Garmin - Forerunner 265S

That is what I think is pushing me to get this watch over the Garmin Forerunner 265 which I almost pulled the plug on the other day. (Older watch, fewer features in some respects, a few more in others but still $70+ more.) This watch is comparable to the newest Garmin watch priced 3 times the amount. Even with the lesser build quality, I could replace this watch every 3 years and still come out ahead.

the improved battery life is going to go a long way for casual usage, and sleep tracking is a huge benefit it's worth noting that the 265 is rather large. you may want to take a look at the 265s, especially if you dont mind not using it as a smartwatch

I tried both 255 and 265, if you are okay not having the amoled screen, it is better to get a 255 and save around $180 (cad)

Absolutely in LOVE with my 265s. Although I prefer the look of Venu with the metal bezel, eventually went with 265s for the run stats. QI got the black/yellow 265s, which I feel is the most versatile for swapping for different color watch bands to soften the sporty look for everyday wear https://preview.redd.it/7xxfhw5jpa1e1.png?width=1891&format=png&auto=webp&s=8c07e0b0ac25789a46b475035072de284fad2bcb

Oh man, so many. Training readiness, training status, adaptive workouts, multi-sport tracking for triathalon training, etc. before 265s, I actually never used these features because I just used my watch to track time/distance.. But I was pleasantly surprised at how these stats are motivating me to do more and be more structured even when I’m not training for a race At the end of the day, for me it comes down to identity. I really loved the look of venu but after wearing it for a week it just didn't "feel" right; I feel more like a badass athlete with the 265s. And when i swap out the watch band with neutral colors i feel it’s not that out of place with my business casuals There is nothing wrong with the Venu for a casual runner esp if the look is important! Maybe chat with her first about why she wanted a garmin over an Apple Watch in the first place :)

Even the 265 doesn’t have real maps, only the “breadcrumb” style which is a lot of times insufficient. I seriously considered getting the 965 just to have real maps but it is enormous on my wrist (and I think most women’s wrists). Wish Garmin could come up with a 965S with a smaller watch face and then they can take all my money

I believe the 265s comes with music by default! Maybe you are thinking about the 165?

Forerunner 965, can do it all at a better price and you still get the better display, over cheaper older models of other lines. If you don't need the maps function, then I would recommend the Forerunner 265.

No, the 165 Music versus not is just price point budget options thing. Forerunner 265 and 965 have the music functionality of downloading directly to the watch from YT Music. If you just want good basic run and training tracking I would do the 165 music, if you want more training support and data collection and management, I would go for the 264. Either way a focus on running I would only select between these 2 watches.

The 265 will probably be initially more noticeable, but I don’t think it will be a longterm weight issue. The Forerunner line a in my opinion then lightest most feature rich device from Garmin. I have a 965, and I don’t notice the weight at all.

Totally get that. I wouldn't recommend the 965 to anyone who isn't looking specifically for the features it offers. 265 is just as good for the average person.

For what you said, I'd probably do the 265. The 965 has much better mapping when you don't have a phone on you, but that's the main difference. The 965 also has more storage, it's really designed for people who want to run without a phone on them. I have a 965 and am training for my first marathon. I love it. Really depends on how much you value offline mapping features. If you have your phone on you the extra storage doesn't really matter. So the 265 is cheaper and has everything you need, unless you want those extra mapping option.

If you’re not training for races you’d be more than fine with a 165/265.

I opted for the 265s just because i prefer the smaller size. It works well with runna.

I wouldn't say the 265 is any more beginner friendly, it's going to be a near identical experience besides the new HR sensor and a few new metrics that, once you get used to everything, you'll probably want. Just run with your watch for now, and maybe setup the Garmin Coach if you'd like to improve and get some daily suggestions. You're probably best off reading the manual, tap Help in the top right in the Connect app for metrics you're curious about, and ignore the things you don't care about yet. That said, if you want to save money, you'd probably be perfectly fine with the 265, especially if it's on sale. Just don't expect it to be any more beginner friendly.

I swim with a Garmin forerunner 265! It often tracks extra yards but I like that I can create a swim workout to send to my watch to make my time focused. If there's any overage I just make a note of it in the workout notes after.

Venu (3 or 3S) and Vivoactive 5 are both cute and come in neutral colors. They're decent for running but are more "lifestyle" watches than running watches. The 265S (S means it's the smaller version) is better for a serious runner. It isn't super "cute" but it comes in white with light blue accents. You can buy aftermarket straps of course.

As a lifter, I love my 265S, but could still get most of the benefit from anything in the forerunner line. I like that I can program a workout and have the watch beep at me when I've been resting for X minutes and it's time to do the next set. That's about all the strength training feature is useful for, for me. Although tbh I don't track all my weightlifting workouts with a watch. The recovery metrics don't really account for it in any useful way, so it's more for time management than actual workout tracking. I love the running features on the 265S (especially training status, load, etc) which is why I went with that over a 165 or 55.

Definitely better for exercise (onboard GPS, better HR tracking), but I wouldn't say worse for sleep. The amount of coaching you get will vary with the exact model of garmin, but something like a Forerunner 265 will do sleep tracking, readiness, HRV, etc. Whether you like the app better or worse is a matter of preference, but I don't see any objective criteria by which it's worse than whoop. Maybe I'm missing something though, feel free to ask questions.

You should check out DC Rainmaker and his view of sleep tracking on all of the watches. Basically they are all 80% accurate at best and the science around detecting what phase you are in and "scoring" your sleep is pretty shaky. That said I don't think you'll find different performance with other Garmin models. I have a 265 and it pretty much gets right when I go to bed and wake up, measures HR/HRV generally well. SpO2 is so so compared with my dedicated ring device but still no worse than my wife's Apple watch or the Pixel Watch 2 I tried and abandoned. Sleep phases are roughly ok, but it misses a lot of REM because I don't toss and turn a lot. It's a consumer device not a sleep study.

Garmin for last 8 years or so. Went from Swim to Swim2 to FR265. IMO Garmin has the most complete functionality of anything out there. I would recommend the FR165/FR265 models as they are the newer more modern releases that have the full swim functionality (with the 165 missing a few things like open water and HRM support).

I focus a lot on strength training too and just got a 265...what watch did you end up with? My understanding is the garmin ecosystem is just not great for strength training really. I only am looking forward to doing the workout on the watch itself and not w/a phone...

Using aw meaning you need to charge ypur watch almost each day meanwhile garmin will last more than a week (if you take 265)

I just got the Garmin Forerunner 265 and absolutely love it. I got rid of my Apple watch and won’t go back. I’ve had it for about a month now and while the NRC integration is only in sharing the stats, all of the other metrics, and battery life, far surpass the Apple Watch as a fitness tool Imo.

I know a lot of athletes. So, by extension, I know a lot of Garmin watch owners. Of all the 965 owners I reckon about 10% of them, max, use the watch to its full capacity. The other 90% use it in a way the 265 would satisfy without a shadow of doubt - and at a significantly smaller price point. Get a 265 (or a 265s) and watch, even then, the amount of things you barely make use of. Garmins are great (I wear one) but they flex a bucket load of features and IMO most people make use of two or three things for their sport of choice. This is why people get sucked in by the 900 series models.

I have awful Bluetooth issues with my Forerunner 265

I use 265 and I love it

Absolute awesome YOU can GET in shape.it works superbly. You can create tracks get navigated around even with 265

I went from AW6 to FR265 and mainly cycle, with ANT sensors on the bike the stats are excellent

I am much more into cycling than running currently and bought the vivoactive 5 which is a nice watch, but I wanted to power meter support and the training readiness features of the 265 has. You can’t really go wrong with either watch. 265 is more of a multi-sport watch. Vivoactive 5 is still a great watch though compared to fitbit and apple watches.

Compared to the 265, you'll miss out on the animated weight lifting, bike stuff (power meters, etc), and multi sport mode. So if you aren't going to do a triathlon, the 165 is pretty great. Also the animated weights are neat but ONLY useful if you pick a weights plan by Garmin or spend the time programming the routine in connect.

