Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Apple Watch SE 3

Reviewers found automatic workout or walk detection useful and generally dependable, though one noted occasional slower workout-end recognition.

Connect IQ gives the watch a modest app ecosystem for watch faces, widgets, data fields, and extras, though it is not framed as a full smartwatch app platform.

The app ecosystem is a major strength, with reviewers praising the Apple Watch App Store and broad app availability compared with rival budget watches.

Reviewers generally liked the soft, adjustable silicone strap and standard strap options, with no major comfort complaints about the band itself.

Band support is a strength because the SE 3 uses Apple’s familiar strap system and has many Apple and third-party options.

Battery life was praised as strong for an AMOLED Garmin in normal training use, but several reviewers said always-on display, music, or endurance use reduces its advantage.

Battery life is the clearest mixed area: some reviewers saw all-day or better results, while others still treated it as a daily-charge watch.

The watch includes blood oxygen or Pulse Ox tracking, but reviewers treated it as a useful health sensor rather than a headline reason to buy.

Blood oxygen tracking is consistently described as missing from the SE 3, making it a clear limitation versus Series and Ultra models.

Bluetooth and ANT+ sensor/headphone support were viewed positively, with reviewers noting external sensor support and solid headphone connectivity.

Bluetooth support is present and useful for headphones and audio, though reviewers mostly mention it as part of the connectivity package rather than a standout feature.

Brightness was a clear strength, especially the bold AMOLED screen and usable bright-display behavior.

Brightness is adequate for many reviewers, but the 1,000-nit display is repeatedly framed as weaker than the Series 11 in direct sunlight.

Build quality was viewed as dependable for the price, with Garmin durability praised even though the plastic construction feels less premium.

Build quality is generally praised as light, well made, and attractive, with tougher glass helping the SE 3 feel less like a budget device.

The five-button layout was one of the most consistently praised usability strengths, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, and wet conditions.

Button and gesture controls are strongly received, especially the Digital Crown, side button, Double Tap, and Wrist Flick gestures.

Call handling was limited to reliable call-related smartphone alerts rather than full on-watch calling.

Call handling is solid for a wrist device, with useful speaker, microphone, cellular, and voice isolation notes, though it is not ideal as a primary phone substitute.

Calorie tracking received weak support; one reviewer saw calorie burn data in strength mode but did not find that feature very useful.

Calorie tracking is treated as part of the reliable core fitness feature set, with one reviewer noting workout calorie metrics matched comparison data.

Charging convenience was mostly fine thanks to secure contacts and Garmin’s familiar proprietary cable, though it is not universal wireless charging.

Charging convenience improves with USB-C magnetic charging and fast top-ups, but sleep tracking still requires a daily charging routine for many users.

Charging speed was generally acceptable to good, with reviewers reporting around one hour to just under two hours depending on the source.

Charging speed is a repeated upgrade, with reviewers citing useful fast-charge top-ups and roughly 80 percent in around 45 minutes to an hour.

Coaching features were well supported through Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, structured workouts, daily suggestions, and race-related guidance.

Coaching features are useful but not deeply advanced; Workout Buddy is described as beginner-friendly, motivational, or basic depending on the reviewer.

Comfort was a major point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly described the watch as light, compact, unobtrusive, and easy to wear day and night.

Comfort is a strength, with reviewers calling the watch lightweight, unobtrusive, and well suited to sleep or smaller wrists.

Garmin Connect was mostly praised for depth, workout analysis, and improving organization, though one reviewer found the redesign not dramatically easier.

Companion app quality is functional but split across Watch, Health, and Fitness apps, which can be useful yet occasionally tedious.

Garmin Pay was consistently mentioned as available and useful for contactless payments across models.

Contactless payments are a strong Apple Watch staple, with Apple Pay repeatedly included among the SE 3’s core smartwatch strengths.

Cross-platform compatibility is functional, but one reviewer noted the phone experience differs between iPhone and Android, especially for replies.

Cross-platform compatibility is weak because reviewers frame the SE 3 as an iPhone smartwatch and note it only works with iPhone.

Customization was strong, with configurable widgets, data fields, watch faces, and training screens noted across reviews.

