Garmin Forerunner 165

Superb AMOLED display and UI ; Reliable GPS and HR tracking ; Battery life is excellent

Separate edition for music support ; GPS lock-on is slow ; Rival watches are cheaper

The Garmin Forerunner 165 delivers some excellent features for runners in a package that’s easy to wear and long-lasting. With accurate heart rate monitoring and GPS in tow, too, it becomes a superb option for beginners and intermediates – even if...

Lots and lots of accurate data. Daily Morning Report is fun. Lightweight and durable. Decent battery life. Has multiple GPS systems, a blood oxygen sensor, and an altimeter.

Downloading one playlist at a time feels like it’s for the Medieval Ages.

Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen ; Affordable price point ; Uses the latest Elevate sensing platform ; Wrist-based running power and dynamics

Only single-band GPS ; Misses out on some of the performance features

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,...

Retains many previously-premium training features ; Good-looking AMOLED touchscreen ; 13 days of battery life

Not cheap enough to replace the Forerunner 45 or 55 ; Music storage is extra

After a few weeks of testing, the Forerunner 165 will make a very good first running watch, but doesn't have enough features for old hands. I’m pleased to see Garmin skewing cheaper with the price point, the battery lasts ages, and the screen is lovely...

Good mix of sports and smartwatch features ; Good battery life ; Includes breadcrumb navigation

Misses Training Readiness metric ; Lacks newer dual-band GPS ; Small case won’t be for everyone

The Forerunner 165 makes grabbing a Garmin running watch with an AMOLED more affordable, but you could pay a little extra for the Vivoactive 5 and get more in the way of smartwatch and wellness monitoring smarts.

Most affordable OLED Garmin sports watch ; Great battery life ; Five button navigation is handy ; Comfortable to wear 24/7

Some advanced metrics like Training Readiness missing ; Some workout types like Skiing missing ; No Triathlon mode

Vibrant, colorful AMOLED display ; Great value ; Reliable GPS sensor ; Accurate heart rate tracking

No triathlon support ; Does not support ECG app ; Extra cost for Music edition