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Garmin Forerunner 165 Smartwatch - Review and opinions

Garmin Forerunner 165
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8.1 Overall

Score

Ecosystem fit 6.3/10
  • Compatibility: Android and Apple smartphone support for notifications
Fitness and health 8.7/10
  • Heart-rate tracking: Wrist-based heart rate
  • GPS: Built-in GPS
  • Smartwatch para deporte
Battery and charging 7.1/10
  • Battery life: 11 days
  • Screen: 1.2 Inches
Comfort and build 6.4/10
  • Case size: 43 mm
Customer reviews 8.3/10

Is it worth it?

If you want a running watch that stays light on the wrist, gives you proper GPS pace and distance data, and still looks sharp enough for everyday wear, the Forerunner 165 lands in a very sensible place. Its 43 mm case, AMOLED touchscreen and button controls make it a stronger fit for runners and active walkers than for anyone who mainly wants a fashion smartwatch or a phone-on-the-wrist replacement. The trade-off is simple enough to matter early on: this is built around training usefulness, not around the broadest lifestyle extras.

I’d put this in the hands of someone training regularly who wants clear workout data, dependable battery life and a watch that does not feel bulky. It is less convincing if your priority is deep calling features, a larger screen, or the cheapest possible way to get notifications and step counting. The real appeal is that Garmin has kept the experience focused, so the watch feels purposeful rather than overloaded.

Screen 1.2 Inches
Battery life Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode
Compatibility Android and Apple smartphone support for notifications
Heart-rate tracking Wrist-based heart rate
GPS Built-in GPS
Case size 43 mm

Training focus without the clutter

The Forerunner 165 is built around pace, distance, heart rate, suggested workouts and Garmin Coach rather than around broad smartwatch novelty. That matters because it keeps the watch useful when training is the priority, especially for runners and anyone building a routine around structured exercise.

The practical upside is that the watch gives you a clear reason to wear it on training days, not just a screen for notifications. The trade-off is that buyers who want a more general-purpose smartwatch may find the feature set disciplined in a way that feels excellent for sport but narrower for everything else.

AMOLED display and button control

The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen is paired with traditional buttons, which is a better mix than touch alone for active use. It keeps the watch readable and easy to work through when you are on the move, and the bright screen is a genuine part of the appeal rather than a cosmetic extra.

In daily use, that combination should make workout checks and menu navigation feel more natural than on dimmer or more fiddly sports watches. The buttons also help when sweat, rain or gloves make touch input less convenient, so the design choice supports the watch’s training-first identity.

Battery that suits a weekly routine

Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode gives the Forerunner 165 enough headroom for a normal training week without turning charging into the main ritual. That is a strong fit for people who want to track runs, walks and recovery without constantly planning around the charger.

The useful distinction is between everyday smartwatch wear and GPS-heavy sessions. If you use the watch mainly for workouts and notifications, the battery profile is comfortably practical; if you expect long GPS outings every day, the charging rhythm becomes part of the ownership experience.

Safety, notifications and app support

The watch adds incident detection on select outdoor activities, live-location messaging when paired with a compatible smartphone, smart notifications and Garmin Pay support. That gives it a more complete everyday profile than a bare training watch, especially for runners who also want some commuting and safety convenience.

The limitation is that these extras sit behind phone pairing and supported services, so they complement the training core rather than replacing a full phone-centric smartwatch ecosystem. For buyers who mainly want exercise tracking with a few useful daily tools, that balance works well.

Use evaluation

For a half-marathon training block or a week of mixed runs and recovery walks, the Forerunner 165 makes the basics feel properly sorted. Built-in GPS, wrist-based heart rate and the 1.2-inch AMOLED display give you the core training readout without forcing you to dig through a cluttered interface. The useful part is not just the data itself but the way it supports pace checks, distance tracking and post-workout context in a watch that stays light enough to wear all day.

On longer days away from the charger, the battery story is one of the clearest reasons to buy it. Garmin’s stated smartwatch-mode figure of up to 11 days, plus up to 19 hours in GPS mode, lines up with the sort of routine where you train several times a week and do not want charging to become a daily habit. That said, the battery is still tied to how hard you lean on GPS, so the practical win is freedom from constant top-ups rather than a throw-it-on-and-forget-it endurance monster.

