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Garmin Forerunner 165

Garmin Forerunner 165

Scored on 147 verified owner verdicts, from 2,039 comments read across 2 communities
TL;DR
Owner sentiment on the Forerunner 165 is largely positive, centering on its battery life, comfortable lightweight build, and its 'budget Garmin' value proposition — many owners explicitly chose it over pricier 265/255 models and say it covers everything they need for running, hiking, and daily fitness tracking. A meaningful minority pushes back, though: a cluster of owners hit real bugs after the 27.09/27.10 firmware updates (GPS drift, stuck heart rate, steps not counting, freezes), and others are frustrated by missing features like power meter support, triathlon mode, and dual-band GPS that competitors and pricier Garmins include. Smaller but recurring complaints cover an easily-scratched gorilla-glass lens, a fiddly on-screen keyboard/menu system, and inconsistent real-world battery life for some users. Overall it's seen as a well-priced, capable entry point into Garmin's ecosystem, with the caveat that serious athletes or anyone wanting advanced multisport features may outgrow it.

67% of 147 verified owners recommend the Garmin Forerunner 165, based on real owner verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube.

See the problems 37 owners report →

What 147 owners say
2,039 comments reviewed · scored on the 147 clearest verdicts
67%
Recommend
98 owners
8%
Neutral
12 owners
25%
Don't recommend
37 owners

8 owners report specific problemsin troubleshooting threads (setup, firmware, or hardware faults). These are capped in the score above so a problem-report thread can't dominate it — read them under the Doesn't recommend filter below.

Last 6 months:66% recommend(107 recent verdicts)→ holding steady vs older reviews
Source
Score
N
Counted in the score
Reddit
67%
147
Reviewed, but not counted — and why
YouTubeiowner comments
49%
163
No clear verdictiSetup, tips & quirks
251

The headline score reflects owners (Reddit, enthusiast forums), independent lab tests, blogs with no affiliate links, and YouTube owner-comments when they line up with owners. YouTube is shown for perspective but kept out here — hover the i for why.

What owners like
  • Strong value for money, praised repeatedly as the 'budget'/entry-level Garmin that delivers most of the higher-tier features at a much lower price · 14 · 10%
  • Excellent battery life for the price, often lasting close to a week (or ~12 days per some owners) and far outlasting Apple Watch/Samsung comparisons · 10 · 7%
  • Light and comfortable on the wrist, especially compared to bulkier models like the 255/265 or Apple Watch Ultra · 6 · 4%
  • GPS tracking is accurate enough for everyday running and hiking, holding up well against pricier siblings like the 255/265 · 6 · 4%
  • AMOLED display quality stands out, bright, colorful, and 'breathtaking' screen for the price point · 5 · 3%
What owners flag
  • Firmware updates (notably the 27.09/27.10 releases) introduced real bugs, GPS drifting off track, heart rate stuck or inaccurate, steps not counting, freezing during activities, and unusual battery drain · 8 · 5%
  • Missing higher-end features owners wanted, especially power meter support, triathlon mode, and dual-band GPS/offline maps, pushing some to return it for the 265 or a Coros Pace · 7 · 5%
  • Menus, the on-screen keyboard, and overall navigation feel complicated or unresponsive for a 'basic' entry watch · 5 · 3%
  • Some owners report disappointing real-world battery life, closer to 2-3 days in smartwatch mode or draining fast on high-mileage weeks, contradicting the advertised runtime · 4 · 3%
  • The gorilla-glass lens (no sapphire option) and plastic sensor cover scratch easily, with several owners recommending a screen protector · 3 · 2%
Who it's for
A great fit if
  • Beginner or casual runners who just want accurate basics without complexity
  • Buyers upgrading from a Forerunner 55 or basic Apple Watch on a budget
  • Runners who value long battery life and a light, comfortable wrist feel
  • People who mainly run/hike in open areas and don't need multisport or power meters
Look elsewhere if
  • Triathletes or cyclists needing power meter support, multisport mode, or dual-band GPS
  • Runners training under tree canopy or in dense urban areas needing stronger GPS accuracy
  • Anyone wanting a rugged, scratch-resistant screen (gorilla glass scratches easily)

Synthesized from what Garmin Forerunner 165 owners say — not a spec sheet.

Top quotes, sourced

2,039 reviewed · 282 shown
Sentiment
Community
Sort
YouTube▲ recommend

This video has made me realise the 165 is for me.

YouTube— neutral

It's a big change from my VivoActive 3.😅

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

To remove a feature that was previously there as soon as you release the product, which contains the hardware for the feature is a really bad look.

YouTube— neutral

Fulfill enough my needs as entry level runner, but would love to exchange Pilates with Badminton :(

YouTube▲ recommend

ordered a 165 hahah wish I knew sooner!

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

You're paying through the nose for fancy colourful widgets here

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

the similarly priced 255 is still a much better watch

YouTube▲ recommend

I like this thing's fitness focus.

YouTube— neutral

i feel the like 'music' version of watches are a dodgy upsell

YouTube— neutral

I'm not sure I love the 'Run' on the select button but this watch should be enough for a lot of people.

YouTube▲ recommend

I love this thing. 😊

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

they should have added Music storage as default on 165 and added new HR sensor

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

the Garmin app and watchfaces are horrendous compared to Coros

YouTube▲ recommend

12-day battery life is insane compared to my Apple watch Ultra that needs to be charged every 2 days.

