Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Apple Watch Ultra 2

Automatic activity support appears around brisk-walk logging, running-track recognition, and contextual auto-marking, though reviewers do not dwell on broad workout auto-detection.

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 one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers praising Apple’s native and third-party app depth over competing watch platforms.

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

Band impressions are mostly positive, especially for comfort and material quality, though one reviewer found the Alpine Loop slow to dry after sweat or water.

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 excellent for an Apple Watch, often lasting two to three days, but dedicated GPS watches still make it look short for endurance use.

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 coverage is mixed in the review set because some reviews mention the feature’s patent-related absence, while the updated PCMag review says monitoring was restored.

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

Bluetooth support is strong for cycling accessories, especially power meters, speed sensors, and cadence sensors, with reviewers treating it as a useful sports upgrade.

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

Brightness is a major consensus strength, with repeated praise for the 3,000-nit display and flashlight improvement.

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

Reviewers consistently describe the build as premium, rugged, and performance-oriented, with titanium, sapphire, and protected controls adding confidence.

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

Button controls are a practical Ultra advantage, especially the Action Button and gloved-use crown, though one long-term reviewer admits the Action Button never became a habit.

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

Call handling gets direct praise for clear and sufficiently loud audio, helped by the Ultra line’s microphone and speaker hardware.

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 framed through Apple’s activity rings and standard fitness metrics rather than as a lab-tested calorie measurement system.

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

Charging is convenient through familiar magnetic charging and occasional iPhone-powered charging, though reviewers still need to charge more often than with sports watches.

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 acceptable, commonly around 0-80% in about an hour and full in roughly 90 minutes, but slower than the faster-charging Series 10.

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

Coaching improved with Training Load and effort context, but several reviewers still find Apple’s coaching and analysis shallower than Garmin, Whoop, or similar platforms.

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 context-dependent: some reviewers find the Ultra 2 comfortable all day, while others note size, tugging, or crown irritation on 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 strong, with reviewers praising Apple Watch, Health, and Fitness app integration and easy configuration from the iPhone.

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

Contactless payments are a reliable smartwatch strength, with Apple Pay repeatedly cited as part of the platform’s everyday convenience.

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

Cross-platform compatibility is poor because the Ultra 2 requires an iPhone and does not work with Android phones.

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

Customization is strong across watch faces, complications, utility slots, action button choices, and app-driven personalization.

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

Display quality is one of the best-reviewed attributes, with multiple reviewers calling it among the best smartwatch screens they have tested.

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

Durability is a major strength, supported by titanium, sapphire, MIL-STD testing, and reviewers’ reports of wear resistance.

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

ECG functionality is well supported and repeatedly mentioned as part of the Ultra 2’s robust health suite, including Afib-related features.

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

Fit is mixed: the rectangular case can feel secure, but the single 49mm size can be challenging for smaller wrists.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy is excellent overall, with reviewers praising GPS, heart-rate, and overall workout tracking accuracy against reference 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 consistently strong, with dual-frequency/multiband tracking matching or approaching Garmin-class performance in several tests.

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 viewed positively for sleep apnea, ECG-adjacent accuracy, and broad health tracking, though some insights still need manual interpretation.

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 one of the strongest measured areas, with reviewers reporting close agreement with chest straps and armband monitors.

LTE is a core feature because cellular support comes standard, enabling calls, streaming, and messaging away from the iPhone when a plan is active.

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 but frequently caveated: Compass, waypoints, routes, and maps help, yet native GPX and phone-free offline mapping gaps remain.

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

Materials quality is high, with recycled titanium, sapphire protection, and premium band hardware recurring across reviews.

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

Menu navigation is helped by the crown, complications, Modular Ultra, and Smart Stack, which reviewers generally find useful for quick glanceable information.

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

Music controls work well through Double Tap and the Music app, with speaker playback and wrist controls adding everyday convenience.

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

Onboard storage is improved to 64GB, giving reviewers more confidence for offline music, podcasts, apps, and media downloads.

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 polished, especially with watchOS 10 and 11 updates adding new watch faces, cycling features, Smart Stack, and Ultra features.

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

Outdoor visibility is excellent, with several reviewers reporting no trouble reading the screen in sunlight or bright reflective conditions.

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

Pairing evidence is limited but positive, with one setup transcript saying the familiar Apple pairing flow completed cleanly.

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 a recurring weakness; reviewers repeatedly say Apple lacks Garmin/Whoop-style recovery, readiness, and performance analysis.

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

Reliability is broadly positive in long-term and battery-use impressions, with reviewers describing stable every-other-day charging and dependable use.

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

Safety features are a standout Ultra trait, including siren, SOS, fall and crash detection, Backtrack, cellular waypoints, and emergency guidance.

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 a clear limitation because the Ultra 2 comes only in a large 49mm case.

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 generally accurate but simpler than rival platforms; newer sleep apnea detection adds more health value.

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

Smartphone notifications are handled well, with reviewers praising rich notifications, texting, and responsive notification handling within the Apple ecosystem.

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 outstanding overall, with reviewers treating the Ultra 2 as Apple’s most full-featured wearable and a top true smartwatch.

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

Software smoothness is strong, with reviewers describing zippy, quick, responsive, and buttery-smooth operation.

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

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 praised for the premium rugged look, especially the black titanium version, though the large look is not for everyone.

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 excellent through the watchOS App Store and helps fill gaps in navigation, fitness, and everyday smartwatch use.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness is excellent on land, with reviewers praising taps and swipes, though touch does not work underwater.

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

The user interface is generally easy and polished, especially for iPhone users, Smart Stack, and redesigned watchOS apps.

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

Value is mixed: the Ultra 2 can justify its price for users who exploit its rugged, cellular, and battery advantages, but reviewers repeatedly note cheaper or more specialized alternatives.

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

Voice assistant quality improved with on-device Siri, faster commands, better dictation, and less cloud dependence, though a few minor voice quirks remain.

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

Watch face quality is strong, especially Modular Ultra and complication-rich layouts designed for the large screen.

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

Water resistance is a major strength, with 100m/WR100 ratings, diving support, and better water credentials than standard Apple Watches.

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

Wellness insights are broad but uneven: Vitals, Health data, and trends help, but reviewers often want more interpretation and readiness-style guidance.

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

Wi-Fi is present as part of the core connectivity package, though reviews discuss it mostly as availability rather than as a tested performance differentiator.

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 across running, cycling, hiking, swimming, diving, strength training, structured workouts, and third-party sport apps.