I’ve got a 265 and love it but I am selling it as I’ve recently got the Apple Watch Ultra 2. The 265 is a great watch and looks amazing. It is phenomenal for running and you can easily just leave your phone at home and go for a run. Also, over the year I’ve had the watch, Garmin have added some really nice quality of life improvements. Why am I selling it you may ask? Well, although it’s nice being able to leave my phone at home, a lot of the features like incident detection or live track need a phone in order to work and my watch before this was an Apple Watch S8 cellular. Downloading and playing music on the Garmin is quite a painful experience. Also, I hate how it always counts steps when I’m in a car or bus. I know a lot of other watches do this but my AW doesn’t. You can see loads of examples of other people having the same problem. Another reason I’m selling is due to a knee injury and the Garmin Forerunner just puts too much emphasis on running or cycling and I do strength training a lot and it barely factors it in. The last straw for me was a recent trip to London where it kept adding to my intensity minutes and after 3 days I had apparently done 120 minutes of elliptical workouts when I’d literally just walked everywhere 😂 It is a fantastic smartwatch but the data wasn’t always accurate and that bugged me. If it’s your first smart/fitness watch, you’ll love it but if you’re coming from an Apple Watch it’s definitely a tougher sell, apart from the battery.

Had Apple Watch SE for 3 years which worked wonderfully in the pool. However, a swim in the ocean killed it (salt fried it I guess?). I’m now using a Garmin forerunner 265, which lasts 10x longer battery wise. The Apple Watch used to die if I did a particularly long swim, which irked me to no end

A 265 costs like…$300 bucks on sale. But sure…go get an Apple Watch for twice that or more and have to buy and pay for all kinds of apps! You will show Garmin!

Uh. Just turn off the notifications to the phone. It's easy. I did it. Forerunner 265.

Vivoactive was fine for me for about 6 months, then recently upgraded to a forerunner 265, I don’t think I could go back, way nicer, better in every way, and loving the extra data points.

I think it is worth it.  I have an Apple Watch Ultra, a Garmin forerunner 265, and COROS Pace 3 and have _enjoyed them all_.  I prefer the Garmin because I do not view it as a smart watch, which requires extra "management effort (charging, planning notifications and complexity) and I think Garmin as a platform and experience are more mature when compared to COROS. I think all three of those companies have watch features that work great for motivating people to stay healthy and motivated.  Hope my perspective helps 👍

I’ve had an Apple Watch and used it for lifting and running. Liked it very much but it died… don’t swim with it in salty water… Now a Garmin forerunner 265, also for the same sports. Like them both, different but they do the job. For the criteria you’re mentioning, I think the Apple Watch is a better choice since you’re already in that ecosystem (I’m too) and besides sports, it’s a great device.

Picked up a 265 for this same reason

Loving every bit of it. I think Garmin nailed it with that AMOLED screen. I don’t miss my AW one bit

Running, training? Then absolutely NOT the Venu 3 (my watch)-it is absolutely lacking Training metrics. Nice watch but not for the serious runner. Instead the FR265 (no maps) or FR965 has maps on board.

FYI: the FR255, compared to the FR955, 265, 965 less training metrics, missing Training Readiness. FR255/955 Mips display versus Amoled others.

If training effort monitoring is key, you should really consider the FR265.

since you don't do other sports other than running, why not get the 265? 965 is overkill unless you'll try triathlon in the future.

The screen of the 955 would be a major drawback coming from an Apple. I would go for the 265 instead. Note that the 965 is also on sale quite often. Got mine for 450 euro.

Well, what do you want to track during your workouts? Find a watch that does that. The Forerunner 55 is more than enough if all you want is to track your time and mileage. Bump up to the 265 for better GPS and more coaching options. Not sure why you'd go for the 965 unless you want maps, in which case, sure, that's a fine option. On the Apple Watch, btw, you don't have to look at the stand hours at all. You can turn off all the complications and notifications about your rings, and then you can pretend they don't exist. Not really a problem then, right?

It's a fine watch for the purpose intended. Just be aware that the heart of the Garmin ecosystem is the Garmin Connect app. Enjoy.

165 has AMOLED too. 265 has training readiness and training status. I personally prefer to listen to my body rather than relying on an algorithm. A gimmick imo. 265 has triathlon mode which is nice. Also some extra sports like skiing. Personally, the extra sports the 265 has I like to enjoy without having them to be tracked. Like skiing. 265 has multi band GPS but according to a lot of reviews this barely matters unless you’re in Manhattan or very dense forests. 265 is also 46mm and the 165 42mm. For me 46mm is way too big, but you could also get the 265S. Forerunner 165: €229 (about $230) Forerunner 265: €429 (about $450) So personally I would be paying almost double for triathlon mode, which I don’t use.

I have a Forerunner 265 and the HRM Pro Plus and zero complaints. Would absolutely recommend.

i’m not too familiar with the coros so i wouldn’t be able to say. the only thing i know is that since the 570 came out the 265s can be bought second hand for cheap nowadays

I recently got the FR265. My Apple Watch screen cracked and I was tired of having to charge every night. I gotta say, I’ll never look back - garmin has been legit for everything so far. I do a lot of running and biking. The stats they provide like lactate threshold and FTP outperforms the Apple Watch by miles. It suggests the next days workouts and tracks my body fatigue levels to let me know when I should ease off. With that said, I decided not to track gym/weight lifting sessions on it because I have to push a button after each set. Too much work. The Apple Watch was better for that because I could set it to weight training and it’d just record the entire 60 minute session. But overall the fr265 is great! I’m still learning all about the features. Edit: also, the Apple Watch just gives average pace whilst this one gives me my real time pace all the time. Game changer

My advice is don't byut a watch for your current fitness needs but one that would serve you well if your needs expand. Fitness needs have a high rate of expanding upon the purchase of a watch. Anything from the FR265 upwards is ideal. I would say the Vivoactive and Venu range might leave you wanting later down the line as they are closer to lifestyle than fitness.

FR 265 medyo mapang lait nga lang tong watch na to. eto din gamit ko ngayon 😂😂😂

Go for an old version of Fenix (7 for example). Forerunners are also a good alternative, 265 or 965 if you have a bigger budget. Try to consider a second hand in good condition, a lot of folks have just upgraded to Fenix 8 so you can catch some good deals.

I’ve got an ultra 2, you can either use the runna app for spoken cues and a bit more of a “guided run” or have the runs in the native workouts app where it’s a bit more basic where your watch beeps and vibrates as you run (which I prefer). If you’re only using the watch for runs then I’d def reach for a Garmin 265 or similar with dual band GPS (will sort those gps issues)

I recently switched from Fitbit to Garmin and I'm extremely impressed with the Garmin. I bought the "relatively inexpensive" Forerunner 265. I use it for runs, cycling, Zwift and lifting. For lifting it can do set tracking, and maybe rep counting(?) but I just set it to strength and let it be essentially a timer so I don't spend hours in the gym. It pairs with everything seamlessly, heart rate to Zwift, auto exports data to Strava, and connects to my bike's power meter without fuss. The watch will even will tell me if the battery on the power meter is low. The future is cool. I'd owned Fitbits since 2013 but their purchase by Google has left me feeling like Fitbit is a forgotten acquisition by Google to try to sell you a Pixel watch. I'm slightly nervous about Garmin+ being a subscription model but so far at least no features I care about are being held behind that paywall.

You are right, my mixup. 965 has hill score which the 265 doesn’t but other than that they are the same in terms of running dynamics

If all she wants for running is something that will tell her her pace and heart rate, venu is fine. If she wants a coach on her wrist, 265s is the way to go.

I've got a 965, but only because it looks nicer and has maps. Otherwise the 265 is perfect for swimming.

The 165 is a very bare bones running watch. If you want better battery life, more metrics and AMOLED screen go w the 265, but the 955 is a VERY good watch w essentially all the bells and whistles as the 965 sans amoled. There is a handy little comparison tool on garmin website so you can side by side the specs, though. Welcome to the cult!

To make my point, even the “Swim” tracks running and the Forerunners all track swimming. The Fenix is supposed to be for multisport, but the Forerunners also support multisport. A clever idea is to look at the size of the watch from the specs, cut out a piece of cardboard that size, and compare it to your wrist. I note that the Forerunner 265 is on sale in two sizes in your price range. It has both pool swim and open swim tracking (and all the other stuff). Nice model!

IMO, if you aren’t all in on the 965, it’s overkill for you. You’re getting a flagship running watch and aren’t planning on using it fully. You might be better off going with a 265 or something which has 95% of the features and hardware at a lower price point. Unless you’re doing it because it will make you feel good or something, I wouldn’t recommend the 965 for this use case.

