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Garmin Forerunner 165 review: Barely a compromise

Our Garmin Forerunner 165 review shows why it's the best budget running watch, with (almost) all of the core features and accuracy that serious runners need.

CategoryGarmin Forerunner 165Display1.2-inch (390 x 390) AMOLED touchscreenMaterialsFiber-reinforced polymer, chemically strengthened glassStrap20mm Quick Release siliconeWater resistance5ATMSensorsElevate v4 HRM, Pulse Ox, accelerometer, altimeter, ambient light, compassGPS trackingGPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, All-systems GNSSConnectivityBluetooth, ANT+; Music edition: Wi-FiMusic storage4GB (Music edition only)Battery life11 days; 19 hours (GPS); 17 hours (All-systems GNSS); 6.5 hours (All-Systems + music streaming)Dimensions43 x 43 x 11.6mm, 39g/ 1.38ozSport modesRunning (Outdoor Track, Trail, Ultra, Treadmill, Indoor Track, Virtual), Hiking, Biking, Indoor Biking, Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming, Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Tennis, Pickleball, PadelKey featuresDaily suggested workouts, Garmin Coach, Pacepro, Track running, Race adaptive training, Training Effect, Morning Report, Body Battery, Sleep monitoring, Nap detection, HRV Status, Recovery time, wrist-based running dynamics, Intensity Minutes, LiveTrack, Garmin Pay (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)As for heart rate accuracy, you can check how the Forerunner 165 results compared to the Polar H10 chest strap across a five-mile run (above) and during a track workout (below). (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)For the track run, I alternated between sprints and jogs to see how well the Forerunner 165 could handle rapid changes in heart rate — a problem with wrist-based optical sensors.

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