Compare Apple Watch SE 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

Blood oxygen tracking was consistently treated as a missing premium health feature, with reviewers noting it remains reserved for higher-end Apple Watches.

Blood oxygen tracking was treated as a useful extra by reviewers who valued the reassurance, though broader accuracy was not deeply tested.

Music controls and speaker/media features were useful additions, though reviewers were split on how often they would actually use playback from the watch speaker.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

The app ecosystem was one of the SE 3’s strongest advantages, repeatedly described as unmatched or far richer than competing budget watches.

The app ecosystem was useful through Connect IQ and Garmin features, but Garmin's broader platform could still feel intimidating.

Fit evidence was limited and mixed, with one reviewer saying the older body did not sit as flush as the Series 11.

Fit was strong for many wrists, with secure wear and little slipping, though the single case size remained a caveat.

Third-party app support was praised for extending the native experience, with reviewers highlighting Apple’s App Store depth and useful fitness apps.

Third-party app/widget support was available and sometimes useful for tailoring data, though one reviewer did not find it especially useful.

Outdoor visibility was generally serviceable, but direct sunlight remained a repeated display limitation.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Style and design were the main aesthetic tradeoff: reviewers liked the familiar Apple Watch look but repeatedly called it dated or bezel-heavy.

Style and design were viewed as slim, low-profile, sleek, and suitable for daily wear, though still sporty.

Durability was mixed: stronger Ion-X glass drew praise, but some reviewers noted weaker dust/scratch protection or actual scratching.

Durability was reassuring, with reviewers reporting no concerns and even real-world abuse without damage.

Materials quality evidence was limited but positive, centered on the aluminum case, rounded body, and premium-looking construction.

Materials quality was mixed: plastic kept it light and affordable but felt less premium.

Workout variety was viewed very positively, with reviewers noting broad sport profiles and nearly the same workout options as pricier Apple Watches.

Workout variety covers most mainstream running, gym, cycling, swimming, and fitness needs, but reviewers consistently noted missing triathlon or backcountry profiles.

The companion app setup drew a mixed note because managing Watch, Health, and Fitness across multiple iPhone apps can feel tedious.

Garmin Connect was seen as powerful and useful, with cleaner or comprehensive analysis, though one reviewer found the redesign not much easier.

Customization was useful through watch faces, workout views, and settings, but limited by the lack of third-party watch faces.

Customization was a strength, from watch faces and widgets to activity screens and data pages.

watchOS experience received very strong marks for polish, smoothness, and making the SE 3 feel similar to pricier Apple Watches.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

Safety features were strongly praised, especially fall detection, crash detection, emergency features, and real family anecdotes.

Safety features such as LiveTrack were valued for sharing location during activities.

Band quality evidence was limited but very positive, with praise for easily replaceable Apple Watch bands.

Band quality was mostly comfortable and flexible, but one reviewer warned the stock strap needs frequent washing to avoid irritation.

Workout Buddy and coaching features were appreciated as helpful motivation, though reviewers often described them as basic, repetitive, or hit-or-miss.

Coaching and structured workouts were praised as approachable, flexible, and valuable for beginner and intermediate runners.

Recovery-related evidence was limited, but one fitness-focused review valued training-load tracking as a way to monitor workout volume over time.

Recovery insights were useful but clearly limited versus higher Forerunners, with some reviewers calling out missing readiness/load tools or odd recovery estimates.

Brightness was usually adequate and sometimes praised, but reviewers acknowledged it is below the brighter Series and Ultra screens.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Size options were viewed positively for offering 40mm and 44mm choices, especially for smaller wrists.

Size options were limited because the watch comes in only one size, though one reviewer liked the in-between fit.

Battery life was the main practical compromise, ranging from excellent in some tests to daily-charge frustration in others.

Battery life was generally good for an AMOLED Garmin and daily training, but reviewers flagged limits for long adventures, always-on use, or heavy GPS/music.

Reviewers generally agreed the SE 3 delivers the core Apple Watch experience, making it feel much less like a compromised budget model.

Smartwatch features were considered respectable for a training watch, especially notifications, Garmin Pay, music features, and basic phone-linked tools.

GPS accuracy was mostly praised for everyday workouts, though reviewers noted single-band GPS can wander in dense urban or more challenging environments.

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest themes, with most reviewers finding reliable tracks even without dual-band GPS; a few dense-terrain issues remained.

Watch faces were viewed positively, especially the always-on versions and Apple’s high-quality built-in choices.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Wellness insights were considered helpful for beginners or casual users, especially Sleep Score, sleep apnea alerts, and the Vitals-style health context.

Wellness insights such as Morning Report and Body Battery were considered fun, useful, and sometimes addictive.

Apple Pay was positively mentioned as part of the compelling smartwatch feature set and deep Apple ecosystem integration.

