Garmin Forerunner 165 Music, Running Smartwatch, Colorful AMOLED Display, Training Metrics and Recovery Insights, Music on Your Wrist, Whitestone

I've had my Forerunner 165 for a little over a month and I love it.I'm not a runner, I purchased this watch to help me improve my health by keeping track of it. I do hike/ walk, and workout.Had a Garmin vivo years ago which was excellent (2015-).Have had several lower priced smart watches recently but they just weren't accurate. So, I decided to go back to Garmin, and they still had my info from my Vivo days.Pros-Extremely clear (AMOLED) screen, even in full sun.Large array of watch faces (many paid) in connect IQ.The watch face in my first photo is a paid face (BLACK GRID).Swipe face- you do not have to press buttons. Just too much work if I had to press buttons continually for changes and settings.Speaking of- SO many cool settings!Lock device - took me a few weeks to realize I had this option. Locks your watch face screen so your movements don't change your watch settings.Weather, GPS, maps, TONS of stats (some of these need paid faces to show).You can join Garmin Connect + for a ton of additional stats and info and health tracking.Too many positives to list here. For the price this is an excellent smart watch. It fits my 7.5" wrist well. No irritation from the silicone band.Durability- GET a screen protector. There's no guarantees you won't accidently hit the face on a hard surface. I've learned from cheaper smart watches the faces can crack.The outter shell is very durable on this watch.Overall this watch is comfortable, you can change bands if you wish. It's mostly extremely accurate (few glitches and inaccuracies as I'll mention in cons).Very clear, bright, easy to read face even with my 66 year old eyes.Cons-These cons are not negatives just issues to deal with.Most people dont have "perfect health" so Garmin is going by your stats it picks up-yes, but doesn't know pain, fatigue, overall doesn't know your daily health conditions.No way to input your health conditionsIf you're sick, can't input this info either, so you'll be getting move, water, etc. reminders. Kind of silly in my opinion. Why not have an option in the Connect app to add these daily stats?Recovery times can be extreme-I try to follow the suggested recovery times but Garmin sometimes makes them extreme.Example - walking slowly around my small yard, dead heading flowers with clippers during recovery time (this moving around felt good) the Garmin felt I was exerting myself too much and added 7 hours to my recovery time. So it's not guaging my movements and stats correctly all of the time. Take it with a grain, its a "machine".Any activity drains battery. I've scaled way back on watch activities like messages, GPS maps, etc because they REALLY drain your battery. I'd have to charge it daily (or more) which I don't want to do. These are all fun activities to use on your watch, but they are very draining.My watch has days where it disconnects and connects to Bluetooth constantly. Don't know if its a watch issue or an issue on my end but it drives me crazy some days. I've restarted my phone and watch and sometimes this resolves the issue, sometimes not.It does NOT affect the watch performance though. It is still adding steps, etc.EXCELLENT smart watch.

I am 43 years old and have run three half marathons this year, so I know what I need from a running watch. I recently upgraded from my Vivoactive 3 (5 years old) to the Garmin Forerunner 165.Battery LifeThe battery life has been solid. With GPS running for about two hours a day, I get around four days before needing a recharge. Using features like the always-on display or music does drain it faster, but I have not had a problem with it running out mid-run. Charging is straightforward and quick enough that I do not mind topping it up every few days.Setup and ConnectivitySetting up the watch was simple. Pairing it with the Garmin Connect app was easy, and once it was connected, syncing with Strava happened automatically. All my runs upload without me needing to do anything, which makes keeping track of my training effortless. The app also allows for customizing watch faces, alerts, and notifications, which I found useful for tailoring it to my running style.Display and ComfortThe AMOLED display is bright, colorful, and easy to read outdoors, even in direct sunlight. The watch feels light and comfortable on my wrist, so I can wear it all day or during long runs without noticing it. The buttons and touchscreen are responsive, though they took me a little time to get used to compared to other Garmin watches I have worn.Performance and FeaturesFor running, the Forerunner 165 does everything I need. It tracks distance, pace, cadence, heart rate, and calories burned accurately. The recovery insights are very helpful for planning workouts and avoiding overtraining. I have also used it for cycling and treadmill running, and it works well for those activities. GPS is mostly accurate, though it can occasionally be slightly off near tall buildings or dense tree coverage. Alerts for pace, heart rate zones, and distance help me stay on track during long runs.NegativesThe watch does not include advanced features like offline maps or multisport tracking, so it is focused on running and general fitness. The buttons are small and sometimes feel stiff at first. The watch is a bit bulky for smaller wrists, and using all features at once can drain the battery faster. GPS can occasionally lag or give minor inaccuracies in certain conditions, but this has not been a deal breaker for me.Bottom LineOverall, the Garmin Forerunner 165 offers excellent value for runners. It provides accurate metrics, recovery insights, a bright and easy-to-read display, and solid battery life, all at a price point much lower than premium models. While it does not have every high-end feature, it covers everything most runners need for daily training and tracking. It is reliable, easy to use, and gives me everything I actually need without paying for extras I would not use.