Updated 31 Oct 2026
Is the Garmin Forerunner 165 worth it?
Yes — while it costs less than the Forerunner 70.
It's light and comfortable, tracks runs, walks and rides accurately, and has a bright AMOLED touchscreen with physical buttons. It lasts up to 11 days as a smartwatch and around 19 hours of GPS, and works with iPhone and Android. Garmin's suggested workouts and race predictions are here, but not the newer training readiness score, and it has fewer sport profiles than pricier Forerunners. The newer Forerunner 70 adds more training tools, so buy the 165 when it's the cheaper of the two.
93%of 398 owners give it 4 or 5 stars
- Light and comfortable
- Bright AMOLED touchscreen
- Up to 11 days of battery
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What owners say
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.
Good to know
- GPS can be slow to lock on.
- Fewer sport profiles than pricier Forerunners.
- Not many smart features.
- Music storage only on the dearer Music version.
From 398 buyer ratings at Currys, Otto (Germany), Takealot (South Africa), Costco (Canada), Boulanger (France) and Expert (Netherlands), every complaint read by us, November 2026. How we do this
What they love
- Useful, accurate run and training trackingMentioned a lot
- Good value for a running watchMentioned a lot
- Easy to use day to dayMentioned often
- Long battery lifeAlso mentioned
- Looks goodAlso mentioned
What they complain about
- Complicated to set up and learnRare
- Stopped working within monthsVery rare
- Heart-rate readings drop out or spikeVery rare
Get it if…
- You want a first running watch for as little as possible.
- You walk, hike or ride as well as run.
Skip it if…
- You want Garmin's training readiness and newer coaching: the Forerunner 70.
- You do triathlons: it has no multisport mode.
More on the Forerunner 165
How we reached this verdict
TechRadar (4.5/5) calls it a fantastic, more affordable Forerunner with a lovely screen and long battery, ideal as a first running watch. Tom's Guide (4.25/5) praises its comfort, bright screen, accurate GPS and heart rate and training tools, noting slow GPS lock and limited sport profiles. Trusted Reviews (4/5) also recommends it.
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: TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Trusted Reviews, Garmin, Tom's Guide, TechRadar, TechRadar, TechRadar, Tom's Guide, Tom's Guide, Android Central, manufacturer specifications.
Updated 31 Oct 2026How we decide