Like many of you, I am deep into the Apple ecosystem. I never had an Apple Watch though until this past year as I never really wanted all the extra dings, beeps, and distractions coming from my wrist. I eventually got a series 9 for fitness tracking and was largely happy with it. However, I \*only\* used it for fitness tracking and didn't care much for other features. Most notifications were off. Also, Apple's health app is surprisingly clunky, IMO. I run, cycle, and lift, so the rings were fun and motivating at first, but over time I stopped caring about them. Sometimes I need a rest day. (Yes, I know that now you can pause your rings, but whatever.) Ultimately my reason for switching was just that I got the itch to try something new. Did I really need to? Probably not, but I wanted a dedicated fitness tracker. The better battery is great, of course, but not the end of the world. Even my AW would probably last a full marathon, which I am not planning to do anytime soon anyways. I still charge the Garmin for a few minutes every few days, even if I dont need to, because I get battery anxiety and prefer to keep it between 20%-80% anyways. My absolute favorite thing so far is having actual buttons. I LOVE BUTTONS! There were so many times where I struggled to stop my workout because my watch was wet, or my hands were sweaty. So... buttons. Love 'em. Garmin also syncs better with my trainer's app. Thats more of a personal thing that may not apply to everyone though. I know this isn't a super detailed spec review or anything, but it's my experience. So far I am very happy with Garmin. I like a more simple watch. I dont really miss any of the things I liked about my AW like I thought I might. The size was nice (I have small wrists), and I loved the WorkOutDoors app, but the trade off is worth it so far. I was hanging on to the AW for a bit in case I changed my mind, but I think I am gonna sell it now. I spent so much time going back and forth on this but I am glad that I tried the Garmin. I can always switch back, but for now I am a Garmin Guy.

I have had my 265 for about a month now after 7 years with Apple Watch. I have a nice Salomon running belt so I don’t mind bringing my phone on runs, but I found using YouTube Music on the watch to be okay after the initial setup. I never got offline Spotify to work on my AW and even syncing Apple Music to the watch was difficult so in my experience, music is easier on the Garmin. My decision to make the switch was that I am afraid my AW8 will run out of battery during my upcoming marathon. Yes, the series 8 battery is horrible. What I found after the switch was that running with the 265 is much better than AW. The suggested runs are really nice with a good balance of regular runs and intervals. I also like the breadcrumb navigation and this is worth the extra cost over the 165. AW navigation is good if you are walking in an urban area, but for running, I prefer the breadcrumbs on my 265. I always used my phone for navigation when running with my AW. Whether the upgrade to 965 is worth it depends on whether you want full maps with navigation.

Garmin is not great for tracking any kind of lifting or strength training, it is really an afterthought for them. As for running I would recommend the Fr265 or FR965 if you want a bugger battery and maps. You can use the compare feature on the Garmin website to compare specs. Just choose all watches and the compare feature is right at the top.

I completely agree with your assessment the Connect app is a disaster, Garmin in general has horrible UI, UX and software issues. I used Garmin watches for a long time moved through some forerunners, tried the venu2 and ended with the forerunner 265, they just have too many software issues to stay with them.

I have used both Apple and Garmin, I prefer the Apple and I know this makes me opposite of most but Garmin is lacking in sleep accuracy, the HR during activities is questionable (recommend a HR strap for good data) and a lot of the features they have for heath and wellness are more gimmicks than actual relevant data. With the plethora of apps you can choose from with apple you can customize the data you want to receive. You would be giving up battery life but with the new Ultra I get 3 days, I was using the FR265 where I was only getting 5 so it really wasn't a huge difference for me.

They are plastic/resin and they do look cheap, they are substantially overpriced for what you get. The software is outdated and buggy and UI/UX is terrible. The FR265 has been having some significant heart rate tracking issues since an update in 2024 that Garmin has yet to fix. You will need a chest strap to get any accurate data especially for strength training. I had a FR265, it was a decent watch but certainly not worth the price I paid for it. If you like the FR265 have a look at the Suunto Race S - essentially a FR965 at half the price. Coros, Apple, are better options as well. You can do better than Garmin, they are relying on their reputation that was built years ago, they are no longer the best fitness watches available yet they are priced at a premium, other brands have better sensors and better platforms all at lower cost. No watch is accurate for calorie tracking - how could it be? You are better weighing yourself and tracking your food intake.

I used a Garmin FR265 and now I use an U2, I found the U2 to be better than the FR265 from the get go. The heart rate data immediately better. I currently run with Stryd but initially got it because it gets quite cold here in Eastern Ontario and lots of snow and ice and I was stuck on the treadmill for most of the winter and no wearable is really accurate for indoor running even with calibration the data can't be trusted because even then neither the treadmill or the watch are accurate. When I compared the native running dynamics of both watches to those from Stryd the U2 was much closer to the data Stryd provided than FR265 was.

I have a 255s, mine is pink (which is neutral with my skin tone) and it comes in other colors. Compared to 265s it was a better price and I liked that the MIP screen lets me keep the screen on without using as much battery life.

A forerunner 165 or 265 might be good. Or a Vivoactive if you want a sleeker look. I run and do weights as well and find the 165 is sufficient! It can only do so much with weights (guessing the actual exercise you're doing, rep counting, etc). I usually go back into my saved workout afterward and edit any info that was wrong.can only ask so much from a watch but it's nice to have the rest timer and general log of the workout.

DC Rainmaker has some great and unbiased reviews if you haven't seen that. [Garmin Forerunner 265/265S In-Depth Review: AMOLED in Two Sizes! | DC Rainmaker](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2023/03/garmin-forerunner-review-amoled.html). He also compares it to the cheaper 165 if you want to compare it to that. [Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Forerunner 265 Comparison Review: All 107+ Differences Detailed | DC Rainmaker](https://www.dcrainmaker.com/2024/02/forerunner-differences-comparison.html) I have the 265 myself, and loving it. I had the 165 at first, but returned it and bought the 265 on sale. I mainly upgraded because I'm a sucker for stuff like the training readiness, and because i do bouldering and x-country skiing and 165 did not have activity profiles for those activities. I do wear it while sleeping though, and not sure the upgrade would have been worth it if I didn't. The training readiness is affected by your sleep score, and without it I'm not sure how correct it would be. I do not use the music feature as i always bring my phone on my runs. I use notifications, but only text messages and phone calls. All app notifications turned off. (I do wish they would let us select only a few apps and turn off the rest). The thing i love the most would be the battery time. I go on 3-4 runs a week and i probably charge it every other week.

I have a Garmin FR745, it's an older model. If I had to get one now I would go for Garmin FR255s or 265. I'm used to the Garmin biotope, and when mine dies I'll probably stay with Garmin. Most recent Garmin that do open water swim have similar features as far as swimming is concerned, if I'm not mistaken. I do find that HR monitoring is more accurate with the swim chest strap though, maybe more recent models are more accurate for HR monitoring while swimming but I haven't really found specific tests about that.. 

Another vote for the 265s! Mine is pink but other colours are available. Stats are excellent, I’ve come away from Apple Watch after 8 years and I don’t miss it!

This depends on how you want to track your sessions. Some people prefer to start "strength training" when enter a gym and stop it at the end. I use my watch to follow my program like described here: [https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/](https://gelberhut.com/strength-training-with-a-garmin-in-a-gym/) If you want to do the same - a watch which allows to adjust weight/rep number using the touch screen is handy. I know that venu3 and F8 support this, not sure about other models. PS: Not that long ago, Garmin released strength coach (https://gelberhut.com/garmin-strength-coach-what-is-it-and-what-can-it-do/), if you want it: check one of Garmin Venu 3, Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Vivoactive 5, Forerunner 255, Forerunner 265, Forerunner 955, Forerunner 965.

If you just want fitness tracking get a garmin imo

I'd buy one the cheapest one with Daily Suggested Workouts. I think FR255 and FR265 have them. It gets me out and tells me what to do. Unlike the Apple watch which needs you to pay monthly subscription forever to get something close to that. I got a 265 for my father and I don't need to buy any subscriptions.

