TechSmartwatchesGarmin Forerunner 165 review: the perfect fit for beginner runnersGet ahead in your running journey with Garmin’s affordable Forerunner 165When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamicsReasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance featuresWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
TechSmartwatchesGarmin Forerunner 165 review: the perfect fit for beginner runnersGet ahead in your running journey with Garmin’s affordable Forerunner 165When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamicsReasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance featuresWhy you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Get ahead in your running journey with Garmin’s affordable Forerunner 165
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)T3 VerdictThe Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamicsReasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance features
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
T3 VerdictThe Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamicsReasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance features
T3 VerdictThe Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.
T3 Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 165 fills a gap between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches, offering an AMOLED touchscreen display, single-band GPS, and various training features for runners. Despite lacking some advanced functionality, its lightweight design, accurate tracking capability, and affordability make it a top choice for dedicated running training, challenging competitors in its category.
Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamicsReasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance features
Reasons to buy+Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen+Affordable price point+Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform+Wrist-based running power and dynamics
Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen
Affordable price point
Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform
Wrist-based running power and dynamics
Reasons to avoid-Only single-band GPS-Misses out on some of the performance features
Only single-band GPS
Misses out on some of the performance features
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Why you can trust T3Our expert reviewers spend hours testing and comparing products and services so you can choose the best for you.Find out more about how we test.
Jump to category:Price and availabilitySpecificationsDesign and build qualityFeaturesTracking performanceBattery lifeVerdictAlso consider
Jump to category:Price and availabilitySpecificationsDesign and build qualityFeaturesTracking performanceBattery lifeVerdictAlso consider
Garmin did it again! With the launch of the Garmin Forerunner 165, the wearable giant yet again plugged a gap we didn’t know existed, somewhere between beginner running watches and entry-level multisport watches. Whether we needed the Forerunner 165 or not, I’m glad it exists, as it’s a superb little wearable for running training.
Positioned between theGarmin Forerunner 55and theGarmin Forerunner 265, the Forerunner 165 is squarely aimed at runners and comes with an AMOLED touchscreen, single-band GPS, and a slew of training features. It’s not quite as competent as the Forerunner 265, which shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering the mega-affordable price point.
One of thebest running watchesin the last 12 months, the Garmin Forerunner 165 is set to shake up the market – at least, I hope so. With most manufacturers pushing to upgrade their entry-level wearables to triathlon watches, it’s nice to see there is still life left in dedicated running watches.
So you need the Garmin Forerunner 165 in your life? Let’s find out!
(First reviewed February 2024)
Garmin Forerunner 165 review
Price and availability
TheGarminForerunner 165 Series was released on 21 February 2024 and is available now atGarmin US,Garmin UKandGarmin AU. It comes in two versions, Standard and Music, and retails for $249/ £245/ AU$ 429 and $299/ £290/ AU$ 459, respectively.
Specifications
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Here, I focused on features that differ slightly in the different models. More details about the Garmin Forerunner 165, including screen resolution and materials, can be found further down.
Swipe to scroll horizontallyHeader Cell - Column 0Garmin Forerunner 55Garmin Forerunner 165Garmin Forerunner 265Display typeTransreflective MIPAMOLEDAMOLEDTouchscreenNoYesYesLens materialChemically strengthened glassChemically strengthened glassCorning Goriall Glass 3Battery life (smartwatch mode)up to 14 daysup to 11 daysup to 13 daysBattery life (GPS mode)up to 20 hoursup to 19 hoursup to 20 hoursMemory200 hours of data4 GB8 GBMultiband GPSNoNoYesWifi connectivityNoYes (Music model only)YesBarometric altimeterNoYesYesGarmin PayNoYesYesTraining readinessNoNoYesAcute loadNoNoYesMorning reportNoYesYesWrist-based running powerNoYesYesWrist-based running dynamicsNoYesYesTraining statusNoNoYesRace Adaptive Training PlansNoYesYesTriathlon activity profileNoNoYesPower meter compatibleNoNoTesRow 19 - Cell 0Row 19 - Cell 1Row 19 - Cell 2Row 19 - Cell 3
Swipe to scroll horizontally
Header Cell - Column 0Garmin Forerunner 55Garmin Forerunner 165Garmin Forerunner 265Display typeTransreflective MIPAMOLEDAMOLEDTouchscreenNoYesYesLens materialChemically strengthened glassChemically strengthened glassCorning Goriall Glass 3Battery life (smartwatch mode)up to 14 daysup to 11 daysup to 13 daysBattery life (GPS mode)up to 20 hoursup to 19 hoursup to 20 hoursMemory200 hours of data4 GB8 GBMultiband GPSNoNoYesWifi connectivityNoYes (Music model only)YesBarometric altimeterNoYesYesGarmin PayNoYesYesTraining readinessNoNoYesAcute loadNoNoYesMorning reportNoYesYesWrist-based running powerNoYesYesWrist-based running dynamicsNoYesYesTraining statusNoNoYesRace Adaptive Training PlansNoYesYesTriathlon activity profileNoNoYesPower meter compatibleNoNoTesRow 19 - Cell 0Row 19 - Cell 1Row 19 - Cell 2Row 19 - Cell 3
Design and build quality
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
From a physical design point of view, the Forerunner 165 is a Garmin through and through. Well, minus the AMOLED display, which only recently started appearing on Gamrin’s wearables.
