Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming
Best for: Expedition athletes, adventure racers, triathletes, mountaineers, and divers who need the most capable and durable GPS watch Garmin makes. Also for anyone who wants Garmin's best — full stop.
Full details →Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Competitive runners, triathletes, and ultramarathon runners who want the complete Garmin running analytics suite: full maps, running dynamics, training load, race predictor, and race day guidance — in the lightest, most running-optimised Garmin form factor.
Full details →| Garmin Fenix | Garmin Forerunner 965 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Sports GPS |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 18 days | 23 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, respiration, skin temp | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, training readiness, running dynamics |
| Released | Aug 14, 2024 | Mar 1, 2023 |
| Cycle length | 938 days | 1024 days |
| Cycle advice | bad | bad |
| Deals advice | good | good |
| Next model | Garmin Fenix 9 (Late 2026) | — |
First Fenix to include a speaker — enabling phone calls, Bluetooth audio, and voice prompts directly from the watch.
AMOLED for the best display at 18 days. Solar MIP for up to 48+ days in expedition conditions where charging is impossible.
EN13319 dive mode (up to 40m), MIL-STD-810 shock resistance, and TopoActive maps covering 100+ countries — the most capable outdoor watch in Garmin's lineup.
Turn-by-turn navigation on full TopoActive maps — the key differentiator from the FR265. Essential for trail running and mountain racing.
Cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and running power — the full biomechanics suite for optimising form and efficiency.
More than double the FR265 battery life. Enough for week-long trail ultras without a charge.