Verified / Running smartwatch · Updated 17 Oct 2026
Newer model available: Garmin Forerunner 170 (since May 2026). This review covers the previous model.
Sqwod Verified · Running smartwatch
Garmin Forerunner 165
The best-value entry into Garmin's training ecosystem: bright AMOLED, ~11-day battery, and the metrics that matter, without the €500 price.
Anzeige / Affiliate · live price shown at the retailer
The read
Should you buy it?
Buy it if…
You coach runners or endurance clients and want Garmin's training data without the €500 tier.
Skip it if…
You need offline maps, multiband GPS, or a premium metal build.
How the score breaks down
Crowd Signal
9,244 reviews · 6 platforms
Sqwod Assessment
Value / Deal
Crowd & price figures from public sources, as of 17 Oct 2026. Live aggregation is rolling out, so figures may change.
The Forerunner 165 is the value sweet spot of Garmin’s lineup: a bright AMOLED face, around 11 days of battery, and the training-load, recovery and VO2 metrics that actually inform programming, at roughly half the price of the 265/965.
For a coach kitting out clients or recommending a first “real” training watch, this is the easy pick. The trade-offs are the omissions (no offline maps, no multiband GPS), which only matter for trail and ultra use. For everyone else, it’s the most watch-per-euro Garmin makes.
In the guides
All buyer's guides 2026Every product in the category, ranked on the same scorecard.See the rankings →How we score
Crowd 45 · Assessment 40 · Value 15Brands cannot pay for a score. Affiliate links are labelled and never move a number.Read the methodology →For coaches in Berlin
Train clients in a private Sqwod Pod.Fully equipped private training rooms in Prenzlauer Berg and Weißensee.Book a Pod →Get sharper in 5 minutes a day
Sqwod Daily: what moved in the fitness industry, and what to do about it. Every weekday, free.
Transparency