 7 weeks of logging without worrying about charging at three runs a week (23 ÷ 3 ＝ 7.7 weeks). Used only as a watch, it lasts about 13 days.
Watch out for: it can't show a map on the watch. Its battery is about half the PACE 4's (23 ÷ 41 ＝ 0.56), but a 6-hour marathon still fits three times.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin Forerunner 70
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 35,190 (as of 10/20), ranging up to JPY 39,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaThe Forerunner 170, one step up from the 70, costs JPY 47,800. That's JPY 8,000 more than the 70 (47,800 − 39,800). You get Suica and a barometric altimeter, and GPS battery is 3 hours shorter (23 − 20). If you want to tap through a train gate with your watch, take the 170. Otherwise, the 70. The details are in the Forerunner 170 review.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Garmin Forerunner 170
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 43,019 (as of 10/20), ranging up to JPY 55,800 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaNo. 2 COROS PACE 4: For Fewer Charges
Why it ranks here: it has the longest battery and the second-lowest price. Up to 41 hours with GPS running. At three one-hour runs a week, that's about 13 weeks (41 ÷ 3 ＝ 13.7 weeks). It weighs 40 g with the silicone band, or 32 g with the nylon band.
The price per 1 battery hour is JPY 885 (36,300 ÷ 41), the lowest of these 5 watches. A 6-hour race fits 6 times.
Watch out for: 41 hours is more than a beginner needs. If you want a beginner coach and plans on the watch, the Garmin Forerunner 70 comes first.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
COROS PACE 4
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 36,300 (as of 10/20), ranging up to JPY 51,922 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaNo. 3 Polar Pacer: For Starting Under JPY 30,000
Why it ranks here: it has the lowest official price of the five, JPY 29,700. With high-accuracy GPS and heart rate on, it lasts 32 hours. It weighs 40 g with the band. At three one-hour runs a week, it lasts about 10 weeks (32 ÷ 3 ＝ 10.7 weeks).
The price gap to the Forerunner 70 is JPY 10,100 (39,800 − 29,700). For that, the battery is 9 hours longer (32 − 23).
Watch out for: within Polar's lineup it's an older model, and it can't show a map on the watch. If you want coaching plans, Garmin comes first.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
Polar Pacer
Lowest price on Rakuten is JPY 29,700 (as of 10/20), ranging up to JPY 67,621 depending on the shop. Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaNo. 4 SUUNTO Run 2: For an Easy-to-Read Screen
Why it ranks here: it's a new release (on sale 9/29/2026), and at 35 g for the watch alone it's the lightest of the 5 watches. With the most precise GPS setting it lasts up to 24 hours. You can also load maps onto the watch.
Watch out for: the official price is JPY 59,950, on the high side for a beginner. With the strap it weighs 53 g, heavier than the other 4 watches. For a first purchase of 1 watch, something around 40 g is easier to wear.
Image: Rakuten Ichiba
SUUNTO Run 2
Lowest price on Rakuten Ichiba: JPY 59,950 (as of 10/20). Prices change daily.
RecommendedSee it on Rakuten IchibaThe detailed numbers are in the SUUNTO Run 2 review.
Quick Guide: Which Watch for Whom
| If you are | Pick |
|---|---|
| Want a beginner coach and run/walk plans | Garmin Forerunner 70 |
| Want to charge less often | COROS PACE 4 |
| Want to start at the lowest price | Polar Pacer |
| Also want Suica and a barometric altimeter | Garmin Forerunner 170 |
| Want light weight, an easy-to-read screen and maps | SUUNTO Run 2 |
Our comparison of 12 watches by battery and price is Choose a running watch by battery life. For a first half marathon's time limit, see the half marathon time limits guide. After the watch, to choose shoes, see the 10 best running shoes.
Who is it for?
- Who it suits: people about to start running, and people who run with a phone app and want to see their numbers on the wrist.
If your phone app works fine, you can pick a watch just before a race. The time to buy is when you want to see your pace on your wrist.
FAQ
How much should a beginner's running watch cost?
The 5 watches here run from JPY 29,700 to JPY 59,950. If you're starting with 1 watch, the range from the Polar Pacer at JPY 29,700 to the Forerunner 70 at JPY 39,800 is enough.
Is JPY 40,000 or less enough for a beginner's running watch?
Yes. Of the 5 here, three cost JPY 40,000 or less: the Polar Pacer at JPY 29,700, the COROS PACE 4 at JPY 36,300 and the Forerunner 70 at JPY 39,800. All three weigh 40 g.
What's the difference between the Forerunner 70 and 170?
The 170 costs JPY 8,000 more, and what you get is Suica payments and a barometric altimeter. GPS battery is about 23 hours on the 70 and about 20 hours on the 170, so the 70 lasts longer. The weights are 40 g and 41 g.
How many hours of battery does a running watch need?
Even if you run a marathon in 6 hours, all five of these cover it. Even the shortest, the Forerunner 170 at about 20 hours, fits three marathons. Until you enter a long mountain race, battery isn't something to worry about.
