Smartwatches · owner-verdict comparison

Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8: what real owners say

Real owners lean toward the Samsung Galaxy Watch8: 73% of 11 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

Garmin Forerunner 165

67%of 147 owners recommend
67% recommend · 8% neutral · 25% don't
Full owner report →

Samsung Galaxy Watch8

73%of 11 owners recommend
73% recommend · 0% neutral · 27% don't
Owners praise
  • Runs fast and smooth, with lag and freezing gone for upgraders
  • One UI Watch 8 looks polished and feels responsive
  • Owners are genuinely enjoying it day to day
Owners complain about
  • Can't be charged wirelessly from a phone, so you must carry the charger
  • Annoying bugs, like raise-to-wake not re-enabling after sleep mode
  • The Classic feels cheapened by plastic around the buttons and detachable lugs
Full owner report →

What Garmin Forerunner 165 owners say

“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

What Samsung Galaxy Watch8 owners say

“I really like the GW8 this year idk why ppl are hating on it so much? It looks comfortable to me.”
— @katinasoutherland7693 on YouTube
“The watch 8 looks way better than watch 7”
— @BIU-Intelligence on YouTube
“Samsung has lost me with the square design.”
— @reneguittet876 on YouTube