Featuring a cool and modern-looking AMOLED touch screen, the Forerunner 265 is a nice upgrade to its predecessors, and provides good training and health data to help everyday athletes optimise their trainings
In a world of smart watches offering a plethora of options, it can be difficult to find one that is best suited for your training needs.
While buying the most high-end watch may not make sense to you if you are a weekend warrior simply looking to utilise some basic features to support your training runs or cycles, having a watch that is too basic for your training needs may result in insufficient data which could be critical for more serious athletes looking to optimise their training cycle.
Here we review two of Garmin's latest watches from the Forerunner series in two parts, the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965, and share our thoughts on each watch.
For those who are new to Garmin's world, it usually takes around 3-4 weeks of consistent wearing of the watch to establish an accurate baseline of data for the user, prior to which there wouldn't be enough data to provide you with accurate readings on things such as your VO2Max, heart rate variability, as well as things like training readiness and race day predictors.
By and large, what has generally been found to be useful in Garmin watches is its ability to predict how your training will go on a given day based on your overall well-being and how well-rested you are.
It is also able to show if you are peaking and in optimal race condition, or too stressed and been lacking in sleep quality. For these to be accurate however, you would need to be wearing your Garmin watch most of the time, even when you go to bed.
Forerunner 265 User Experience
So how do the latest Forerunner watches fare in these areas and beyond? In part 1 of our two-part review we ask social runner Chermaine Zhou, who recently completed her first overseas half-marathon at the Gold Coast Marathon about her experience wearing the Garmin Forerunner 265 in the lead-up to and during race day.
How long have you been using Garmin watches? What is the previous model of Garmin watch you were wearing before switching to the Garmin Forerunner 265? Also, what are the most noticeable differences between Forerunner 265 and your previous smart watch model?
I've actually been using Garmin for about 2 years now. I invested in a Garmin watch after my previous smartwatch showed that I was running 200 - 300m shorter than everyone else when I was running with my friends, so I really wanted my runs to show up accurately, and since I've invested in a Garmin, I've not looked back since.
My previous Garmin watch was a 255S, and the one I am using now is an upgraded one which is the Forerunner 265. There are quite a lot of differences in the two versions. First difference being the screen size, my previous Forerunner 255S had a smaller screen size of about 1.1 inch, this screen size is much bigger at 1.3 inches (do note that Forerunner 265 also offers a 1.1 inch option)
Another notable difference between the two is that Forerunner 265 has touch screen capabilities making it more versatile when toggling between functions, and the colours are showing up much more vibrantly, giving me a much more immersive experience.
Overall Battery Life
The second thing I noticed is the battery life. When I first purchased my Forerunner 255S, I was shocked that I didn't really have to charge it much, whereas my previous smart watch I had to charge it everyday. So I was really happy I could bring my Garmin watch on a holiday without needing to bring my charging cables.
Now with the Forerunner 265 it has an even better battery life, I believe it can last for up to 23 days without charging, but of course if you use it in GPS mode then it does eat up quite a bit, but even then the battery life is still amazing compared to other watches I know on the market.
Music On the Go
In my previous watch, the functions of Forerunner 255S it didn't have the music function embedded into it, even though there was another music option. In this version of Forerunner 265 I am really happy that I am able to directly download music into the watch.
This allows me to go out without having to worry about my music not being able to play, I can go out for my runs even without my phone.
Tracking Taining / Performance Across Activities
I have used various functions of the Garmin Forerunner 265 so far. I have used it for my Yoga sessions, I have used it for my runs, I've also used it for HIIT sessions, so the Garmin Forerunner 265 has a variety of activities that are beginner friendly. You can track your swim, your cycling and even for hikes so I actually used it pretty recently in my trip to Sydney and for my hike up Bondi beach.
It helps to track my heart rate, and monitor things too that guide my overall training load. It has been very helpful for me while training leading up to my ASICS half-marathon at Gold Coast. It is really helpful to be guided with relevant data for my trainings and accurately know the pace I was running at not just for trainings but even throughout my entire race, so I was able to pace myself well at different parts of my run.
I also really like that I can track my sleep on it, it tells me the quality of sleep I am having, and whether I am ready for training based on the amount of rest I am getting. I really wear it everywhere - from the shower to sleep etc.
I am really able to track how much recovery I have or need after a tough training run.
Key Features & Specifications
The Forerunner 265 comes with a 1.3-inch display. This larger display provides a more immersive experience when viewing your stats, maps, and other information on the watch's face. The Garmin Forerunner 255 also comes in a smaller version that features a 1.1-inch display for those who feel 1.3-inch may look a bit bulky if they have a small wrist.
The Forerunner 265 features a fibre-reinforced polymer bezel that is more lightweight and affordable compared to its more expensive counterpart the Forerunner 965. This fibre-reinforced polymer bezel on the Forerunner 265 offers good protection against wear and tear while keeping the overall weight of the watch low.
The watch also features a new AMOLED display in vivid colours and deeper blacks for greater visual appeal and clarity, providing a superior viewing experience compared to its predecessors. The fact that it is also a touchscreen allows for more simpler navigation toggling through different stats and maps on the watch face itself.
Fitness and Performance Tracking
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is equipped with heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and stress level monitoring to provide insights into the user's overall well-being. There are also guided breathing exercises to help users manage stress and improve relaxation.
For training performance and fitness tracking, GPS tracking helps users monitor pace, distance, and route during activities such as running, cycling, and hiking as well as advanced data metrics such as VO2max, stride length and cadence, to help athletes tweak their training performance and optimise their race strategy.
The Forerunner 265 offers activity profiles for running, indoor running, cycling, and cardio workouts, with training plans and coaching also available through the Garmin Connect app, where users can customise their workouts based on specific fitness goals and performance data.
While Garmin Forerunner 265 doesn't have full mapping capabilities preloaded onto the watch like the Garmin Forerunner 965, it still carries basic navigation features that are certainly useful for runners and hikers. Users can also import routes onto the watch.
Overall Verdict
The Forerunner 265 is a good watch for everyday athletes, particularly if you are a runner. While the standout difference between the Forerunner 265 and its predecessors is a cool and modern-looking AMOLED screen, the training and health data that the watch provides is great too.
The battery life is also really good and it charges very quickly. Do note that we have not reviewed this watch for other activities beyond running, and if you are a cyclist or swimmer you may wish to consider other reviews to provide you with a more informed choice.