| COROS Apex | Garmin Forerunner 165 | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $429 | $249★ |
| Subscription | ✓ None | ℹ️ Optional — $70/yr |
| Hardware | ||
| Weight | 40g | 39g★ |
| Water resistance | 5ATM | 5ATM |
| Battery | 24 days★ | 11 days |
| Always-on display | ❌ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Tier | Sports GPS | Sports GPS |
| Buy timing | ||
| Released | Oct 15, 2025 | Mar 5, 2024 |
| Cycle advice | good★ | bad |
| Deals advice | neutral | good★ |
| Next model | — | Garmin Forerunner 170 (Expected March 2026) |
The 46mm Apex 4 delivers 65 hours of GPS tracking and 24 days typical use — enough for multi-day mountain events without charging. The 42mm offers 41h GPS and 15 days.
Global topographic maps with instant rendering, turn-by-turn navigation, POIs, and an underwater depth gauge — the Apex 4 is the first COROS mid-tier with a depth sensor.
Audio alerts, hands-free calling, and voice pin recording — a first for the Apex line, adding practical trail and daily-wear convenience to this mountain sports watch.
The FR165 is the first Garmin entry-level running watch with an AMOLED display — dramatically more readable than the LCD it replaces.
Training load, recovery time, Body Battery, HRV status, VO2 max estimation — the same analytics found on watches costing twice as much.
11 days typical use and roughly 19 hours GPS — enough for most training blocks without mid-week charging.
The right pick depends on what you optimize for.
$429 vs $459 over 3 years · no required subscription.
24 days vs 11 days battery.
5 sensors.
39g · no required subscription.
Trail runners, ultramarathon athletes, and multisport competitors who want full offline maps and long GPS battery without paying Vertix 2S prices. The speaker and depth gauge make the Apex 4 more capable than any previous Apex for mixed adventure and triathlon use.
Full details →Beginner and intermediate runners who want real GPS accuracy and Garmin's analytics depth without the price of the 265 or 965. Also ideal as a first serious GPS watch for anyone moving up from a fitness tracker.
Full details →