The Garmin Forerunner 165 is one of the most budget-friendly GPS smartwatches in Garmin’s lineup, and it comes with a sleek AMOLED touchscreen. It’s packed with health sensors and tools designed to help you monitor your progress, train effectively, and recover from workouts. It’s a fantastic choice for runners, joggers, hikers, and even bikers.
Sitting comfortably between the entry-level Forerunner 55 and the more advanced Forerunner 265/265S, the Forerunner 165 offers excellent battery life, sleep, stress, and menstrual health tracking. It also boasts reliable GPS and wellness monitoring, all wrapped up in a stylish and comfortable design.
At a glance, it looks quite similar to the smaller 265S. However, the Forerunner 165 omits dual-band GPS to keep the cost down and supports fewer sports profiles compared to its pricier sibling. Despite these differences, it still packs a punch in terms of features.
Beyond fitness and health tracking, the Forerunner 165 offers a range of smart features. You get tap-to-pay functionality, mirrored smartphone notifications, music control, and Garmin’s handy LiveTrack safety feature.
I’ve had the opportunity to test out the Garmin Forerunner 165 over two months, using it for walking, hiking, biking, sleeping, and swimming. This hands-on experience has given me a thorough understanding of its capabilities, quirks, and overall performance. I’ll be comparing it to other top sports watches and assessing its place among the best Garmin watches.
