Wear Radar

Fitbit SensevsGarmin Forerunner 965

23d vs 6d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 965 lasts longer
$400
price gap
Fitbit Sense cheaper
27g
lighter
Fitbit Sense
Fitbit Sense
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

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Garmin Forerunner 965
Buy/Wait:superseded

This model is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Garmin Forerunner 970.

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Fitbit SenseGarmin Forerunner 965
Pricing
Starting price$199$599
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $79/yrℹ️ Optional — $70/yr
Hardware
Weight26g53g
Water resistance50m5ATM
Battery6 days23 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
TierSmartwatchSports GPS
Buy timing
ReleasedSep 28, 2022Mar 1, 2023
Cycle advicebadsuperseded
Deals advicegoodclearance
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Health Sensors

Fitbit Sense only
3 exclusive sensors
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
EDA / StressSkin conductance sensor measuring stress responses
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking
Both
3 shared
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Garmin Forerunner 965 only
4 exclusive sensors
Stress TrackingStress estimate from HRV and physiological signals
Body BatteryGarmin's energy reserve — how much fuel left in the tank
Training ReadinessDaily recovery score — how ready you are to perform
Running DynamicsCadence, ground contact time, stride length, vertical oscillation

Why buy each?

Fitbit Sense

Continuous EDA stress tracking

The EDA (electrodermal activity) sensor tracks physiological stress throughout the day — a feature absent from most competitors at this price.

6 months Fitbit Premium included

Comes with Fitbit Premium for advanced sleep analysis, HRV trends, stress management scores, and personalised health insights.

6-day battery, works with iPhone

Unlike Apple Watch or Galaxy Watch, Sense 2 pairs with any smartphone and runs 6 days before charging.

Garmin Forerunner 965

Full color topographic maps

Turn-by-turn navigation on full TopoActive maps — essential for trail running and mountain racing.

Running dynamics metrics

Cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and running power.

23-day battery and 31h GPS

Enough for week-long trail ultras without a charge.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Fitbit Sense wins

$436 vs $809 over 3 years · no required subscription.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 965 wins

23 days vs 6 days battery.

For health depth
Garmin Forerunner 965 wins

7 sensors.

For daily comfort
Fitbit Sense wins

26g · no required subscription.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Sense-only sensors: ECG, EDA / Stress, Skin Temp.
  2. Forerunner 965-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness, Running Dynamics.
  3. Weight. Sense is 27g lighter — relevant for all-day comfort and sleep.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Sense is $400 cheaper upfront ($199 vs $599).
Pick the Fitbit Sense if…

Health-conscious users on any platform who want continuous stress monitoring (EDA sensor), ECG, and Fitbit's deep wellness coaching — without paying Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch prices. Particularly strong for iPhone users who want serious health tracking at under $250.

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Pick the Garmin Forerunner 965 if…

Competitive runners, triathletes, and ultramarathon runners who want full maps, running dynamics, and premium build.

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