Customization is strong across watch faces, metrics, widgets, bands, and gesture-driven controls.

Display quality was one of the strongest attributes, with reviewers repeatedly praising the vibrant, crisp AMOLED screen.

Display quality is much improved by the always-on OLED screen, though thicker bezels and lower brightness keep it below Series and Ultra displays.

Durability evidence was positive overall, including resistance to daily abuse, though not all reviewers considered it a rugged outdoor watch.

Durability is improved through tougher Ion-X glass and water resistance, but some reviewers still point to weaker scratch or dust protection than pricier models.

ECG functionality was consistently absent; reviewers repeatedly stated users need a different or higher-end Garmin for ECG/EKG.

ECG functionality is absent, and reviewers repeatedly call this one of the main health-feature tradeoffs.

Fit was generally positive, with the small case sitting neatly on wrists and under layers without feeling oversized.

Fit is favorable for smaller wrists and sleep tracking, though one reviewer found the older chassis less flush than newer models.

Fitness tracking accuracy was praised across multiple reviews, especially for daily activity data, run metrics, and overall sensor reliability.

Fitness tracking accuracy is a strong point, with reviewers reporting accurate workouts and close agreement with comparison devices.

GPS accuracy was a major strength; most reviewers found it accurate or solid despite the lack of dual-band GPS, with only occasional challenging-environment issues.

GPS accuracy is generally strong for a single-band Apple Watch, with caveats in tall-building or canyon-like conditions.

Health tracking accuracy was supported by the reliable sensor package and detailed data collection, but evidence was less extensive than for GPS and heart rate.

Health tracking accuracy is solid for the essentials, especially heart rate, sleep, and workouts, while advanced sensors are omitted.

Heart rate accuracy was broadly positive, often matching chest straps or higher-end watches well, with occasional optical-sensor lag or spikes.

Heart-rate accuracy is repeatedly praised, with reviewers finding close agreement against straps or other watches.

LTE and cellular connectivity are improved by 5G, with reviewers noting better coverage, calls, texts, messages, and downloads away from the phone.

Navigation is useful but limited: reviewers liked breadcrumb routing, courses, back-to-start, and GPX support, while noting the absence of full maps.

Mapping and navigation are useful thanks to Apple Maps, offline maps, Find My basics, and Compass Backtrack, though precision finding is limited.

Materials quality was a tradeoff: the polymer/plastic body helps weight and price but feels less premium than metal.

Materials quality is good for the price, with aluminum and Ion-X glass, but premium titanium, sapphire, and some rugged ratings remain reserved for higher models.

Menu navigation is flexible because Garmin allows almost everything to be controlled by buttons, reducing reliance on touch.

Menu navigation is easy and fast, helped by watchOS, the Digital Crown, touch controls, and one-handed gestures.

Music controls were a weak spot, with reviewers finding on-run controls unintuitive or limited without the Music model.

Music controls are a strength, including Apple Music pairing, media controls, and playback improvements.

Onboard music storage is useful on the Music edition, but reviews were split because syncing can be tedious and costs extra.

Onboard storage and offline playback are improved, with 64GB storage and support for music or media without the phone nearby.

The operating system experience felt Garmin-like and sport-focused, with solid hybrid smartwatch behavior but limitations versus true smartwatches.

The operating system experience is a major strength; reviewers praise watchOS 26 as polished, cohesive, and rich in Apple Watch features.

Outdoor visibility was a standout strength; reviewers repeatedly said the AMOLED screen was readable in sunlight and bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility is usable but not class-leading, with the 1,000-nit screen and direct sunlight repeatedly cited as limits.

Pairing reliability was specifically praised for Bluetooth headphones in one review, with no broad pairing complaints across the review set.

Pairing and iPhone integration are strong, with reviewers praising how well the watch syncs, routes notifications, and pairs with Apple services.

Recovery insights are useful through Recovery Time, Training Effect, HRV, Body Battery, and related tools, but the missing Training Readiness and Training Load limited depth.

Recovery insights are present through training load, Vitals, sleep score, and workout feedback, but they are not as deep or prescriptive as some rivals.

Reliability was praised in long-term and general-use terms, with reviewers describing the watch as dependable and accessible.

