Garmin makes some of the best GPS smartwatches and the latest addition to their long list of watches is the Forerunner 165 – an entry-level GPS smartwatch with a colorful AMOLED display, durably built and loaded with lots of activity tracking features. It also boasts up to 11 days of battery life and comes in two models, a music version that lets you download music which you can listen to offline and a non-music version.
The Forerunner 165 is not a successor to the cheaper Forerunner 55, neither is it a successor to the higher-priced Forerunner 265. It’s actually a whole new model that falls in between the Forerunner 55 and 265. In this post, I’ll compare the Forerunner 165 vs 265 – what’s the difference and which should you get? We will take a look at the design, battery life and activity-tracking features of these two to help you make a more informed decision.
Garmin Forerunner 165 vs 265 Full Specifications
Before anything else, let’s take a look at the technical specifications of the Forerunner 165 vs 265.
| Product Info |
 Garmin Forerunner 165 Full Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Forerunner 265s Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Forerunner 265 Full Smartwatch Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.99 | $449.00 | $449.00 |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Garmin Forerunner 165 | Garmin Forerunner 265s | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex | Unisex |
| Release date | February, 2024 | March, 2023 | March, 2023 |
| Predecessor | None | Garmin Forerunner 255 | Garmin Forerunner 255 |
| Successor | — | — | — |
| Versions | — | Forerunner 265, Forerunner 265s | Forerunner 265, Forerunner 265s |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 43 x 43 x 11.6 mm | 41.7 x 41.7 x 12.9 mm | 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 39 grams | 39 grams | 47 grams |
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap material | Silicone | Silicone | Silicone |
| Bezel material | Fiber polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap size | 20 mm | 18 mm | 22 mm |
| Interchangeable strap | 20mm, Yes | 18mm, Yes | 22 mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Chemically strengthened glass | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 |
| Water resistance | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM | Yes, 5ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | — |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Berry case/lilac band (165 music), Black case/slate gray band, Black case/slate gray band (165 music), Mist-gray case/whitestone band, Mist-gray case/whitestone band (165 music), Turquoise case/aqua band (165 music) | Black, Pink, Whitestone | Aqua, Black, Whitestone |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.2 inches | 1.1 inches | 1.3 inches |
| Display type | AMOLED | LCD, Memory-in-pixel (MIP), transflective | LCD, Memory-in-pixel (MIP), transflective |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 px | 360 x 360 pixel | 416 x 416 pixels |
| Pixel density | 459 PPI | 462 ppi | 452.5 PPI |
| Always on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 5 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 5 Physical buttons, Touchscreen | 5 Physical buttons, Touchscreen |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | No |
| GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes (Forerunner 165 Music) | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | — | — | — |
| ROM | 4GB | 8GB | 8GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3 | mp3 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No | No |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Garmin Elevate heart rate sensor, Spo2 sensor, Thermometer | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Garmin Elevate v4 HR sensor, Gyroscope, Multi-band GPS sensor, Thermometer | Accelerometer, Ambient light sensor, Barometric altimeter, Compass, Garmin Elevate v4 HR sensor, Gyroscope, Multi-band GPS sensor, Thermometer |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout | No | Yes | Yes |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — | — |
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 11 days, Battery saver smartwatch mode: Up to 20 days | Smartwatch mode: up to 14 days, GPS mode: Up to 15 hours | GPS mode: Up to 14 hours, Smartwatch mode: Up to 13 days |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | Yes | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | — | — | — |
| CPU | — | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| Operating system | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect |
| Compatibility | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ | Android 7.0+, iOS 15.0+ |
| Payment system | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Voice command | No | No | No |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Forerunner 165 | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Forerunner 265s | Charger, Manual, Straps, Garmin Forerunner 265 |
Garmin Forerunner 165 vs 265 Features Reviewed
Design
Regarding design, both the Forerunner 165 and 265 are durably built and are also very lightweight. You shouldn’t have any problems wearing any of these all day if you so wish.
Both watches have a fiber-polymer frame paired with silicone bands. Though, while the Forerunner 165 has a chemically strengthened screen, the Forerunner 265 has a more durable Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen.
Moreover, while the Forerunner 165 comes in only a 43mm case size, the Forerunner 265 like its predecessor, comes in two sizes; 42 and 46mm sizes. As a result, while the Forerunner 165 is compatible with 20mm-wide straps, the 42mm 265 supports 18mm straps while the bigger 46mm unit supports 20mm-wide straps.
Both the Forerunner 165 and 265 are rated 5ATM which means that each of these two is waterproof and can be worn while swimming in the pool or perhaps taking a bath in the shower.
So as far as design is concerned, both the Forerunner 165 and 265 have an outstanding design, though, the 265 with its more durable screen is slightly sturdier.
