Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 67% of 147 for the Garmin Forerunner 165.
Verdicts aggregated from Reddit, enthusiast forums, and YouTube owner comments — affiliate reviews excluded. Sample sizes differ; judge accordingly. How we score
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.
Most owners are won over by the Galaxy Watch Ultra's premium, rugged design and its comfortable bands, and many describe it as a clear upgrade over older Galaxy Watches like the 6 Classic and 5 Pro, with a solid contingent reporting 2-5 days of battery life. But a large and vocal minority pushes back hard on battery performance, with dozens of owners getting only a day and a half to two days despite Samsung's multi-day claims. The missing rotating bezel is a recurring sore point that some say is a dealbreaker on its own, and health-tracking features -- sleep tracking especially, along with heart rate and step accuracy -- draw repeated skepticism. A smaller group also flags slow charging times and laggy software, and some owners directly compare it unfavorably to Garmin or Apple Watch for sports and overall polish.
“This video has made me realise the 165 is for me.”— @CGCGCG91 on YouTube
“ordered a 165 hahah wish I knew sooner!”— @Joseeppph on YouTube
“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.”— @Fernweh_8 on YouTube
“I have been enjoying my watch very much although the battery drains pretty quickly”— @jesuscervantesj82 on YouTube
“I thought pictures of it were ugly, but when I saw it in the metal...wow!”— @myfakeguuglaccount on YouTube
“Had it for couple of a days and we just didnt clicked so I sold it.”— @0ISthisIT0 on YouTube
Real owners lean toward the Galaxy Watch Ultra: 75% of 16 owners recommend it, vs 67% of 147 for the Garmin Forerunner 165.
Owners point the Garmin Forerunner 165 at beginner or casual runners who just want accurate basics without complexity, and buyers upgrading from a Forerunner 55 or basic Apple Watch on a budget.
Owners point the Galaxy Watch Ultra at samsung/Android phone owners wanting a rugged, premium-feeling smartwatch with WearOS features, and outdoor and adventure users who value a bright always-on display and tough build over ultralight design.
The most-cited downside of the Garmin Forerunner 165 is 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. For the Galaxy Watch Ultra, it's battery life is the most common complaint, with many owners getting only 1-2.5 days per charge (some as low as 20-30 hours) despite Samsung's 2-4 day claims.