If you're fairly casual and include running in your program, and don't need something really burly, a Forerunner 265 is a great option. if you want a burlier watch, either the Fenix (uses older transflective screen which isn't as bright as OLED but consumes less battery) or Epix (OLED screen) is probably the way to go. If you're doing ultras or full distance Tris, the 965. If we're being honest, the newer Forerunners have more smartwatch features than the Fenix/Epix do (like a built in speaker, for example, and the ability to reply to texts). None of them compare to Apple Watches, though. I'm a busy dad with active kids and I love my Epix. I can beat it up and the titanium body is going to take it, and it has activity tracking for just about anything (hiking, walking, running, rowing, cycling, indoor cycling, treadmill, gravel cycling, pool swimming, open water swimming, multi-sport activities with custom transitions, and even things like soccer). Forerunners usually have fewer activity types are tend to be more focused toward run/bike/swim of various types.

Op if your heart is set on garmin - please skip the 165. Go for 255 or if you want the fancier screen 265.

Try a used Apple Watch 7 first. See if you use the features of the watch enough. Buy extra chargers , since u have to charge it daily. The Apple Watch 8, 9, ultra and ultra 2 is not going to be massively different from the 7. When you are frustrated with daily charging or charging every 2 days, then u will be ready for ur first Garmin. May I suggest the forerunner series 165, 265 , 965. Software is well supported for 4-6 years easily. Battery life is 7-10 days from new, and even if u use it frequently, since you are only charging it every 7-10 days, ur battery health is going to be good and the decay won’t be as much as the Apple Watch. 5 yrs later your battery life will degrade to 4-7 days -> still double or triple that of a brand new Apple Watch battery life.

FR 265. You can track indoor swimming + open water(outdoor) swimming. It is also great for running (you even have different options, like run, treadmill, ultrarun etc.) It has many other options like cycling indoors, outdoors, bouldering, a specific one for hiking to name a few. I also use it for strength training, but just keep it in free and add the exercises I did in after the activity by hand

Replace 965 with 265. Afaik, there is nothing the 965 does when it comes to tracking health that the 265 isn't also doing. (It's only stuff like e.g. maps that the 965 has, none of that impacts health tracking)

I had forerunner 245 and used it for running and swimming. It was great, but I fell and trashed it. Had forruner 165 but didn't get training readiness so I upgraded to forruner 265 and happy with my choice. Ony downside with forruner 245 is that it didn't have hrv stats.

My wife just got the 265 mainly for the enhanced health info on sleep, stress, and body battery. She had a Garmin Lily which I thought was terrible. She lives the 265. Very accurate and responsive. I have a 255 which is very similar that I love. I will have to agree that the music function on the watch could be a lot easier, but it is still useful if you want to go without your phone. The ~15 day battery is great. I hate the thoughts of charging daily on an apple.

No one has mentioned form factor. This is something to keep into consideration, size and weight. I’m very happy with my 265, which I feel is much smoother than the 165 after using it for about a month.

Honestly love it overall. Perfect for my needs. Sometimes the heart rate reading gets stuck or jumps around during a run. Can be fixed by a chest strap, but still frustrating for a $450 device.

Garmin are great for sports, but pretty much garbage for everything else. If you’re a new runner that primarily wants a sports watch that can do some smart stuff, something like a Forerunner 265 should be plenty. If you primarily want a smart watch that can so sports stuff, avoid Garmin like the plague.

Garmin 265 (switching to Fenix 7 pro soon), Garmin Edge 540, Garmin HRM Pro

Man, I don't know if 265 can be considered durable or not. I swim & unless the glass is made out of sapphire, it's gonna get scratched (whenever it makes contact with pool lane lines). I applied hydrogel screen protector to mitigate the damage. I would probably get Instinct 2, if I were you, because of its similarity with G-Shock in term of durability. Older models of higher end lines, such as Fenix, should also be considered as well.

Besides the 945, no other garmin watch has LTE. (And even then, it's just for emergency texts and can't do phone calls.) So no other watch has texting/calling without your phone. You can use canned replies to texts on android phones but not on iphones (it's a limitation by apple, not grmin). You still need your phone with you for this. For podcasts, you'd need to have your phone with you to stream them to the watch. Or, if you can download directly (not sure what, if any, apps allow offline listening). For great GPS, you'd want multiband. At your price point, this really kind of narrows it down to the Instinct 2 or 2X (mono crome MIP screen, insane battery life, no maps and no touch screen) or the Forerunner 165 or 265 with touch screen and AMOLED but no maps. If you can, see if you can find a refurbished Forerunner 965 to get at/under your $500 price point. The Fenix 7 (non-Pro) and Epix 2 (non-pro) are often on sale for around $500. Those watches are touch screen, AMOLED, have maps and substantially higher build quality (Titanium/steel, sapphire screens) but somewhat more 'bulky.'

I am using the smart features of AW7 and fr 265 for training and workout

If you love data then get the 965, if you only like data, then get the 265. 965 has a decent amount of extra features but they are somewhat frivolous. Heat/altitude acclimation, maps and golf are the main ones that I've personally noticed day to day (I have the 955 which is the same as 965, just not OLED). I think you get extra running metrics as well but don't quote me. 50% better battery life on the 965 and also better quality glass and materials. Maps have been really useful for me, but that's cause I don't have a bike computer. Obviously they are a lot of money but I think it's been worth the cost considering its something I use everyday and wear 24/7. I've heard that the new coros computer is barely usable so I wouldnt be that excited about it yet.

Garmin! I get the small versions of their watches. I started with a Venu 2S, switched to the 255S, then just upgraded to the 265S for the AMOLED screen. Wasn't a fan of the MIPS of the 255. They have great features and I am a sucker for all the data they provide. I also like chasing the fun badges on the challenges they offer. I also have some of their products for cycling. Great customer service, too.

FR265 / FR255 But personally I find the HIIT, cardio and strength activity tracking underwhelming with Garmin.

That absolutely sums up my opinion. I sold my Coros Pace 2 because my ageing eyes had issues with the MIP display on the smaller screen, and moved on to amoled displays on the FR265 and Race S. But now, with the Pace Pro, I would definitely go back to the Coros because it offers a good balance of features, purpose and stability. If you think Suunto's software quality has been better than Garmin's in recent months, you're clearly not affected by the inferior software quality (sleep tracking, OHR, WiFi, etc.) of the last two Suunto FW releases.

I own both the Race S and the 265, I much prefer wearing the Race S because it has a certain personality that the 265 completely lacks. But yes, I have tried pointing out the shortcomings on the Suunto forum, such as the far inferior interval mode. I think Suunto has lost the ability to relate directly to its loyal user base for the most important use cases, otherwise there would be some progress in use cases that the typical Suunto user cares about. But hope dies last.

Now it's the forerunner 265 And it comes in sizes s for small. I'm sure that one's still quite nice though

If you're over 40 or 50 the a m oled screen, it looks like neon LED lights. It's preferred over the mips screen because of well eyes and aging. You can't see the dull black and white screen underwater if you're a swimmer too, it doesn't show up. Well. Get the 265 because of the a m oled screen

Yeah, the difference is the weight/size, price, and some details in the battery runtime of different GPS and/or music modes. Also, if you don't see yourself making use of the on-watch mapping, then the FR265 is going to do all the running things at an even better price.

Went from a fenix 5 to a 265 and love it. Music, great screen and training plans. If you need maps though look at the 965.

I have the FR265 and it has quite a lot of activities that you can pick from, so even a non runner can get a lot from it. Slightly expensive compared to the other FRs but I’ve heard the others don’t have some of the features. If you have the spare $ go for it. It’s a fantastic watch.

You'll only truly understand after trying onw for a couple weeks. I recommend the 255 or 265

You can set an alert on the Garmin 265 to indicate walk run.

Wife has the 265 and I have the 965. Battery life is good on the 235 and excellent for the 965. Maps as mentioned is the biggest difference.

use here the FR 265. is good with tracking lanes and strokes

here forerunner 265 i like it in the water. only things i miss is the alarm for hartrate, but i know in the water is that less accurate. and when use kickboard you need to start the training counter and set the swim disanace manual

In short: 965 for maps, 265 if you don't need/want that feature. No-one knows what features a 970 or 975 will have. Likely it will be priced a reasonable amount higher than 965, and 965 may be further reduced in price as a result. Plenty of reviews about. DC Rainmaker on YouTube goes into great detail. Garmin website has side-by-side comparison tool for all watches.

Garmin Fēnix looks sharpish but costs $$$($?). But you can buy a midrange watch like a Forerunner 255/265 and wear a different watch when dressing up, or just leave it off altogether. Not having all your data for a few hours will be fine. 