YouTube— neutral

I wish it had training readiness and it would nail it.

YouTube▲ recommend

To answer the last comment, this watch is for me!

YouTube— neutral

They should stop put " RUN " on start /stop button .

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

you shouldn't have to sell your garmin and get a new one if you find a new hobby which your 300 dollar watch doesn't track

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

Garmin intentionally makes these crippled watches to make you want their more expensive ones.

YouTube▲ recommend

Have had it for a week and absolutely loving it so far!

YouTube— neutral

As cool as the Amoled is, I really prefer the MiP.

YouTube— neutral

Sounds like the perfect watch for people who are ready for triathlons, but starting the journey and can't justofy the spend on a hardcore watch.

YouTube▲ recommend

This is a great option for people (like me) who find the 255 too big and don't like the 18mm strap on the 'S' models.

YouTube▼ don’t recommend

I don't want to support such product philosophy

Showing 124 of 282

Common problems & things to know

Practical notes owners raise — setup, quirks, and issues to watch for. They don't say whether the person likes the product, so they're not counted in the score, but they inform the pros, cons, and who it's for.

Redditⓘ good to know

Can sleep with the 165 or the one up S. The only two things I know of I am missing out on is the lactate threshold estimate HR value over range. And no triathlon race function.

Redditⓘ good to know

Unfortunately, it’s likely the tattoos. Do you have tattoos on your other wrist? If not, you could try wearing it on the other arm during sleep and activity to see if you get better tracking.

Redditⓘ good to know

The Forerunners are lightweight as a feature. The 165 and 265 don't even have a metal bezel. Like the Coros Pace 1-3 running watches, they are extremely light, too.

Redditⓘ good to know

I contacted garmin support, did a few actions on their request. None of them resolved my issues, they proposed to swap. I'm now waiting to get my replacement 165.

Redditⓘ good to know

Turn the touchscreen off then. You've got options, not restrictions. At the same time, a keyboard appears in Garmin Connect so you could use that. Options...

Redditⓘ good to know

I did read it but somehow that bit went in and straight out of my brain. I think OP needs to tap the letters faster. Just tried with my watch (a 955) and I did need to be quick with it to stop it going mmm

Redditⓘ good to know

This was watch tracks swimming but fyi it doesn't have a dedicated triathlon mode for your race. You'll have to log each event separately during the race.

Redditⓘ good to know

It does have a swimming mode, but it seems to be for pools. I would research that. Yes, it works on its own, and syncs with the phone app after training.

Redditⓘ good to know

I am assuming the firmware installed but not the wifi blutooth ant module. Can you share these files from your 165 music? Can anyone share the files needed to force the watch to property install these modules?

Redditⓘ good to know

The reason for plastic on the forerunners including the 900 series, is for improved GPS and lighter weight. It’s a sports watch, not a fashion watch.

Redditⓘ good to know

https://www8.garmin.com/manuals/webhelp/GUID-607F08F6-33FC-40BF-9727-84E54043D82D/EN-US/GUID-D83E3D72-AF28-4388-BECE-AA6E3CB7BE4B.html seems there is an option to control music on your phone from a non-music watch

Redditⓘ good to know

Looks like it is not the music version. I think its nice to have music for running, without carrying a phone - would need the 165 Music for that.

Redditⓘ good to know

That seems a lot of battery drain. Do you happen to use a third party watchface from ConnectIQ or have always on display or Pulse Ox enabled?

Redditⓘ good to know

Switched from Apple in June last year: before getting 165, did a lot of research - realized main goal is running. Price helped the decision.

Redditⓘ good to know

The cheapest entry with maps is the Pace Pro so that might be your choice. Garmin does not offer maps typically on their lower tier options, I know the 570 has bread crumb and the 970 offers full maps but that's a $750 watch.

Redditⓘ good to know

The average pace is based on the moving time. Scroll down further and you'll find your actual pace based on the total elapsed time.

Redditⓘ good to know

Thats a MIPS display and not AMOLED like these two. Important thing to consider. Some people find one or the other a dealbreaker.

Redditⓘ good to know

Garmin Coach can be one of the three human coaches (Coaches Jeff Galloway, Amy Parkerson-Mitchell and Greg McMillan) with their preferred methods of coaching, or the adaptive coach which recommends you workouts based on your metrics.

Redditⓘ good to know

Mas advisable ko to buy brand new garmin 165 non music for 7-8k. Yung ibang users na kilala ko with garmin 165 music ay di rin nagagamit yung music features ng garmin 165 dahil dala rin nila cellphone nila and mas malakas sa battery yung usage.

Redditⓘ good to know

Sulit na yan kung music version make sure lang na walang maraming gasgas at walang damage yung lagayan ng strap.

Redditⓘ good to know

I watched a YouTube video on "How to make the most of your Garmin" from one of the running reviewers from possibly Believe In The Run, or one of those sites.. She was a marathon runner and had a 165. If you are a runner, you don't need a 570 or 970..

Redditⓘ good to know

Non-music version has garmin pay too po. I have one and used it na. Kaso gotyme lang talaga, di pwede seabank

Redditⓘ good to know

I tried performing the master reset but it didn't help. The firmware remains at 27.09 and the issue persists,

Redditⓘ good to know

Not sure if both watches can add cadence sensor for cycling. 165 perhaps but VA series? Anyone knows?

Showing 124 of 44