Garmin Forerunner 265 review

Not too long ago, Garmin has risen to the highest of the operating watch recreation, taking it above rivals similar to Polar, Suunto, and Apple. The Forerunner 265 cements its place there – it’s a superlative operating watch that nails each the fundamentals and extra superior on-wrist monitoring options.

It’s a tad costly, although, and it lacks some nice-to-have options for the worth, together with similar to mapping. However all issues thought of, that is in all probability the most effective operating watch you should buy for below $500/£500 (on the time of writing).

Design and construct

• Light-weight
• AMOLED touchscreen
• 5ATM score

I reviewed the bigger 46mm Forerunner 265, which is sort of related in design to the Forerunner 255. There’s additionally a smaller 42mm Forerunner 265S.

The primary distinction is the 255 collection had a readable however extra primary, non-touch memory-in-pixel display (MIP), whereas the 265 watches have touchscreen AMOLED screens. That is partly why the 265 prices $449.99/£429.99, significantly greater than the $349.99/£299.99 255 that has very related specs and options.

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Comparisons apart, the Foreunner 265 is a plain however fairly light-weight watch. Even the 46mm model isn’t gargantuan, and I discovered it snug to put on all day and night time to trace exercises and sleep. In that regard, it’s higher than the comparatively cumbersome Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Basic.

I want the silicone strap and conventional buckle right here than the pin and nubbin popularised by the Apple Watch, plus the straps are normal fast launch 22mm (18mm for the 265S) so that you can swap out with Garmin straps or in any other case.

Although there’s a fantastic, vibrant touchscreen, the watch nonetheless has Garmin’s traditional 5 bodily buttons, too. I just like the protruding button on the highest proper that has ‘RUN’ embossed onto it in huge white lettering. Get on with it, the watch implores.

That display is daring and shiny and appears nice in color. It’s rather more responsive than the laggy one on the Polar Ignite 3.

The underside homes the center price and blood oxygen sensors, subsequent to the proprietary charging port. And the watch is rated 5ATM for water resistance at as much as 50m depth.

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Well being and health monitoring

• Designed for operating, biking and swimming
• Coronary heart price and blood oxygen sensors
• Very correct GPS

Some health watches unfold themselves too skinny with monitoring, or worse, fake they will monitor particular area of interest exercises similar to fencing, badminton, or archery. Actually, that’s only a method to categorise your exercises, however the watches simply monitor primary metrics similar to coronary heart price.

Garmin doesn’t mess you about with all that. The Forerunner 265 is so named as a result of it’s at the start a operating watch, and that’s what it’s best at school at, nevertheless it does have particular modes for HIIT (excessive depth interval coaching), yoga and pilates.

Beginning a exercise is as straightforward as urgent that RUN button after which selecting run, monitor run, treadmill, or hike (by default). Primarily based in your latest utilization and set health targets, the watch offers you a personalised exercise suggestion, similar to run 5.5km in half-hour.

You’ll be able to skip the suggestion, nevertheless it’s a part of why the 265 is so good – it’s devilishly easy however supplies clear and helpful teaching with out a software program subscription. Fitbit, Apple, Whoop, and others disguise options behind a paywall. Not Garmin.

I discovered GPS monitoring very correct, with the maps monitoring sticking to paths and roads extra continuously than the Apple Watch Sequence 8, Samsung Galaxy Watch 6 Basic and Polar Ignite 3. You’ll be able to even select to color the route by completely different metrics similar to your tempo, coronary heart price and elevation. It’s granular and I find it irresistible.

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There’s a ton of neat software program options too. The well being snapshot is a two-minute check that captures your common coronary heart price, blood oxygen, respiration, stress score, and coronary heart price variability.

The morning report can also be useful – put on the watch at night time and while you wake, the very first thing it’ll take you thru is the way you slept, your calendar for the day, climate, a prompt exercise, and optionally cycle monitoring, amongst different metrics. It’s a considerate addition.

As soon as worn for a number of days straight, the superb Garmin Join app offers you a coaching readiness rating that will help you resolve whether or not to hit the highway or put your ft up.

This extends equally to efficiency situation outcomes in your wrist mid-run, that analyse your tempo and coronary heart price and let you know the way onerous you must push. It reinforces how the watch could be a coach, not only a knowledge collector. It’s a disgrace at this value that there’s no mapping software program, although, so you’ll be able to’t see the place you’ve been.

There are tons of watch faces pre-loaded, and you’ll obtain extra from the Garmin Join IQ retailer. I additionally stored the always-on show turned on, and there’s an honest quantity of knowledge proven relying on what watch face you select.