255/265 are the lowest model with a full triathlon mode. I'd say the 965 doesn't have anything with the extra money if money's tight

I second this. Love my AWU2, but if I was only using a watch for runs, a Garmin Forerunner 265 would be the no brainer.

I bought the 965 (at 25% off) and sold my 265 to a friend. Apart from increased battery life, it was a waste of money. I never use the maps or the golf features. The 265 was super stealth on my wrist. I couldn’t tell whether I was wearing it or not. The 265 is a killer watch. I don’t regret having the 965, but in hindsight, it was completely unnecessary.

My garmin FR 265s works seamlessly with Runna. It’s incredible. Unlike with Apple Watch, you don’t have to download the Runna app onto the watch. It simply sends the workouts to the garmin and your watch walks you through the workout. When I hit the “run” option on my garmin it will give me the option to start the workout that was sent by Runna or to bypass it and do a free run. It’s awesome.

Non runner, have a fore runner 265. Very happy with it. I do yoga, zumba, strength training, walks and swimming. I get very good stats for all these activities. I also check my sleep, body battery and other non-activity related stats too, as I find them quite useful.

I have the 265s and I agree it’s great!

A lot of Garmin watches cover lots of sports. The Forerunner 265 is a great watch. If hiking a lot and want maps, the Garmin 965 has maps. If money is no object, the Fenix or Epix models cover it all. I have a Fenix 6 Pro as well as a Forerunner 165.. Fenix watches are bulky and heavy. The FR 165 is very good for tracking swims and running but leaves out skiing but is thin and light on the wrist and still gets very good battery life.

I'm an Apple guy with an iPhone, 2 iPads, and 2 Macs. But when it comes to a watch for swimming, I much prefer the Garmin. The Apple Watch is wonderful smartwatch but its native swimming app is pretty sparse. I had one but no longer use it. I had a Vivoactive 3 years ago. I'm not up on the VA5 but I really prefer the 5 button Garmin watches anyhow. I'm currently using a Forerunner 165 which gives you a lot of bang for the buck if you are mostly just swimming, running, or cycling. If you do lots of other activities, the the FR 265 or 965 is the better option. They all give you the choice of 5 button use or touchscreen.

Yep I find it much more motivational than the ape watch 3 rings jokery. (I'm leaving the typo.) Left AW7 for FR265 and couldn't be happier.

The 265 doesn't offer a proper map/navigation. Depending of OP needs, it can be a deal breaker. Has been for me. From having use a Samsung Tyzen OS watch, then a Suunto Android Wear one, and now the FR965, I'd add the 965 is not as integrated as an Android Wear device, but it still works fine with Android (I heard its far worse with iOS but never tried it myself).

Probably Forerunner 265, 965 or Fenix7 shud fit his needs.

I never had a smartwatch or anything before to compare it to. I got it because I wanted to start getting more serious about my runs after 2 decades as a casual runner. I wanted to start doing tempo runs, sprints, etc and needed something that would show me the data. I've had mine for 4 weeks and I'm obsessed with it. Best feature is put in your target race event and the time you want to hit, and then all the daily suggested workout are tailored for you to hit that time, while adjusting based on your health stats daily as well. It's amazing. Music sucks, I can't use it because I don't have YouTube premium, just poor mans YouTube, and I don't have any music downloaded. I just run w my phone for jams. But for a runner, for this runner, it's truly life changing and I will never go back to being barewristed again.

Yep, helped me beat my last target time for my last race in 2024 by 2 min. Definitely think a PR is easily achievable now for me (sub 1:47 hm) in 2025 with this, and I'm signed up for about 12 hm through the year to work through to get there by the last one. It's just so great having a coach on my wrist saying "do this today", and while some are harder than others, nothing feels like it's too crazy or unachievable. My only complaint is I'm generally a short sleeper, usually getting 6ish hours a night, so it often tones downs runs. In some ways it's helped me focus on sleep more, but it's also fighting my innate biology a bit. I pass out at 9ish, wake up once or twice to pee, and then am fully awake at 3am, my watch thinks it's a rough night, but that's just a normal night for me. But overall it doesn't have a major impact, and if I really disagree I'll just find a harder run for later in the week and do that instead of whatever base/recovery it changed my harder workout to.

FR265 is great

I run and use the 165, I'm not into advanced analytics but I do like tracking. I also do strength training but only use the watch to track activities and time. The 165 has been 100% great for me, sounds like we have similar needs. I couldn't justify the 265 and I don't think I'm missing anything.

I loved my 265s. It was a great running watch with a ton of features. Compared to the 965, it really only lacks maps and turn-by-turn navigation. I sold mine on marketplace for $200. Try looking at Marketplace or Swappa for deals.

Oh, apparently it does. It never seemed to work for me but I am probably just an idiot. My bad!

I actually sold mine for $200 recently. I wanted maps and more features. Got a deal for 20%+ another 10% off a Fenix 8 43 mm

I had an Apple Watch Series 8. Jut made the switch to a Garmin Forerunner 265. Can’t wait to use it next week!! 😃

Finally, a lot of personal things happened and didn’t run much. The best thing is that you can stop/pause the watch without having to scroll on the screen. I plan to really start to try it Tuesday. Oh! Second best thing is the battery life!! Only charged it once since I have it!

Sounds like the 165 fits with what you’re looking for. If you change your goals and habits in the future you can always upgrade. I rocked an Apple Watch for years and finally got tired of it running out of battery, especially on longer races. The forerunner 265 is what I got and it’s been a game changer now. 

What about your climbing do you want to track? I use the garmin forerunner 265 for running (I do ultras), lifting, and climbing but I’m not tracking grades or specific routes. I’m really just tracking my time on the wall. I write notes in it sometimes to say like “had a super strong day” “today was high gravity” stuff like that. The watch suggest how much recovery time i might need which is helpful for balancing all my activities. Not sure if that’s how you want to track climbing though.

see reviews by Des Fit or DCRainmaker. IIRC both have a video comparison of exactly those two watches. I went with the 265 as I didn't need maps and rhe 965 is bigger and more expensive. (it was a lot more expensive when I was looking for a new watch)

VA5 is actually a Venu3 Lite. Vivoactive line ended with the VA4. The original Venu was the OLED variant of the VA4. They had nearly identical GUI and the same functions. Had a VA4 for years and gave it to my son. Wife still has a VA4s. I recently switched to a FR265. I should have stayed on a MIP display watch. But I chose the FR265 over the 255 because of touch screen. Which I use less than before because most things are easy to use on the 5-button watches without it.

The Vivoactive 4 line never got a real successor. The new VAs are Venu 3 without a barometric sensor and without the bluetooth-handsfree speaker function. I went from a VA4 to a Forerunner 265 (grudgingly, I wanted to stay with MIP actually, but the touch screen made me buy a FR265 instead of a 255M). I wish it at least had a metal bezel like the VA line does :-/ My wife went from a VA3 to a VA4s when the Venu3 was out already because she loathes OLED screens but didn't want an expensive watch. To comfort you, the watch faces will eventually work (if they worked for the VA5, they author just needs to green-light them for the VA6, too). Have a go at the free Skating Pro app - even if your Garmin has a roller skating activity, the Skating Pro app is better. (the skating activity on my FR265 is very basic. The Skating Pro one gives you cadence, gliding time and steps, while the Garmin one only tracks GPS route and HR.

Go for a 255M then. Or for a 165 if you dont need one of the features it lacks vs. the 265 (can't remember what it was, something made me put the 165 off my list). I bought an 265 last year because I wanted a watch with a touch screen. Today I realized I could get around without it easy enough - so a FR255 would be my watch of choice today. 255M vs. 265: 255 has MIP screen, 265 has OLED 255 has models with and without music on watch, 265 always has music capability 255 misses touch screen 255 misses Training Readiness score (but has all others and also the same activities like the 265) 165 (can't reme.ber all the differences) cannot connect to bicycle power meters IIRC it had some analysis missing, either running metric such as vertical movement, left right balance a d ground contact time and or on watch running power estimation. It lacks multi system GPS support (but the normal one is ctually good enough in normal conditions outside of walking in ravines, deep canyons, in between sky scrapers or under thick tree cover) Reviews by Des Fit and DC Rainmaker are very thorough on accuracy and practicabilty of fitness features. They are recommended by many. There also are other great reviewers, but those two really put the sports modes to the test.