I haven’t been provided info on the bezel material yet, but it feels very similar to the case, so I’ll go out on a limb and say it’s also made of reinforced polymer.
The display is pretty is readable in broad daylight. Touchscreen interactions are smooth, which makes operating less hassle.
The five-button physical layout is still here, so if you’re not comfortable using the touchscreen to operate the watch, rest assured you can control everything using buttons only.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The buttons are plain, unlike theGarmin Forerunner 965, which has lovely debossed buttons (and costs waaaaaay more than the Forerunner 165). That said, one of the buttons, the action button, has a different colour with the word ‘RUN’ written on it.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 weighs 24 grams without the strap and 40 grams with the silicone strap provided. This makes the watch one of the lightest running watches on the market.
For comparison, theCoros Pace 3weighs 26 grams on its own and 39 grams with the silicone band.
The wearable features the latest Elevate Gen 5 sensing platform, introduced in theGarmin Fenix 7 Pro. It’s a pretty big deal, as this is the same in most top-tierGarmin watches, and it provides the most accurate readings to date.
Features
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The feature set of the Garmin Forerunner 165 can be summarised in one sentence: you win some, you lose some.
As expected from a Garmin wearable, the Forerunner 165 has a ton of health and fitness features, including sleep and stress tracking, all-day heart-rate monitoring, blood oxygen, step tracking, nap detection, and more.
It also has a few running-specific and other features, such as wrist-based running power and dynamics, Training Effect, heart rate variability, race adaptive training plans, etc.
You also get the morning report (loving it, still), nap detection, offline music storage (Spotify, Deezer orAmazonMusic; Music models only), audio prompts (Music models only) and Garmin Pay.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Some features the Garmin Forerunner 165 misses out on are Training readiness, Acute load/Load Focus, Training status, and the Triathlon activity profile. The watch tracks swimming, cycling and running modes separately, but if you need a Garmin wearable to track them as one workout, you need something like the Forerunner 265.
Considering that the watch has sensors that would enable it to provide those features, it feels like a conscious effort from Garmin not to include these on the Forerunner 165.
What’s left on the Forerunner 165 is more than enough for the average runner to track and manage their training and recovery.
Tracking performance
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
[PLEASE NOTE: Although Garmin very kindly provided me with a pre-launch sample of the watch, I couldn’t connect the watch to the Connect app, as you need special access to that. The data I could use was found on the watch itself.]
One thing I haven’t mentioned yet is GPS. Well, it was mentioned briefly among all the specs, but now is the time to discuss it at length. GPS is one of the areas where the Forerunner 165 is closer to the Forerunner 55 than the Forerunner 265.
The Forerunner 165 uses a single-band GPS, which means it might not perform as well in challenging environments with tall buildings or under a thick canopy of leaves.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Graphs, again, looked very similar on both watches, including heart rate, elevation and so on.
I guess this all makes sense, considering both watches use the same sensing platform and algorithm to calculate more of these stats.
Sleep tracking is as good as it gets from a wrist wearable. I also wore theUltrahuman Ring Airand the Oura Gen 3 to bed, and the sleep stages breakdown on the Forerunner 165 and the Oura looked very similar.
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
Battery life
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
GPS battery life is up to 19 hours, which is decent for a watch at this price point. One advantage of the single-band GPS is that you don’t get 5,000 different battery life estimations.
However, you can choose GPS Only or UltraTrac modes, both of which improve GPS battery life during outdoor exercise. Needless to say, if you live in an area where the GPS signal is a bit spotty, you’re better off using the All Systems option.
Verdict
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
(Image credit: Matt Kollat/T3)
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a competent running watch. Taking everything into account, including features, build, tracking accuracy and price point, I would say it’s the most capable dedicated running watch released in the last 12 months, at least.
If you’re looking for an affordable wearable to track your running training but don’t need all the performance features under the sun, the Forerunner 165 is your best option right now.
Looking at the broader market, there aren’t many better options that look and perform as well as this watch. The Coros Pace 3 is slightly cheaper but hasn’t got an AMOLED screen, and Polar’s Pacer Pro is more expensive and also features a MIP display (it’s better at tracking multisport stuff, though).
I’m glad to see Garmin is making an effort to make its wearables more accessible. The most common criticism of Garmin is that it’s an elitist brand that caters for number crunchers only.
Thanks to watches like the Forerunner 165 and the soon-to-be-availableGarmin Connect app redesign, it’s time for more people to join the Garmin tribe. It’s worth it.
Also consider
If you aren’t in the US,Huawei’s Watch GT Runner might be a cheaper alternative to the Garmin Forerunner 165. It has an AMOLED screen and an AI running coach, and it’s also pretty light. Huawei’s app is a bit clunky, but otherwise, it’s more than acceptable for beginners. Read my fullHuawei Watch GT Runner review.
TOPICSGarmin
TOPICS
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