Wear Radar

Garmin Forerunner 165vsGarmin Forerunner 570

$300
price gap
Garmin Forerunner 165 cheaper
2
more health sensors
Garmin Forerunner 570
Garmin Forerunner 165
Buy/Wait:bad

Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming

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Garmin Forerunner 570
Buy/Wait:good

Early in release cycle

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Garmin Forerunner 165Garmin Forerunner 570
Pricing
Starting price$249$549
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $70/yrℹ️ Optional — $70/yr
Hardware
Weight39g42g
Water resistance5ATM5ATM
Battery11 days11 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
TierSports GPSSports GPS
Buy timing
ReleasedMar 5, 2024May 15, 2025
Cycle advicebadgood
Deals advicegoodneutral
Next modelGarmin Forerunner 170 (Expected March 2026)

Health Sensors

Garmin Forerunner 165 only
No exclusive sensors
Both
5 shared
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Stress TrackingStress estimate from HRV and physiological signals
Body BatteryGarmin's energy reserve — how much fuel left in the tank
Garmin Forerunner 570 only
2 exclusive sensors
Training ReadinessDaily recovery score — how ready you are to perform
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking

Why buy each?

Garmin Forerunner 165

AMOLED display at entry-level price

The FR165 is the first Garmin entry-level running watch with an AMOLED display — dramatically more readable than the LCD it replaces.

Full Garmin running analytics

Training load, recovery time, Body Battery, HRV status, VO2 max estimation — the same analytics found on watches costing twice as much.

11 days of battery

11 days typical use and roughly 19 hours GPS — enough for most training blocks without mid-week charging.

Garmin Forerunner 570

Multi-band GPS and Elevate Gen 5 sensor

L1+L5 dual-frequency GPS for precise tracking in cities and trails, paired with Garmin's most advanced heart rate sensor — adding skin temperature monitoring over the FR265.

Built-in speaker and microphone

A first for this price tier — take phone calls, use voice assistant, and hear Bluetooth audio directly from your wrist. A meaningful upgrade over the silent FR265.

Garmin Triathlon Coach

AI-powered triathlon training plans that adapt to your swim, bike, and run fitness — a key differentiator over the FR265 for multisport athletes.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Garmin Forerunner 165 wins

$459 vs $759 over 3 years · no required subscription.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 165 wins

11 days vs 11 days battery.

For health depth
Garmin Forerunner 570 wins

7 sensors.

For daily comfort
Garmin Forerunner 165 wins

39g · no required subscription.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Forerunner 570-only sensors: Training Readiness, Skin Temp.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Forerunner 165 is $300 cheaper upfront ($249 vs $549).
Pick the Garmin Forerunner 165 if…

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.

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Pick the Garmin Forerunner 570 if…

Regular runners and triathletes who race 5K to marathon distances and want accurate multi-band GPS, detailed training load management, and Triathlon Coach structured plans. The speaker and microphone make it a more capable daily-wear watch than the FR265 it replaces.

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