Garmin's Forerunner 165 offers almost everything a runner could want

Garmin added a new, budget-friendly AMOLED-equipped watch to its Forerunner range. This is the Forerunner 165, which costs around $250 in the US, or £250 in the UK. Technically, this particular model is the Music version, which costs about $50 or £40 more, but either way, it's cheaper than the Forerunner 265 models, and more expensive than the entry-level Forerunner 55. For the money, it's actually brilliant.

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Sure, it misses some of the features from the 265, and other more expensive models like the Epix and Fenix range, but if you're after an excellent running and fitness watch, and don't want to spend a lot of money, it's got a good balance of features and performance.

Garmin Forerunner 165

Recommended

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is great running-focused smartwatch for those on a budget. The inclusion of an AMOLED display makes a significant difference to the user experience. You also get most of Garmin's best features, including its excellent Body Battery tool, without paying for a top-tier model. Outside of maybe triathletes, few will find the 165 wanting.

Pros

• Vibrant AMOLED display
• Reliable GPS and heart rate tracking
• 11-day battery life

Cons

• Finicky charging
• Music model costs more

$250 at Garmin

Price, specs, and availability

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is available to buy now from Garmin's website for $250. The company also offers a separate Music model that retails for $300.

Garmin Forerunner 165

Battery Life 11 days, 19 hours of GPS workouts Offline Media Storage 4GB Weather Yes Smartphone Music Control Yes Display AMOLED screen, 390 x 390 pixels Connectivity View/respond to notifications and messages Health sensors Heart rate, pulse ox Weight 39g Audio Via Bluetooth Mobile payments Garmin Pay Workout detection Vertical oscillation and ratio, ground contact time, stride length, running power, cadence, PacerPro strategies, race predictor

Design and display style

The AMOLED advantage

Like all the other Forerunner models, the 165 is designed to be a lightweight, sporty watch. So its