| Garmin Forerunner 165 | COROS Pace | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $249 | $249 |
| Subscription | ℹ️ Optional — $70/yr | ✓ None |
| Hardware | ||
| Weight | 39g | 32g★ |
| Water resistance | 5ATM | 5ATM |
| Battery | 11 days | 19 days★ |
| Always-on display | ❌ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Tier | Sports GPS | Sports GPS |
| Buy timing | ||
| Released | Mar 5, 2024 | Nov 10, 2025 |
| Cycle advice | bad | good★ |
| Deals advice | good★ | neutral |
| Next model | Garmin Forerunner 170 (Expected March 2026) | — |
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.
First COROS Pace with AMOLED — a vivid 1.2" touchscreen in a 32g nylon-band body, making it the lightest AMOLED GPS running watch at this price.
16 more GPS hours than the Pace 3, with 19 days typical use. Best-in-class battery life for a sub-$250 AMOLED GPS running watch.
Dual-frequency L1+L5 GPS for precise tracking in cities and trails, plus built-in voice pin recording and audio lap alerts — new for the Pace line.
The right pick depends on what you optimize for.
$249 vs $459 over 3 years · no required subscription.
19 days vs 11 days battery.
5 sensors.
32g · no required subscription.
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 →Serious runners on a budget who want multi-band GPS accuracy, a bright AMOLED display, long battery life, and COROS's training analytics (EvoLab) without paying Garmin mid-range prices. The Pace 4's 32g weight also makes it the lightest AMOLED GPS running watch available.
Full details →