There were some limitations of the 165 that made me choose the 265. The features can be compared on the Garmin site. And chances are, some reputable reviewer such as DesFit or DCRainmaker has made an in deep comparison between the two. Ahhh... here is one https://youtu.be/pD77vx9x0Ig?si=o9NNSmrrqm29_RrO I was reluctant to get the 955 because I know I do not need navigation on my watch and the 900 series are pretty big watches (I wear them at night to also monitor sleep). But function-wise, it is a good choice. Especially if you prefer a MIP screen. From a budget vs. function perspective, the 255Music is a great running watch....if I crashed my 265 today, I'd likely get one. I'm still bemoaning the MIP display that I gave up with getting the 265.

My Garmin 265 easily reports double the actual distance. I do have to admit that I swim like a wrench 🔧 I suspect that better technique yields better results. But I’m somewhat not impressed. Edit: Not impressed, considering that it sort of magically guesses pretty fairly correct when doing strength training.

Yeah, I was overwhelmed at first. While watching TV, I would just go in and out of menus and just exploring. Then after a while it's actually kind of nice. I prefer to use the buttons as opposed to the touch screen of the 265. Much faster.

Just gonna paste what I put in another watch thread. I have the Garmin forerunner 265, it’s a great watch. OLED touchscreen, fully customizable watch face, great sleep tracking, arguably the best at calorie tracking, gps for bike rides and kayaking and running, you can charge it once every two weeks, it’s rugged so it can withstand gym and life abuse. I’ve had the watch for a year now and it’s been the best watch I’ve ever had. Apple Watch got scratched week 1 and met its end when I got hit with a big wave in the ocean.

I have a 165 for running and cycling and while it's fantastic, I kinda wish I got the 265 since it's got a lot more sport profiles like badminton that I would occasionally like, some more metrics like training readiness and training status. Though I will say that you can basically work those out yourself also by looking at HRV and recovery time on the 165. The 265 just kind of combines the data into a new metric even though the data it's gathering from your body is the same.

In comparison, Garmin 265 had about 60% battery left after a marathon while listening to music and using multiband GPS the entire time.

I have used the Garmin forerunner 55 and currently use the 265S

I only use my Forerunner 265 to track runs & I love it. I turned any notification from my phone completely off.

I'm using a non-music fr 165 pero for your needs, I think fr 265/265s ang bagay sayo. Yung gps nyan is multiband so mas reliable especially kapag nasa city ka na maraming buildings. Battery life, wala ring problem. Pwede rin for swimming. Lastly, fr 265 ay may music capability na by default. Sa fr 165 kailangan mo pa yung music edition if you want to store music. >Planning to get a Garmin this time since I heard their watches also last for about two weeks in a single charge, which is what I'm used to. Ito, depende sya. Kung nakasmartwatch mode ka lang, yes pwede umabot ng 2 weeks pero kung lagi kang tumatakbo at nakagps, mas mabilis madedrain yung battery.

My current 265 is my 4th forerunner and it has been great. It has everything I need. That said, all these metrics are good on paper, but in practice I find I don't need it to tell me I should rest today because I already woke up feeling like crap. Adding too many metrics at the start ends up being detrimental, IMHO. That said I'd much rather suggest you to get an FR165 and get either an HR arm band or HRM-Pro chest strap since weight training is notoriously challenging for any optical wrist HR because of wrist movements. The HRM-PRO also enables you to play team sports with the watch safely in your bag, which is great for volleyball in my case. 165 or 265, you will have good watches, regardless.

The 2x5 line is much better for running than the 165, so I wouldn't recommend the 165. I find that Garmin watch are pretty bad at handling audio content (music, but especially podcasts and audiobooks). Coming from running only my Apple Watch, I switched to running with my 255 and my phone. So personally, I wouldn't recommend getting the music version. As for the 955, it does have maps and little more over the 255/265. It really comes down to how much you like to run in new places where maps are needed (and even then, the breadcrumbs map on the 255 can be handy).

I absolutely *love* Garmin watches — not just for the sleek design and durability, but because I genuinely enjoy collecting stats on myself. There's something incredibly motivating about seeing the data and tracking my progress over time. That said, I’ll be honest: I don’t even fully understand *all* the stats I collect! But that’s part of the journey — learning what the data means and how it can help you improve. My journey with fitness trackers started ages ago with the Nike Fuel Band, and since then, I’ve upgraded every couple of years as my goals and training needs evolved. I used the Forerunner 265 for a good while — it’s a fantastic watch. But when the FR 970 came out, I decided to take the plunge. And honestly? No regrets. It’s absolutely brilliant. That said, for most people — especially depending on your goals — the Forerunner 265 is more than capable. It's packed with features, the display is stunningly bright and crisp, and it's reliable enough to support everything from everyday training to serious endurance work. If I had one piece of advice, it would be this: rather than upgrading every time a new model is released, go for the best and newest model you can afford upfront. Garmin watches are built to last, and if you take the time to understand the metrics, they’ll repay you in spades — not just in running data, but in overall health insights. Beyond the usual pace and heart rate stats, Garmin offers deeper health metrics like sleep tracking, HRV status, and endurance scores — all of which can give you a more complete picture of your wellbeing and recovery. If you’re looking to train smarter, not just harder, these tools are incredibly valuable. Garmin isn’t just about tracking runs — it’s about understanding your body, your effort, and your potential.

Or a 265 I'd you're on a slightly lower budget. AFAIK, there are only 3 features on the 965 that the 265 doesn't have: maps, real-time Stamina, and features for climbers. 965 also had significantly better battery life, but the 265 will still last you a week even with several hours of GPS use (13 days in Smartwatch mode, 20 hours GPS, so with ~1 hour a day on average of GPS, you have a week of charge). (I have a 265 myself, very happy with it, except I regret not going for a higher-end watch. I want a Fenix, but most of the reason is aesthetic. The Forerunners look fine with casual wear, but the Fenix/Epix fits a smarter outfit as well)

if you need maps buy 965, if not go for 265. If you even do not need OLED go 255. If you need battery go for the one with more battery capability. Don’t get fooled by fancy metrics you’ll never use. I have a 955. Very happy with it. I was happy also with my 245 without mapping and using the preloaded tracks. Only reason I upgraded was screen size e possibility to have 5 fields on the screen. Other than that it was perfect, and I still miss how it was disappearing on my wrist in terms of weight, bulkiness and band size. Consider used to try it out or go to a local shop to play with it and see how it feels at your wrist. Also consider a nylon band (ultrafit by garmin or a similar amazon one) since it is mor stretchy, secures better, breaths better then silicon.

if you need oled no maps go 265. If you need no oled no maps 255. If you need maps and oled 965, if you need maps no oled 955. Must say I was also happy with my 245 using preloaded tracks to follow (you just do not have tha background image only a track. I switche to 955 because I needed more fields on my screen (fr245 had only 4) and I do trail running. I am happy with my 955 but I dont really am a fun of maps, I still use my phone for that. I could have been ok with the slicker and lighter 255. I still miss how the 245was disappearing on my wrist in terms of weight, bulkiness and band size. Consider to buy used to try it out or go to a local shop to play with it and see how it feels at your wrist. Also consider a nylon band (ultrafit by garmin or a similar amazon one) since it is more stretchy, secures better, breaths better then silicon. Trust me, you dont need touch screen on a sport watch. Garmin one is also bad in my experience. Also dont get fooled by fancy metrics you will never use.

Like my 965 also, it's way over the top as a basic fitness watch, 265 probably would have been better utilized. No regrets here either.

Forerunner 255, 165 or 265. Not Venu 3, it lacks in data pages (you can only see 1 for swimming) and there is not drill mode.

New sensor is only in some cases marginally better than older one on F265, so that is not key deciding factor. IN last 6-7 months Garmin has really big issues with HR accuracy anyhow on ranges of their watches , including these, so HR will be not quite reliable anyhow. Choose according to features you need in watch, price and preferred design.

I have no idea why people are recommending the FR255 over a 265. Either a 265 or a 165.

I got a forerunner 965 which I quite like, if you don’t care for the OLED screen then get the 265 and if it’s in your price range the fenix line looks more serious and is more durable. Also has some extra features.

