Wear Radar

Garmin Forerunner 265vsXiaomi Watch

13d vs 6d
battery life
Garmin Forerunner 265 lasts longer
$164
price gap
Xiaomi Watch cheaper
Garmin Forerunner 265
Buy/Wait:superseded

This model is no longer sold new. It has been replaced by the Garmin Forerunner 570.

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Xiaomi Watch
Buy/Wait:good

Early in release cycle

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Garmin Forerunner 265Xiaomi Watch
Pricing
Starting price$449$285
Subscriptionℹ️ Optional — $70/yr✓ None
Hardware
Weight47g56g
Water resistance5ATM5ATM
Battery13 days6 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
PlatformiOS & AndroidAndroid only
TierSports GPSSmartwatch
Buy timing
ReleasedMar 1, 2023Feb 28, 2026
Cycle advicesupersededgood
Deals adviceclearanceneutral
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Health Sensors

Garmin Forerunner 265 only
3 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
Both
3 shared
Heart RateContinuous or on-demand pulse tracking
SpO2Blood oxygen saturation, tracked during sleep
HRVHeart rate variability — stress & recovery scores
Xiaomi Watch only
2 exclusive sensors
ECGDetects irregular heart rhythms (AFib)
Skin TempOvernight changes linked to illness or cycle tracking

Why buy each?

Garmin Forerunner 265

Multi-band GPS accuracy

L1+L5 multi-band GPS reduces position drift in urban canyons and dense forest.

Training readiness score

Daily score combining HRV status, sleep, acute load, and recovery time.

Race time predictor

Estimates finish time for 5K, 10K, half-marathon, and marathon based on current fitness.

Xiaomi Watch

6-day battery on Wear OS

Dual-chip design keeps the main Snapdragon W5 dormant during light tasks, dramatically extending battery life beyond any rival Wear OS watch.

Wear OS 6 with ECG and eSIM

First Wear OS 6 device on the market — with ECG monitoring, EMG gesture control, and eSIM for standalone calling.

1.54" AMOLED at a competitive price

Larger and brighter display than Galaxy Watch 8 or Pixel Watch 4, with Hasselblad-tuned health sensors, starting at around $285.

Quick Winner

The right pick depends on what you optimize for.

For the budget
Xiaomi Watch wins

$285 vs $659 over 3 years · no required subscription.

For battery life
Garmin Forerunner 265 wins

13 days vs 6 days battery.

For health depth
Garmin Forerunner 265 wins

6 sensors.

For daily comfort
Garmin Forerunner 265 wins

47g · no required subscription.

Bottom Line

Technical gaps
  1. Forerunner 265-only sensors: Stress Tracking, Body Battery, Training Readiness.
  2. Watch-only sensors: ECG, Skin Temp.
  3. Weight. Forerunner 265 is 9g lighter — relevant for all-day comfort and sleep.
Commercial gaps
  1. Hardware cost. Watch is $164 cheaper upfront ($285 vs $449).
Pick the Garmin Forerunner 265 if…

Regular runners who race 5K to marathon distances and want accurate GPS and detailed training load management.

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Pick the Xiaomi Watch if…

Android users who want a full-featured Wear OS smartwatch — ECG, eSIM, a large bright screen — at a price well below Samsung and Google competitors. A natural pairing with Xiaomi phones but fully compatible with any Android device.

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