Display
AMOLED display is now common on recently released Garmin watches which solidifies claims that Garmin is moving away from their transflective MIP display that many have come to love. Both the Forerunner 165 and 265 have a colorful AMOLED display that’s easy to read thanks to a built-in ambient light sensor that auto-regulates the brightness of the display. Both watches also have touch-sensitive displays in addition to five physical buttons that make interaction with the watch easy.
Though, while the Forerunner 165 has a 1.2 inches display, the Forerunner 265 has a 1.1 inches and 1.3 inches display for the 42mm and 46mm units respectively.
In terms of display quality, there is no difference between the Forerunner 165 and 265. Though the 265 features the newly introduced Red Shift that let you choose from different display colors, allowing you to choose the color that best suits you.
Music Storage
Another difference between the Forerunner 165 and 265 is the storage capacity. Both watches have Wi-Fi which will allow you to download music from supported music services such as Spotify, Deezer or Amazon Music. However, while the Forerunner 165 has a 4GB storage, the Forerunner 265 is equipped with 8GB storage which will allow you to download even more of your favorite tracks.
| Music Storage | Forerunner 165 | Forerunner 165 Music | Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Music Storage | ✘ | ✔ | ✔ |
To listen to music on any of these two, you will need to connect a Bluetooth headphone.
Activity Tracking Features
Both the Forerunner 165 and 265 are well-equipped to track all the ways you move. Each of these offers loads of health tracking features including tracking your heart rate, sleep, stress, blood oxygen and floors climbed. However, as you would expect for a higher-priced watch, the Forerunner 265 has more activity-tracking features.
Unlike the Forerunner 165, the 265 features training metrics like training loads and training status. Moreover, unlike the 165, it also features the newly introduced training readiness which gives you an overview of your fitness level. The Forerunner 265 also features onscreen animated workouts and onscreen animated muscle maps that show which muscle has been worked after an exercise. These two features are not present on the Forerunner 165.
| Activity Tracking | Forerunner 165 | Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Track heart rate, stress, Spo2, floors, calories | ✔ | ✔ |
| Training Readiness | ✘ | ✔ |
| Training Load | ✘ | ✔ |
| Training Status | ✘ | ✔ |
| Onscreen Animated Workout Maps | ✘ | ✔ |
| Onscreen Animated Muscle Maps | ✘ | ✔ |
| Multi-Band GPS | ✘ | ✔ |
| Multisport Activity Tracking | ✘ | ✔ |
Moreover, unlike the 165, the Forerunner 265 is a multisport watch that can track multiple activities at the same time. Even more is that while both watches have inbuilt GPS, the Forerunner 265 like the higher-end Forerunner 965 and Fenix 7 Pro features multi-band GPS that ensures mapping accuracy even in difficult terrains like those with very tall buildings. However, according to DC Rainmaker, the Forerunner 165 despite not having dual-band GPS did incredibly well in mapping routes. You should note that enabling multi-band GPS can have a significant impact on battery life. The Forerunner 265 also features more sports profiles than the 165.
So regarding activity tracking features, the Forerunner 265 is a more comprehensive watch than the Forerunner 165.
Battery Life
Apart from having a more durable screen, more health tracking features and higher storage capacity, the Forerunner 265 also has a longer battery life than the 165.
| Battery Life | Forerunner 165 | Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch Mode | Up to 11 days | Up to 14 days |
| GPS Mode | Up to 19 hours | Up to 20 hours |
According to Garmin, you can get up to 11 days with the Forerunner 165. Meanwhile, it’s up to 15 days and 13 days with the 42mm and 46mm units of the Forerunner 265 respectively. Moreover with GPS enabled, it’s up to 17 hours with the Forerunner 165, and on the other hand, it’s up to 24 hours and 20 hours for the 42mm and 46mm units of the 265 respectively.
So while the Forerunner 165 has a long battery life that lets you go multiple days from a single charge, the Forerunner 265 lets you go even longer.
Forerunner 165 or 265 – Which Should You Get?
In all, the Forerunner 265 is a better-equipped watch than the Forerunner 165. It has a stronger Corning Gorilla Glass 3 screen, the storage capacity is bigger, it features multi-band GPS and also has more activity tracking features. Moreover, it has a longer battery life than the Forerunner 165. But are these worth the extra $150? In my opinion, I think so but it’s up to you to decide.
Forerunner 165 vs Forerunner 255
The Forerunner 255 is priced at $400 but has similar features as the Forerunner 265 except that it lacks training readiness, 4GB of storage and has a transflective MIP display. So which is better between the Forerunner 165 and 255?
Well, while the Forerunner 165 has a more colorful AMOLED display, the Forerunner 255 has more activity-tracking features and supports multi-band GPS. It also has a longer battery life than the Forerunner 165. Moreover, like the Forerunner 265, the Forerunner 255 also features on-screen animated workouts and onscreen animated muscle maps. The Forerunner 255 is also a multisport watch that can track multiple activities simultaneously and it has a Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
So clearly, the Forerunner 255 is also a better-equipped watch than the Forerunner 165.
