Battery life smartwatch mode running watch, but you still want a training tool that offers more than just the basics, the Garmin Forerunner 265 delivers pretty much everything most runners need. The bonus? It doesn’t come with the price tag of Garmin’s range-topping trackers.
There’s a wide range of run-tracking, training, performance and health insights, a bright new AMOLED screen, decent battery life (up to 20 hours GPS runtime), more accurate multiband GPS and some smartwatch features like music and contactless payments.
But is that enough to make this the best mid-range running watch on the market? Read our Garmin Forerunner 265 review to find out.
Garmin Forerunner 265
Pros
- These Cyber Apple deals wont last much longer
- Comprehensive training insights
- Battery life smartwatch mode
Cons
- Shorter battery life
- No maps
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Garmins range-topping trackers |
|---|---|
| Battery life (GPS) | Resting heart rate |
| Display | AMOLED |
| Display size: | 1.3" (32.5MM) |
| Weight | 47g |
| Waterproof rating | 5ATM |
Garmin Forerunner 265 vs 255: What's new?
The Garmin Forerunner 265 was released in March 2023 and on the whole follows the same design, with virtually the same set of features as the Garmin Forerunner 255.
Like its predecessor, the Forerunner 265 comes in two sizes: one larger 46mm case with a 1.3-inch display and a smaller Forerunner 265S. The S edition case is now 1mm bigger, with a 42mm case and a 1.1-inch screen. At 47g, the larger editions are marginally lighter than the Forerunner 255, too.
However, when they’re switched off it’s hard to tell these new 265 watches apart from the old Forerunner 255. The difference hits home once you switch them both on because the headline upgrade here is a new smartwatch-style AMOLED touchscreen – like those we’ve seen on the Garmin Epix and the Forerunner 965.
That new screen adds some Apple Watch-esque visibility, brightness and crystal clarity to your stats. Plus it’s a touchscreen – something the Forerunner 255 lacked.
The other major upgrade here is the addition of multiband GPS that aims to boost the run-tracking accuracy. You’ll sacrifice battery life for the pleasure though. The Forerunner 265 has less staying power than the Forerunner 255. You get up to 20 hours with GPS, dropping to 14 hours if you use the more accurate all systems plus multiband GPS, and just 6 hours if you use that high accuracy tracking and music. The Garmin Forerunner 255 Music offered 30 hours GPS and up to 16 hours all systems plus multiband GPS.
Both versions of the Forerunner 265 now offer music storage and phone-free playback, playing nice with apps like Spotify. Previously, you had to opt for the Forerunner 255 Music edition to unlock offline tunes.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 price was set at £429.99/$449.99 at launch; the closest comparison on features, the Forerunner 255 Music cost £349/$399. The Garmin Forerunner 255 was originally £299/$349. Though the older Forerunner 255 editions can now be found discounted.
Garmin Forerunner 265: Tried and tested
I tested the Garmin Forerunner 265 extensively over a period of around six months. I trained with it, raced with it and even tackled the odd ultra with it. This is a watch that hits the sweet spot. There’s enough training, performance, recovery and general health tools here to cover most runners’ needs.
The AMOLED screen is excellent. It’s bright and easy to read in all conditions – even sunnier days – and lifts the Forerunner 265 closer to its smartwatch rivals like the Apple Watch for display quality.
But it’s not all style – the substance is here too. It’s pretty hardcore when it comes to features. All the usual Garmin suspects are here: performance condition estimates, training effect, VO2 Max estimates, training load monitoring and recovery recommendations. There’s a handy morning report, stress tracking and breathing rate, blood oxygen measurements, sleep and nap detection. The one major omission here is maps.
GPS accuracy is excellent – about as reliable as it gets – while the optical heart rate accuracy was solid, too. Not infallible, sometimes it seemed a bit slower to adjust in real time versus a chest strap, but show us an optical sensor that doesn’t.
On board-music has been standardised too, unlike previous models where you had to pay extra for the Music model to get offline music. However, there’s no smart assistant.
When it comes to battery life, if you’re an ultra runner considering an 100 miler, the Forerunner 265 might not have enough juice. The Forerunner 255 does. But beyond that, an hour run using the highest GPS accuracy settings on the Forerunner 265 burned around 5% which is pretty good. That obviously jumps if you start using the music.
RW Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is an excellent all-rounder that offers pretty much everything (barring maps) that most runners need. This is a tool with everything you might need to conquer a marathon.
Feature for feature, it’s an improvement on the Forerunner 255. It offers more accurate GPS (marginally), good heart rate, and the brighter screen and touchscreen controls really bring the comprehensive suite of running, training, performance and health insights to life.
You’ll have to sacrifice some battery life, though. Though in reality I ended up charging these with the same frequency. You’ll also have to pay at least £80 more. That’s probably more of a deal breaker.
If you prioritise battery life and can live without the AMOLED touchscreen and slightly more precise GPS, the Forerunner 255 is the watch to go for. Particularly if you can find a discount deal.
If you want navigation tools, you’ll need to move up the Garmin foodchain. The Forerunner 965, Fenix 7, Epix Best wireless headphones.