Reliability appears strong in everyday use, with reviewers emphasizing smooth performance and lack of issues in ordinary tasks.

Safety features were positively noted through LiveTrack and incident detection, though the evidence came from one detailed review.

Safety features are a major strength, including fall detection, crash detection, emergency SOS, heart-rate alerts, and Compass Backtrack.

Size options were a weakness because reviewers repeatedly noted there is only one case size, despite the size working for many wrists.

Size options are adequate and familiar at 40mm and 44mm, with the smaller size appealing to smaller wrists, though color choices are limited.

Sleep tracking was mostly useful for sleep duration and scores, but opinions were mixed because at least one reviewer found missed restless sleep.

Sleep tracking is useful and generally accurate for time and stages, but sleep score is sometimes described as simple or limited.

Smartphone notifications were considered reliable and readable, with texts, calls, and app alerts working well when paired.

Notifications are a core strength, especially with always-on viewing, wrist vibration routing, and gestures for dismissal or management.

Smartwatch features were solid for a sport watch, including notifications, wallet/payments, Find My Phone, music, and safety tools, but not full smartwatch depth.

Smartwatch features are excellent for the price, with reviewers emphasizing that it feels like a full Apple Watch rather than a stripped-down tracker.

Software smoothness was acceptable but not premium-watch smooth, with one review noting the refresh rate was not Apple Watch-like.

Software smoothness is one of the clearest strengths because the S10 chip keeps watchOS, apps, and gestures fast and responsive.

Step counting accuracy was positively supported by one review that found it closely matched other tested devices.

Step counting appears as part of the core activity toolkit, though reviewers discuss the feature more than rigorous step-count accuracy.

Stress tracking was present as part of the broader Garmin health and sleep feature set.

Style and design were viewed positively for a sporty, compact watch with a bright display that could be worn daily.

Style and design are mixed: reviewers like the familiar Apple Watch look but often criticize the older body, thicker bezels, and limited colors.

Third-party app support exists through Connect IQ widgets, watch faces, data fields, and apps, but reviewers did not portray it as a rich smartwatch store.

Third-party app support is strong because the SE 3 retains Apple’s large app store and broad developer support.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly praised as smooth and useful, though one reviewer noted accidental touches.

Touchscreen responsiveness is strong, with reviewers saying touch, buttons, gestures, and everyday controls work promptly and fluidly.

The user interface was considered approachable and easy to use, especially with the combined touchscreen and button approach.

The user interface is easy, clean, and cohesive, especially with watchOS 26 and the familiar watch face/home structure.

Value for money was one of the strongest consensus points, with many reviewers calling the 165 a strong budget or sweet-spot Garmin.

Value for money is the strongest consensus attribute, with reviewers repeatedly saying the SE 3 offers near-Series functionality at a much lower price.

Voice assistant quality is effectively absent because one reviewer explicitly noted there is no voice assistant.

Voice assistant quality improves with on-device Siri and the S10 chip, making requests faster and more useful than earlier SE models.

Watch face quality was strong thanks to customizable stock faces and Connect IQ options.

Watch face quality is praised through attractive, high-quality options and watchOS 26 face support.

Water resistance was well supported for swimming, rain, sweat, and shallow water, with reviewers noting 5ATM or 50-meter resistance.

Water resistance is solid for typical use, with reviewers noting 50-meter or 164-foot resistance and swim tracking, but not advanced dive sensors.

Wellness insights were strong through Morning Report, Body Battery, HRV, sleep, stress, recovery, and daily health glances.

Wellness insights are useful for mainstream users through sleep score, sleep apnea alerts, wrist temperature, Vitals, and heart-rate notifications.

Wi-Fi connectivity exists mainly for the Music edition and music syncing, but one review reported Wi-Fi troubleshooting friction.

Wi-Fi is adequate but not premium, with reviewers noting 2.4GHz-only or Wi-Fi 4 support rather than dual-band.

Workout tracking variety covers most common running, cycling, swimming, gym, yoga, and fitness modes, but reviewers repeatedly noted missing triathlon, skiing, and other niche profiles.

Workout tracking variety is strong, covering many sports, workouts, running metrics, swimming, and common gym activities.