The best Garmin watches of 2024: Expert tested and reviewed

In the early days, Garmin watches were popular primarily with runners. Today, there are dozens of Garmin watches to choose from, many priced at $400 or more. But the new Garmin Forerunner 165 gets back to the basics with an affordable, $250 watch focused on providing what most recreational runners need to track their performance.

Even at this affordable price, Garmin’s Forerunner 165 includes a brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display for that elegant smartwatch visual experience found in Apple and Samsung smartwatches. It’s also a perfect watch for those with smaller wrists, especially in a market full of big, bulky watches.

Of all the sports and fitness plans, the Forerunner 165 is most focused on supporting runners, with features like adaptive training plans, wrist-based running power and dynamics tracking, training effect, course support, and more. You’ll also find 25 activity profiles for activities like swimming, pickleball, yoga, and pilates.

A feature I particularly enjoyed using was “Morning report,” which summarizes my previous day and evening’s tracking, along with the training plan for the day of. Sleep monitoring with sleep scores and nap detection were also welcome features. 

Review: Garmin Forerunner 165 Music

Garmin Forerunner 165 features: Battery life (GPS): 19 hours | Display technology: AMOLED | Unique feature: Affordable with advanced running metrics | Size: 43 mm