Garmin Pay was viewed as a straightforward, effective contactless payment feature.

Pairing/setup evidence was limited but positive, with one review calling setup quick and easy.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Reliability evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer concluding the SE 3 has what most users need.

Reliability was praised in workout use, with one reviewer reporting no issues with stability.

Button and gesture controls were widely praised, especially Double Tap, Wrist Flick, the Digital Crown, and side-button shortcuts.

Button controls were a major strength, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, rain, and avoiding touchscreen reliance.

Charging convenience was mixed because faster top-ups help, but sleep tracking still forces many users into a daily charging routine.

Charging convenience was mixed: secure contacts helped, but the proprietary/short cable was a drawback.

Reviewers described the core health basics as adequate or mostly complete, especially heart-rate alerts and general tracking, while noting that advanced sensors remain absent.

Reviewers described the Forerunner 165 as having reliable sensors and detailed data collection for general health and fitness tracking.

Touchscreen responsiveness had limited but very positive evidence, with PCMag saying the watch responded promptly and consistently.

Touchscreen responsiveness was widely praised, including smooth swiping, reliable taps, and usability with gloves or wet screens.

Fitness tracking accuracy was a clear strength, with reviewers reporting reliable workout, activity, and comparison-test results for the price.

Fitness tracking accuracy was praised for broad data quality and even strength-training rep counting in testing.

Display quality was a major upgrade thanks to always-on functionality, though reviewers still noted smaller bezels and lower specs than Series models.

Display quality was a standout strength thanks to a crisp, vibrant AMOLED screen, though one reviewer still preferred MIP for always-visible use.

Notification handling was a major everyday strength, with reviewers praising call, text, and response convenience from the wrist.

Smartphone notifications were described as reliable and easier to read on the AMOLED display.

Software smoothness was one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers praising the S10 chip for snappy menus, fast apps, and fluid navigation.

Software smoothness was praised as simple, fast, and accurate in use.

Charging speed improved substantially over the SE 2 and was usually praised, even when still slower than pricier Apple Watches.

Charging speed was praised in the reviews that discussed it, ranging from under two hours to very fast top-ups.

Value for money was the strongest consensus attribute, with reviewers repeatedly calling the SE 3 a standout bargain or best-value Apple Watch.

Value for money was one of the strongest areas, with reviewers repeatedly calling it a high-value or sweet-spot Garmin.

Build quality was considered solid for the price, with reviewers calling it well made and modern enough despite the older design.

Build quality was viewed as solid and well-made for a lightweight running watch.

Water resistance was considered adequate for common needs, with several reviewers accepting the 50m/swimproof rating.

Water resistance was considered more than enough for rain, sweat, showering, and swimming use.

The user interface was praised as easy, cohesive, and fluid, with gestures and Smart Stack improving quick interactions.

The interface was repeatedly described as simple, approachable, and easy to use.

Comfort was a consistent strength, especially for sleep, smaller wrists, and unobtrusive daily wear.

Comfort was consistently excellent, with reviewers praising the lightweight feel for all-day wear and sleep.

Heart-rate tracking drew strong praise across testing, with reviewers saying it aligned well with comparison devices and remained usable even in harder workouts.

Heart-rate accuracy was generally praised across runs, rides, and intervals, with only occasional optical-sensor lag or spikes.

Sleep tracking was generally useful and often accurate enough, though several reviewers felt Apple’s Sleep Score was simpler than competing systems.

Sleep tracking was mostly viewed as useful and directionally accurate, though one reviewer reported a poor night that the watch missed.

Navigation evidence was limited but positive, with offline Apple Maps presented as helpful when away from the phone.

Mapping and navigation were useful for breadcrumb routes and GPX/course following, but the lack of full maps was a repeated limitation.

Menu navigation evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer describing the basic home-screen and control flow as simple.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Auto-detection was useful but not flawless; reviewers found it adequate for walks and workouts, while one later review said it still lagged rivals.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Call handling was rated highly where tested, especially voice isolation and gesture-based call management.

Calorie tracking appeared as part of the useful core fitness toolkit, with one test finding calorie and distance figures matched a comparison watch exactly.

Cross-platform compatibility was a clear limitation because the SE 3 remains an iPhone-only smartwatch.

ECG was the most repeated missing health feature, often framed as the main reason some higher-risk buyers might step up to the Series line.

Cellular connectivity was viewed as a useful option, with 5G improving coverage, efficiency, and phone-free use for calls, messages, and downloads.

Onboard music storage drew split views: handy or smooth for some, but tedious and poor value for others.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Stress tracking was mentioned as part of the watch's helpful health-glance system for knowing when to ease off.

On-device Siri was broadly seen as a useful upgrade, making commands faster and more practical for workouts, timers, weather, and health questions.

Wi-Fi/music setup drew criticism when troubleshooting made the watch appear connected even though playlist syncing failed.