I’ve examined a fantastic many health and monitoring watches, however the Forerunner 265 is my favorite of the lot in the way it collects knowledge and presents me with it later in helpful methods.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Smartwatch options and software program

• Notifications
• Music for offline listening
• Garmin Pay not nice in UK

I opted to show off most the smartwatch options of the 265 and use it solely as a health watch, however the likes of notifications out of your telephone are there if you’d like them. The 265 is totally suitable with iPhone and Android – you simply have to obtain the Garmin Join app.

Extra helpful to me is having the ability to obtain Spotify songs onto the watch’s 8GB reminiscence for listening by way of Bluetooth headphones. It means you’ll be able to go away your telephone at residence and nonetheless have tunes to work out with.

It’s fairly complicated to arrange, however as soon as full, it did work effectively. There’s additionally Deezer and Amazon Music assist, however Apple Music and YouTube Music followers are out of luck.

Garmin Pay is inbuilt so you can also make cell funds by way of NFC, nevertheless it helps so few frequent UK banks that I couldn’t check it. For those who use Revolut you’re golden, however Monzo and all main legacy banks aren’t on board but. See the total record on the Garmin web site.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

The software program right here is similar as on different Garmin watches, nevertheless it appears to be like prettier due to the intense AMOLED display. You’ll be able to straightforward scroll by way of metrics similar to coaching readiness, coronary heart price, notifications, climate and music controls with buttons or by way of contact.

It’s very responsive and I got here throughout no lag in anyway. That is uncommon on any smartwatch, not to mention customized health watch software program. Color me impressed. It makes diving into knowledge a lot extra accessible, enjoyable and helpful.

Battery life and charging

• As much as 13 days battery life
• 20 hours of fixed GPS use
• Fees by way of USB-C cable

Garmin charges battery life at 13 days in full smartwatch mode, which I used more often than not. You’d solely hit this determine if you happen to had been lounging on the seashore, although.

With GPS used, I recurrently obtained about 5 days of fixed use, which remains to be miles forward of the Apple Watch Extremely however a lot lower than the Garmin Intuition 2 Photo voltaic. For those who’re planning on a marathon or triathlon, you’ll be OK too, with as much as 20 hours of fixed GPS use promised.

Funnily, the smaller 265S that I haven’t examined is definitely rated for 15 days and 24 hours respectively, as a result of the AMOLED display on the bigger mannequin makes use of extra energy. Normally, bigger screens additionally imply bigger batteries and due to this fact battery life, however not right here.

If you would like the identical options with higher battery life, search for a Garmin Forerunner 255 with out an MIP display.

There’s a USB-C cable within the field with Garmin’s proprietary charger on the opposite finish, and charging takes a few hours from lifeless. There’s no Qi wi-fi charging.

Dominik Tomaszewski / Foundry

Worth and availability

The Garmin Forerunner 265 prices $449.99/£429.99 for the bigger 46mm model. That’s the identical value because the 42mm Forerunner 265S, which has the identical options.

You should buy each direct from Garmin US and Garmin UK.

It’s rather more costly than the Forerunner 255 and 255S (each $349.99/£299.99), which have many of the similar options however an MIP display somewhat than OLED. For those who don’t want touchscreen, you’ll save some huge cash.

The Polar Pacer is a wonderful cheaper various at $199.95/£169.50, nevertheless it lacks the finesse and have set of the Forerunner 265. For those who really need your watch to even be a fantastic smartwatch, you can go for the Apple Watch SE that begins at $249/£219, nevertheless it solely has round in the future of battery life and fewer superior health options.

Verdict

The Garmin Forerunner 265 is somewhat dear, nevertheless it’s my favorite operating watch but. It takes all the most effective, most important options from Garmin’s finest monitoring gadgets and distils them into a simple to make use of but superior watch that lasts a number of days on a cost and is snug to put on 24/7.

The brand new, brighter AMOLED display is partly why it prices extra, and battery life isn’t pretty much as good as older fashions, however except you’re on a two week expedition and may afford it, the trade-off is value it. The massive, shiny, always-on display is a pleasure to take a look at and provides contact controls alongside the acquainted buttons.

Add to that offline music playback, high tier GPS monitoring, and Garmin’s wonderful Join app (that requires no subscription but can coach you right into a operating routine) and also you’ve probably the greatest operating watches available on the market.

Specs

• 1.1in (42mm) or 1.3mm (46mm) AMOLED display
• Gorilla Glass 3
• Fibre-reinforced polymer
• 8GB storage
• 18mm (42mm) or 22mm (46mm) replaceable straps
• 5ATM water score
• 41.7 x 41.7 x 12.9mm (42mm)
• 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9mm (46mm)
• 39g (42mm) or 47g (46mm)