Forerunners could be used as everyday watches, these are usually quite slim and have a good battery life. But they usually have a plastic case and might look quite cheap. FR 265s for instance. Regarding the features, none of them have a speaker / microphone, and none uses the most advanced Elevate V5 HR sensor, but everything else is good. I would say this is actually the best Garmin product line, as I don't like heavy and bulky watches

Forerunner 255 or 265 if you prefer AMOLED screens Most bang for your buck

My overall preference would be to wear the mechanical watch, but for the same reasons you mention I want the continuous tracking provided by the Garmin. If I'm wearing long sleeves I will wear the mechanical watch below the cuff, & the Garmin under the cuff higher up on the same wrist. If I'm wearing short sleeves I'll wear the Garmin alone. It's not a perfect solution, but it's an option to consider.

I love my 265 ( and my husband just got one for his birthday too). The daily suggested workout are brilliant and it's getting me running more frequently and longer distances without injury. The running stats are great. I use YouTube music and music uploaded to the watch. I don't use notifications, it's the first thing I turn off. My watch battery lasts just over 1 week instead of 2 weeks, but I am always using the GPS as I go out for runs almost daily. It's not a smartwatch like AW or Samsung. It's a watch for exercising, especially for running. And it's one of the best at that. But it will not be an extension of your phone.

If you are a runner, definitely 265

i switched from apple to a garmin 265s, mostly bc i wanted the triathlon mode function. i also liked the coros pace 3, the battery life was amazing but it didn’t synch with spotify so i stayed with garmin. the 965 was a little too big for my small wrists.

I just got the 265 and I am adjusting to it….no complaints thus far.

I'd take advantage of a sale on the Epix 2 or Fenix 7. Garmin's last, and think of it more as an investment and not a purchase. I'm not sure what your long-term fitness goals are, but a Forerunner or Fenix/Epix model will be able to cover anything you throw at them long-term. The biggest thing I've been telling my friends is, if you ever have dreams of doing a triathlon, get a Forerunner 255/265 and above since that's when the multi-sport/triathlon mode starts.

Garmin - They have a lot of watches at different price points. There is built-in GPS and the battery lasts for several days, unlike a smart watch that you typically need to charge every night. The Garmin app easily syncs with other fitness apps, if that's important to you. If you have a smaller wrist, go for the "S" models that will look and fit better.

Ive had a few Fenix versions, they are great/ top of the range. Last few years ive been using forerunners which have all the functionality - 9xx series is great, or 2xx for something easier on the pocket. My activities include trail running, hiking, triathlons (and running/swimming/riding only), golf/disc golf. Navigation and battery are good, and glass is strong. Lifestyle is great for sleep, general hr tracking, step counts, tap to pay. The 955 i have also has great multimedia (music). Cant go wrong with a forerunner (solar if you are doing ultra's or multiday). Fenix is a nice splurge

I use Garmin forerunner watch, sync Strava with Garmin Connect and sync Komoot with Strava. It works like a charm.

I have a Garmin Edge bike computer and chest based heart rate because I like to see my speed on the handlebars rather than having to look at my watch. It also navigates for me on more adventurous rides and race courses I'm unfamiliar with. For local social rides I just track on my Garmin Forerunner watch.

Runs are the same concept as rides. Personally, I use purpose-built devices to record: Garmin Edge bike computer, Garmin Forerunner watch (they also both do navigation, connect to heart rate sensors, watch does music, etc.). When I stop an activity and hit save, it's uploaded to Strava before I can even get the garage door open. I don't want to carry my phone on a run, and I don't want to run down the battery on all-day rides.

I actually prefer my old Vivoactive to the Forerunner. I'm a slow jogger, and this Forerunner is demotivating because it tells me how much I suck.

I’ve had and loved garmin forerunners and a coros pace. Slight preference for coros over garmin for battery life. Slight preference for garmin for multi-app interoperability.  I’m actually planning to buy an Apple Watch because it’s fine as a fitness tracker and has better health tracking capabilities on top of the fitness stuff. 

I was doing gym work exclusively, got a Forerunner. Somehow ended up a runner .. you’ve been warned lol The daily suggestions of going for a run brainwashed me I think! But there are worse things to happen in life

Mine’s always been quite low, I have asthma, asthmatic Garmin users seem to say just ignore it Just in case it doesn’t improve and you feel dejected like I did, have a read online, plenty of stuff like this https://uphillathlete.com/aerobic-training/max-vo2-myth/ it probably doesn’t mean as much as the faith we place in it! But good luck in your training!

Not having a screen doesn't really seem like much of a selling point. It's nice to have the watch function and access to other data bits on the screen. I have an older Garmin Forerunner that I've used for about 8 years.

Garmin Forerunners are a great fitness watch.

Garmin Forerunner does a great job. I like the Apple Watch, but the battery life kills me. With my Garmin, I can use it to track swims, runs, and bike ride and I still only need to charge it once a week.

I had a Vivoactive for years that died and I switch to a forerunner a few weeks ago. I am super happy, much better battery, I love the training analysis features it pushes me to work on my cardio as I am more into strength.

My Garmin Forerunner does a decent job tracking lap swimming. It struggles with open water but I do'nt do that very often.

Coros or garmin pace or forerunner, if you like music while running get the garmin, if your more minimalist (smaller screen, simpler interface) get the coros

I turn it off on my garmin forerunner as it drives me mad and once it’s off you never get notifications. Even after system updates and stuff. Easy peasy

As the other comments here say, Forerunner or instinct. It will not give you the equivalent experience to a Samsung watch, as they are sport/activity focused by design. It has all the basic functionality of a smart watch, Bluetooth connection, notification alerts (some just say you have a notification, others will aloow you to read and respond, so do your research). Forerunner is the entry level fitness device, so it may be best for you, and the instinct is a little more 'I just want a watch that's also connected' vibes. The vivosmart is a half step down from the Forerunner, and yes, super basic, will probably be in the category of just letting you know you have a message, but I'm not sure, as I don't have one. Forerunner also has built-in GPS, which vivosmart does not.

I've got a Forerunner that I wear to keep an eye on hearth rate, but that's about it. I generally mark beginning and end, and sometimes when there's a big change in the section of the sequence - from standing/balancing to seated/prone sections. I'll also often hit the pose button if it's been one of those days and I need to tap out to hero/corpse. The problem you're going to find is that the watch would have to sense very specific motion and velocity to figure out when a pose has changed. I can't think of a watch anywhere with that much sensitivity.

I have a Garmin Forerunner, hopefully soon to upgrade to Fenix. Anyway, it has the quickfit watch strap, so I have an orange band on it all the time, and for formal occasions I have the chestnut leather band, takes all of 30s to swap them over 👍🏻

I’d check Facebook Marketplace for a used Garmin Forerunner. They are good watches for running and biking, and they also have good sleep-tracking if you decide to wear it 24/7.

Garmin all the way if you are using android The tracking is really quite good and the features arent exactly advanced for a beginner, it walks you through basically everything Ive seen a few forerunners or vivoactive go on sale for slightly over 200. Abit higher than your budget but imo worth it, it will last you even when you are no longer a beginner

get a low digit garmin Forerunner, they do what you are looking for

I have the forerunner and I haven’t as it’s not rated for that kind of temp. However google searching has people going into the sauna with their Garmin without issue so it’s really a personal risk / reward scenario.

For a long time, I only ran with my phone and used the Map My Run app, and then switched to Strava. I used live tracking on the apps as I ran, but I didn’t have a watch to see how it was going in real time. Both apps have voiceovers that tell you when you hit a mile and your pace.  I ran my first half marathon and had no clue what my heart rate was, which is what made me get a little more serious afterwards. I got a cheap Garmin forerunner to start with, and moved on from there! So you don’t necessarily need anything, but if you get more serious with it, a watch is nice to have! A running belt like Flipbelt or SPI belt is handy to carry your phone.

It depends on your goals. If youre wanting to squeeze the most out of each session then more data will allow you to do that. If youre not that fussed and just happy to be doing some cardio and you can gauge your effort based on feel then that would be fine too. I use a garmin forerunner for HR zones during running and cycling (+ chest strap monitor), and as a stop watch when swimming. I dont bother to monitor anything else as Im not hoping for a podium nor do I change my training depending on any data in particular. Edit; It should also be noted that its only worth tracking data if you actually know what to do with the information

Dammit I loved my Forerunner, I pool swam, ran, trail ran, hiked, OWS, you name it, and the watch is awesome. It holds music so I can run with just the watch. Tracking was great. The numbers were big enough to read I had it for 3 years, and the plastic bracket that holds the wrist strap pin broke. I am using my sons Google watch and I curse every time I have to look at it. I keep thinking I'll get used to it and eventually love it. Nope I hate it every day. So now I run with 2 fitness trackers, the Garmin without a strap, in my pocket and my every day Google watch on my wrist. Buy the Garmin

Forerunners are much lighter weight and therefore much more comfortable to wear.

