Apple Watch Series 12 vs Garmin Forerunner 165
Sqwod verdict
Our pick: Garmin Forerunner 165 takes it — 86 vs 84.
Both are strong — the call comes down to what you prioritise:
- Apple Watch Series 12 — You're on a Series 9 or older and want the most accurate wrist heart rate Apple has made, plus a readiness score you can use to steer clients' training, with no subscription.
- Garmin Forerunner 165 — You coach runners or endurance clients and want Garmin's training data without the €500 tier.
Apple Watch Series 12
84Score · Medium
from €434
The new Health Sensing System is the real upgrade: heart rate every five seconds, far more frequent HRV and a daily Readiness score, with testers finding it close to a chest strap. Battery is still rated at 24 hours and the design is unchanged, so Series 11 owners can skip it.
Our pick 
Garmin Forerunner 165
86Score · High
from €175
The best-value entry into Garmin's training ecosystem — bright AMOLED, ~11-day battery, and the metrics that matter, without the €500 price.
Compare side-by-side
| Apple Watch Series 1284Scorefrom€434Review → | Garmin Forerunner 16586Scorefrom€175Review → | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | — | Watch (running) |
| Battery life | — | ~11 days |
| Screen | — | AMOLED |
| Sleep tracking | — | Yes |
| Recovery / HRV | — | Body Battery |
| Subscription | — | None |
| Water resistance | — | 50 m (5 ATM) |
Prices are our researched reference points.
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