Apple Watch Series 9 vs Garmin Forerunner 965
Sqwod verdict
Our pick: Garmin Forerunner 965 takes it — 86 vs 84.
Both are strong — the call comes down to what you prioritise:
- Apple Watch Series 9 — You want one device for training, daily life, and health basics.
- Garmin Forerunner 965 — You coach or run endurance/triathlon and want race-grade GPS, full maps and the complete readiness/load suite in a light premium AMOLED watch.
Apple Watch Series 9
84Score · High
from €419
The best all-rounder — workouts, notifications, sleep, ECG — no subscription. Battery and depth-of-recovery data are the compromises.
Our pick
Garmin Forerunner 965
86Score · High
from €499
Garmin’s near-complete premium running and triathlon watch — a gorgeous AMOLED, deep training analytics and full maps. Price and 47 mm size are the only real trade-offs.
Compare side-by-side
| Apple Watch Series 984Scorefrom€419Review → | Garmin Forerunner 96586Scorefrom€499Review → | |
|---|---|---|
| Form factor | Watch | — |
| Battery life | ~18 h (36 h low-power) | — |
| Screen | Always-on OLED | — |
| Sleep tracking | Basic | — |
| Recovery / HRV | HRV metrics | — |
| Subscription | None (Fitness+ optional) | — |
| Water resistance | 50 m | — |
Prices are our reviewed reference points.
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