I have a Garmin forerunner and it’s great for fitness tracking and everything else, I wear it all day every day. It will give you yardages to front middle and back, and it’s pretty accurate. I mainly use my range finder though so I don’t often use the watch for golf. I was thinking about making the switch to a more golf forward version and the epix pro is the top of my list. It has unbelievable golf functionality but is also a great fitness watch. The only better “golf feature” garmin is the S62 or similar, but they aren’t as convenient for fitness tracking IMO. Garmin kicks ass though, I highly recommend it. The site DC rainmaker is a good resource, that dude has reviews on every damn garmin product I think

Garmin forerunner for sure. I got myself a Garmin venu 3 and it’s good but there’s a few features the forerunners have that I miss. I use that combined with Strava for community, Garmin connect app for stats, and Runna app for training plans. They all connect together. Runna automatically sends runs to my watch, then the watch sends the stats back to all three apps when I’m done 👍 Edit: it also all sends the data to my Apple health and my Lifesum dieting app which updates my daily calorie intake based on activity level

I use my Garmin forerunner Yes it's fine with chalk, though the buttons used to go smoother Yes it gets scratched but hey, so do I

Apple Watch will do fine for a long time - only got a Garmin last year. However once you go to only having to charge your watch once every two weeks you just can’t go back to Apple. I have a Garmin Fenix (on the $$$ side) but I wear it every day as my normal watch too and have had zero issues making the switch. However there’s heaps in the range, I love accuracy, maps, long battery and lots and lots of data so I can overthink every run - so Fenix it is! The forerunners are great and the vivoactives are a good mid range model. There’s other brands like Suunto, Polar etc. For true accuracy on any wrist watch you may need a chest monitor. But if you really like your Apple Watch I found it pretty good unless you’re somewhere with not much reception

You can’t respond to notifications with it. I have the S and I’m in love with it!

The Vivoactive 4s or the forerunner are my favorite intro garmins. That being said, the Venu 3 is probably the best intro at the moment since it has more accurate sensors (I just prefer the transflective displays as opposed to the amoled displays) The main reason I got a Garmin was due to the metrics at the start of covid. That being said, now I often use it to track metrics when walking the dogs, or as a way to see the watch readings if I’m feeling off. As an example, when I got covid I was able to use the readings to check my recovery metrics, which was nice.

I use Garmin Forerunner. But I am not interested in smart watch stuff, and only fitness (though you can still pick calls, change music), so it works for me and it lasts for weeks. However, if you want something more straightforward it also probably isn't for you. It has tons of data and some of it is hard to read unless you go out of your way to learn what it is.

If you want to get healthy and get phone notifications and *maybe* do music or something, get a Garmin. Instinct 2 (gives music controls but requires a phone for the music itself) or a used Forerunner (I believe they're done of the cheapest models that do on-board music, Spotify, etc.) or what have you. If you want to do smartphone stuff on your wrist and *maybe* get healthy, go Samsung.

Get a garmin forerunner best investment I’ve ever made

Well, it is not necessary, but definitely it helps. I’d recommend you to buy at least some basic Garmin Forerunner - it doesn’t cost much, has a decent battery life and is light. Regarding AW, for marathon, you should buy ultra, which is a lot of money. Whoops is more an add-on than running tracker. It’s not very comfortable to run with a phone and the watch shows live metrics, which is very useful. So yes, you should.

I have all phone notifications disabled on my Forerunner and on my Garmin Edge. So it works just as you expected - it records my activities and syncs them to Garmin Connect / Strava afterwards.

To add to everyone else’s comments - mines have lasted very well. My first Forerunner works after a decade, I just replaced it with a Fenix a few years back. After four years it’s never had any issues. Yes they aren’t the cheapest but it is worth the investment.

My wife has the vivoactive 5. She recently started running and finds it rather basic compared to the running metrics and functionalities I get from my forerunner. The things she would like to have the most, that are not on the Vivoactive, are Daily Suggested Workout and breadcrumb trails.

I have a Whoop band that I really like for tracking activities. It’s not a watch - doesn’t have a face to it at all - but I think it does a good job tracking sleep/activities and horse riding is an option for activity on it. You don’t pay up front for it - it’s a $35/month service fee. So while not a big expense up front, it obviously adds up over time, which is not necessarily for everyone.  I wear a garmin forerunner on my other wrist too. I like that as well, but I have to say I prefer the app and the data provided by the whoop. I basically only use my forerunner for the actual watch face at this point.  Edit: I just checked whoops website and they do offer a $399 up front fee for 2 year membership. 

The forerunner line is geared towards running and triathlon. They are excellent watches. You can get them relatively cheap used.

The forerunner will meet and exceed all your needs except one. What type of integration are you requiring? Basic smart notifications?

used Garmin like Fenix or forerunner, or just used Apple Watch 6 they are like 70-$100

I’d also recommend going for a Forerunner. Forerunners are built for running and can be used for swimming. An Instinct 2 lacks for example Garmin Run Coach, which the Forerunners have.

IMHO Apple does fitness tracking better than Garmin. Esp. sleep tracking is more accurate, plus you get ECG on most Apple Watches. In the US, blood oxygen tracking is currently disabled for new Apple Watches. Btw. I am wearing both, Garmin and Apple (I like redundancy for marathons, plus my Apple Watch has LTE, while my Forerunner does not)

Basically any modern smartwatch will do this. Your axes of choice are ecosystem, battery life, and price. The basic Apple Watch will do what you want, but because you’re using the GPS, the battery will be dead mid-day. I do not recommend any Apple Watch but the Ultra for an athlete or active person because of the awful battery life. If you want something cheaper than the Ultra, I’d look at the Coros Pace and cheaper Garmin Forerunner options. They’ll both cost about half and are really good products with roughly 5-10x battery life vs the basic Apple Watch.

Oh wow I didn’t know the Ultra 2 also had that issue. Honestly after getting a garmin watch, I don’t think I can go back.

Garmin forerunners have hrv, you don't need a special app. But again, sleep tracking isn't great

I use Strava and the Whithings app, paired with one of their smart scales and a few add ons. Apple Health can pull from both, and while I don't care about my daily steps (for example) they automatically pull from my watch (forerunner) into the various apps as well.

Can't go wrong with Garmin imho. I've had a fenix and a couple of forerunners, and they've all worked great.

I have been trying to get going as a runner for a few years but kept getting injured... anyway I've had a Garmin Forerunner for a few years as well and I am happy with it. It's useful as an everyday watch but also has built in training programs. I'm going through one right now for a half marathon in May and it's going well. I did six miles yesterday (the farthest I've ever ran in my life) and I feel great today. It is durable, has great battery life, and for the money is a pretty good bargain imo. I would suggest it to anyone.

Three things to consider that comes to my mind. 1. If you are only looking to track runs(no use for daily health metrics) then you can just wear the running watch during the run, and then put the watch away after you are done. That is what I do with my Garmin Forerunner. I do my run with the watch and then after I come back home the Forerunner gets turned off and put away. 2. Alternative option is to just use your phone's GPS data to track run data. Personally I tried this method, and I wasn't a fan because the phone GPS would struggle to find me sometimes and I'd end up with a weird run distance and times. Non watch style fitness tracking device would likely also have this issue where the GPS function is either non-existent or not as accurate as the watch style running watches. 3. Lastly, I'd just run by time and effort without any tracking if you are just starting out. Time on feet will likely matter more for your progress than accurate distance or speed measures. Set a timer on your phone and run until the timer goes off, then turn around and run back to the starting point. Slowly increase the time on the timer over as you get better. This is more or less what I did when starting out, and I still use this method when going for an easy run.

If you don’t wanna get a dedicated computer like the Garmin edge. Then get a forerunner or fenix.

That's what I did, I had a Forerunner and when it was time to upgrade, went ahead and upgraded to Fenix.