The 43 mm size is a real part of the fit, not just a number on the box. On smaller wrists it should avoid the overbuilt look that puts some sports watches out of daily rotation, and the combination of touchscreen plus buttons is a sensible compromise when you are moving between sweaty runs, walking sessions and casual wear. The limitation is that this is a training-first shape and layout, so if you want a bigger, more lounge-friendly smartwatch face or a more lifestyle-led interface, there are easier routes elsewhere.

Pros

  • Strong running and training focus with GPS, heart rate and adaptive workout tools.
  • Bright AMOLED screen with both touch and button control.
  • Light 43 mm design that suits all-day wear.
  • Good battery life for a training watch, especially outside heavy GPS use.

Cons

  • Not the best choice if you want a larger, more lifestyle-led smartwatch.
  • GPS-heavy use shortens the battery routine enough to matter on long outdoor days.
  • The feature set is focused, so buyers wanting broad calling or phone-replacement behaviour will want a different route.

Community

User reviews

The strongest pull here is the mix of training data, readable display and battery life, while the main disappointment comes when buyers expect a bigger all-round smartwatch rather than a focused running watch. The practical lesson is that the Forerunner 165 rewards people who will use the workout and recovery tools often; if you only want casual step tracking and notifications, it is more watch than you need.

Ms m

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

I got this mainly for tracking runs and pace, but it does so much more. The stats are detailed, the screen is very responsive and it is easy to use.

Jenny Wren

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Very nice watch and easy to use, but the battery life does not last as long as I thought it would, which is disappointing.

Vladímir Escatel Maldonado

★ ★ ★ ★ ★

Brilliant watch with lots of useful bits on it. I used it to check the time on a marathon and thought it was great value.

Comparison

Attribute Garmin Forerunner 165 Current Garmin vívoactive 5 Garmin Approach S50 Garmin Forerunner 55
Price £162.00 £158.09 Out of stock £118.45
Battery life Up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode Up to 11 days up to 10 days in smartwatch mode and up to 15 hours in GPS mode up to 14 days
Screen 1.2 Inches - 1.2 Inches colour AMOLED 1.04 Inches
Compatibility Android and Apple smartphone support for notifications Android & iOS Garmin Golf smartphone app Android
Heart-rate tracking Wrist-based heart rate Wrist-based heart rate Wrist-based heart rate wrist-based heart rate
GPS Built-in GPS Built-in GPS 43,000+ preloaded courses with on-course distance and hazard view Built-in GPS
Editorial score 8.1/10 8.0/10 8.0/10 8.3/10

Against Garmin vívoactive 5, the Forerunner 165 is the more obviously training-led choice. The vívoactive 5 shares the AMOLED touchscreen and the same up-to-11-day battery claim, so the decision comes down to whether you want a watch that leans harder into running plans, pace work and race preparation. If exercise structure matters more than general smartwatch polish, the Forerunner 165 is the cleaner fit.

Compared with Garmin Forerunner 55, this model is the more modern and easier-to-live-with option for buyers who value the AMOLED screen and the 43 mm format. The Forerunner 55 still has its place for someone who wants a simpler running watch, but the 165 makes more sense when display clarity and a more polished daily feel matter alongside training.

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Is the Garmin Forerunner 165 smartwatch worth it?

The Forerunner 165 is an easy recommendation for runners and active buyers who want a light watch, a bright AMOLED screen and enough battery to keep training without daily charging. It feels especially sensible if you care about pace, distance, heart rate and Garmin’s workout guidance more than about turning the watch into a mini phone. If you are checking the current offer, the value case is strongest when the price sits close to the mid-range for a serious training watch.

Skip it if you want a bigger display, a more lifestyle-first smartwatch, or a watch whose main job is notifications and calling rather than exercise structure. The focused feature set is the point, but it also defines the limit: this is a better training companion than a do-everything wrist gadget, and that is exactly why it works.

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FAQ

Is it better for running than for everyday smartwatch use?

Yes. It is strongest when training data, recovery tools and GPS tracking matter most, while everyday smartwatch convenience stays secondary.

Will the battery suit regular training weeks?

Yes. The stated battery figures are strong enough for normal smartwatch wear and repeated workouts, though heavy GPS use cuts into that headroom.

Editorial team

DigitalCritic editorial team

The DigitalCritic editorial team reviews product specs, prices, availability, visible customer feedback, and buying signals to keep reviews useful and up to date.

Review published on