Review of the Forerunner 165: Garmin’s affordable OLED running watch

Incorporating premium features into a more cost-effective design creates a superb mid-range smart sports tracker

Garmin’s newest smart sports watch condenses all the excellent features of its higher-end Forerunner models into a more affordable, simpler running tracker. The Forerunner 165, priced at £250 (€280/$250/A$429), serves as the new base model in Garmin’s lineup, a significant drop from the £430 Forerunner 265.

This watch is available in various colors but only one size, featuring a 1.2-inch screen and a 43mm case—sitting comfortably between the small and large sizes of the pricier 265. Its OLED display is clear and bright, making it easy to read at a glance, while maintaining a slim, lightweight, and compact design on the wrist.

The Forerunner 165 boasts the same user-friendly combination of touchscreen and five buttons found in recent Garmin watches. It syncs data to Android or iPhone devices through the Connect app, can connect to your computer via USB cable, and offers direct internet connectivity through wifi. The more expensive version even allows for offline music playback.

The battery life of the Forerunner 165 lasts approximately five days when the screen is on continuously, tracking sleep overnight and a single 40-minute run. While this is shorter than the 265 by a few days, it surpasses mainstream smartwatch rivals by more than double. By setting the screen to activate only when you rotate your wrist, the battery life extends to more than 11 days.

During runs, the watch consumes about 6% of the battery per hour, or 14% when using offline music from Spotify. This makes the battery last long enough for most people. Recharging the watch via the USB-C cable takes about an hour to reach a full charge.

Specifications

Screen: 1.2-inch AMOLED
Case size: 43mm
Case thickness: 11.6mm
Band size: standard 20mm
Weight: 39g
Storage: 4GB
Water resistance: 50 meters (5ATM)
Sensors: GNSS (GPS, Glonass, Galileo), compass, thermometer, heart rate, pulse oximeter
Connectivity: Bluetooth, ANT+ (wifi with music)

Sport tracking prowess

The primary distinction between the Forerunner 165 and Garmin’s higher-end models is the absence of multisport tracking, which includes features like automatic transitions between running, cycling, and swimming for a triathlon. However, the Forerunner 165 does track a total of 24 individual sports, including various forms of cycling, running, swimming, walking, hiking, gym activities, and racket sports. Notably, skiing and snowboarding are absent from its list of tracked activities.

For running, the Forerunner 165 tracks all the standard metrics such as time, distance, pace, cadence, and laps, but it also includes running dynamics and power, which are less common but appreciated features for more dedicated runners. During a workout, you can display up to four metrics on the screen at once, providing a clear and easy-to-read display at a glance. In most running scenarios, the 165 functions almost identically to the 265 or the top-tier Forerunner 965, which is highly commendable.

One area where the Forerunner 165 differs is in its lack of dual-band or “multiband” GPS. On paper, this means its location tracking may not be as precise as higher-end Garmin models when running in challenging environments like cities with tall buildings or dense forests. However, in a side-by-side test with a 965 equipped with this feature, both watches quickly acquired a GPS lock and maintained an impressively accurate track and pace.

While the watch can alert you if you stray from a planned route, it doesn’t offer full offline maps to show your exact location. This feature remains exclusive to Garmin’s top-tier watches.

One notable absence from the Forerunner 165’s otherwise impressive sport tracking features is the lack of training readiness, status, and load. These three metrics, found on Garmin’s high-end watches, are useful for evaluating the effectiveness of training toward specific goals, such as improving fitness or preparing for a marathon.

The Forerunner 165 does include Garmin’s full range of general health tracking features, such as sleep and nap detection, daily calorie tracking, step counting, and stress monitoring. Additionally, it offers typical smartwatch functionalities like phone notifications and contactless payments. The only feature missing is the ability to take an electrocardiogram (ECG) of your heart, which is likely not crucial for a sports-focused watch.

Sustainability

The Forerunner 165 is designed to be repairable, with options for out-of-warranty exchange and refurbishment. The battery is expected to last for several years of regular charging cycles while maintaining at least 80% of its capacity. However, the watch does not incorporate any recycled materials in its construction.

Garmin provides a minimum of two years of security updates from the release date, although it often supports its devices for longer periods. Additionally, the company offers trade-in programs for certain product lines and adheres to regulations such as WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment Directive) and other local electronics recycling laws.

Price

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is available for £249.99 (€279.99/$249.99/A$429) or £289.99 (€329.99/$299.99/A$499) with offline music support.

In comparison, the Forerunner 265 is priced at £429.99, the Apple Watch Series 9 at £399, the Google Pixel Watch 2 at £349, the Coros Pace 3 at £219, and the Polar Pacer Pro at £289.

Verdict

The Forerunner 165 is a superb running watch that distills the finest features from its top-tier counterparts into a simpler, more affordable model.

It boasts a fantastic OLED screen that is clear and bright, ensuring easy readability during runs. Equipped with all the essential metrics for tracking pace and performance, it offers a long-lasting battery that can easily meet the needs of most users. Its compact and lightweight design ensures comfort even during extended training sessions, and its combination of touchscreen and buttons is best in class.

The only notable absences are offline maps and more advanced training metrics. Surprisingly, the lack of the more advanced multiband GPS tracking does not seem to significantly affect tracking accuracy, an area where Garmin continues to excel.

The primary drawback is its price. Priced at £250 or £290 with offline music, it is more expensive than most entry-level running watches. However, it is comparable to OLED-equipped smartwatches from other tech companies and represents a significant saving of £180 compared to the Forerunner 265. Unless you require triathlon tracking or offline maps, the Forerunner 165 is the ideal Garmin running watch to consider.