Garmin Forerunner 165 (Black, 43mm)

Garmin Forerunner 165 (Black, 43mm)

By Garmin · Fitness Trackers · Phones & Computers

  • 43 x 43 x 11.6 mm
  • 39 g
  • 1.2 in AMOLED display
  • Up to 11 days watch / 19 h GPS
  • 5 ATM

Lowest price seen
$249.99
from $249.99 at Performance Bicycle · Checked Oct 10, 2026

Prices are snapshots. Check the current price with the store.

Summary

Garmin’s lowest-priced AMOLED running watch: multi-GNSS GPS, an Elevate Gen 4 wrist heart-rate sensor, running power and the full Garmin Connect training ecosystem in a 39 g, 43 mm package. Check the firmware before you buy — a January 2026 update broke sensors, GPS and battery on some 165 units.

Strengths

  • Accurate GPS for the money: independently measured within 0.03 miles over a 2.8-mile course.
  • Heart rate matched a Polar H10 chest strap within 0.30 BPM in lab testing.
  • Bright 1.2 in AMOLED display stays readable in direct sun and snow.
  • At 39 g it is comfortable for all-day wear and sleep tracking.
  • Full Garmin training tools at the lowest AMOLED price: running power, daily suggested workouts, PacePro, Morning Report, Body Battery and HRV Status.
  • Battery lasts more than a week for many owners with typical use.

Weaknesses

  • Firmware 27.09 (January 2026) caused sensor, GPS and battery failures for some owners; 27.10 fixed many but not all.
  • No multiband GPS, which hurts in dense cities and heavy tree cover.
  • No Training Readiness, Training Status or triathlon mode; those stay on the more expensive Forerunner 265.
  • Optical heart rate can lag 5–10 minutes during intervals and read 20–30 BPM low to start.
  • Some owners report 6–7 days of battery instead of the rated 11, without heavy GPS use.
  • The silicone strap can irritate the wrist if it isn’t washed every 2–3 days.

Verified specifications

ModelForerunner 165 (non-Music), part 010-02863-20.
Dimensions43 × 43 × 11.6 mm; fiber-reinforced polymer case, 20 mm quick-release silicone strap.
Weight39 g.
Display1.2 in (30.4 mm) AMOLED, 390 × 390 pixels, chemically strengthened glass.
Batteryup to 11 days in smartwatch mode, 20 days in battery saver, 19 hours GPS-only, 17 hours all-systems.
GNSSGPS, GLONASS and Galileo — multi-GNSS, not multiband.
Heart rateElevate Gen 4 optical, 24/7 wrist-based.
Pulse Oxon demand or overnight.
Sensorsbarometric altimeter and compass.
Running power and dynamicswrist-based (cadence, stride length, ground contact time); no cycling power meters.
Garmin Payyes (NFC).
ConnectivityBluetooth, ANT+ and NFC; no Wi-Fi on this model.
Storage4 GB.
Water rating5 ATM (swim-safe to 50 m).
Chargingproprietary Garmin plug, about 1 hour from empty.
In the boxwatch, charging/data cable and documentation.
Warrantyone year.
Full research notes and sources

GPS and heart-rate accuracy

Outdoor Gear Lab measured GPS within 0.03 miles over a 2.8-mile course and heart rate within 0.30 BPM of a Polar H10 chest strap, scoring 75/100 overall with a 9.3/10 accuracy sub-score. DC Rainmaker found tracking comparable to the multiband Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Forerunner 965 in city, trail and mountain-bike tests.

The two can disagree. Independent testers find the optical heart rate very good against a chest strap on steady runs, and owners describe it as spot on; during intervals and tempo runs it takes 5–10 minutes to catch up and can read 20–30 BPM low at the start. That is a limit of optical heart rate during rapid changes, not unique to this watch.

Battery life

Garmin rates 11 days in smartwatch mode and 19 hours with GPS. WIRED’s reviewer got about a week with daily activities, and some Reddit owners report 6–7 days. Always-on display, Pulse Ox and heavy GPS all cut that further, so treat the 11-day figure as a quiet-use ceiling rather than a promise.

Firmware and the January 2026 update

The 27.09 update in January 2026 was the most serious recent problem: users on the Garmin forums reported step tracking, sleep tracking and heart rate stopping, battery draining in 1–2 days, GPS instability and random reboots. Garmin shipped 27.10 as a fix for the 165, but some owners say issues persisted, and owners of the 255, 265, 955 and 965 waited longer for theirs. If you buy one, update it to the latest firmware and watch the first few days.

Is it worth it?

At launch the watch listed at $249.99 (Garmin, February 2024), and TechRadar saw the same $249.99 at Best Buy in March 2024; the Music variant listed at $299.99. Owner-focused reviewers put the sweet spot at $200 or below, where accurate GPS and heart rate, the AMOLED screen and the training tools are hard to beat. Between $200 and $249 it is fair-to-good, and at $250 or more it is weak for a new unit: weigh it against the $449 Forerunner 265, or a Coros Pace 3 with better battery and dual-band GPS if that matters to you.

Which model this is

This page covers the Forerunner 165 (non-Music), part 010-02863-20, the black 43 mm model released in February 2024. The Forerunner 165 Music is a separate variant that adds offline music storage and Wi-Fi. Don’t merge it with the Music edition, the Forerunner 265, the Forerunner 255, the Vivoactive 5 or the Forerunner 55, which differ in sensors, features and price.

Sources

Manufacturer:

Independent reviews:

Owner reports:

Buying guides for this category

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