| Garmin Forerunner 165 | Google Pixel Watch | |
|---|---|---|
| Pricing | ||
| Starting price | $249★ | $349 |
| Subscription | ℹ️ Optional — $70/yr | ℹ️ Optional — $79/yr |
| Hardware | ||
| Weight | 39g | 31g★ |
| Water resistance | 5ATM | 50m |
| Battery | 11 days★ | 1.5 days |
| Always-on display | ❌ | ✅★ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ✅★ |
| Platform | iOS & Android | Android only |
| Tier | Sports GPS | Smartwatch |
| Buy timing | ||
| Released | Mar 5, 2024 | Oct 9, 2025 |
| Cycle advice | bad | neutral★ |
| Deals advice | good★ | neutral |
| Next model | Garmin Forerunner 170 (Expected March 2026) | Pixel Watch 5 (Expected fall 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.
Pixel Watch 4 can detect when your heart stops and automatically call emergency services — a unique safety feature not found on Galaxy Watch or Apple Watch.
Six months of Fitbit Premium comes in the box, with daily readiness score, HRV analysis, and advanced sleep stages.
Google's cleanest Wear OS implementation with fast updates, Gemini AI on wrist, Google Maps, and Google Wallet built in.
The right pick depends on what you optimize for.
$459 vs $586 over 3 years · no required subscription.
11 days vs 1.5 days battery.
9 sensors.
31g · 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 →Pixel phone owners and Android users who want clean Wear OS integration, Fitbit health tracking, and safety-focused features. Ideal for fitness-focused users who prefer Google's approach over Samsung's more feature-packed ecosystem.
Full details →