Garmin Forerunner 70 vs Garmin Forerunner 165
Get the Forerunner 70. It's the newer one, with Garmin's training readiness and coaching. The 165 is worth it only if you find it clearly cheaper, or you hike and ride too.
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Which one is for you?
Forerunner 70
Garmin's newest running tools, and a race on the calendar? The 70.
Is the Garmin Forerunner 70 worth it?Forerunner 165
Get the 165 if this sounds like you: clearly cheaper, a first running watch, walks, hikes and rides too.
Is the Garmin Forerunner 165 worth it?Key differences
Training advice
Battery
Buttons
Altimeter
What owners say
Verified buyers only; every 1–3 star review read by us. How we do this
Forerunner 70
Owners are happy with it, many of them moving up from an older Forerunner.
- Tracks runs well
- A big step up from older Forerunners
- Easy to set up and use
Nothing came up often enough to list.
Forerunner 165
Most owners call it a great-value first running watch with plenty of training data. The main complaint is that it is hard to set up and learn.
- Useful, accurate run and training tracking
- Good value for a running watch
- Easy to use day to day
- Complicated to set up and learn
- Stopped working within months
Related pages
How we reached this verdict
We compared independent expert reviews with the manufacturer's specifications, then checked it's sold at a major retailer where you live. We don't test products ourselves.
Sources: Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Tom's Guide, Android Central, manufacturer specifications.
Owner reports for the Forerunner 70: 17 verified buyer ratings at Takealot (South Africa) and Costco (Canada), read November 2026.
Owner reports for the Forerunner 165: 398 verified buyer ratings at Currys, Otto (Germany), Takealot (South Africa), Costco (Canada), Boulanger (France) and Expert (Netherlands), read November 2026.