Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2)

Reviewers only touched on limited auto-detection behavior: Garmin Connect can automatically assign gear to activities, and strength mode detected exercises like squats, so support is useful but narrow.

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 Garmin ecosystem is described as expandable through a software marketplace and Connect IQ access, though the experience can feel more tool-like than slick.

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

Bands are generally praised for quality and QuickFit swapping, with long-term evidence that the band holds up, though one white strap got dirty in use.

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 one of the clearest strengths, with reviewers reporting roughly 5-6 days with always-on use, around 10-16 days in many setups, and even multi-week use in lighter scenarios.

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 present through wrist-based pulse oximetry, with one reviewer reporting readings stayed in the expected 95-100% range.

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

Bluetooth support is well documented for sensors and accessories, with reviewers noting Bluetooth/ANT+ connectivity and phone/accessory support.

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

Display brightness and the flashlight brightness both score well, with reviewers describing the AMOLED screen as easy to see and the flashlight as adjustable.

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

Build quality is repeatedly strong, with reviewers describing the watch as price-worthy, rugged, and tank-like.

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 major practical advantage for workouts, with multiple reviewers praising tactile operation, though one long-term user found the many buttons confusing.

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

Call handling is limited in the available evidence, especially on iPhone, where one reviewer said users cannot respond to texts or calls.

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 useful mainly through Garmin Connect and MyFitnessPal integration, with total, base, and active calories visible.

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

Charging convenience is a weakness in the review evidence because Garmin still relies on its proprietary plug-in charger and lacks solar charging on Epix Pro.

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 clear upgrade, with reviewers citing full charging in about an hour, under-an-hour charging, and meaningful battery gains from short top-ups.

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

Coaching features are strong, spanning suggested workouts, customizable training plans, readiness-based guidance, and training tools, though one reviewer felt newer training features were not fully baked.

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 mixed: some reviewers found the watch unobtrusive or surprisingly comfortable, while smaller-wrist users found it bulky or hard to wear overnight.

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

Garmin Connect is repeatedly valued for depth, training plans, and data, though watch customization from the companion app remains limited.

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

Garmin Pay is useful when supported, with reviewers praising tap-to-pay convenience, but UK bank support was criticized as limited.

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

The watch works with both Android and Apple phones, but reviewers consistently note Android integration is better because iPhone replies and call responses are restricted.

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

Customization is broad across bands, apps, watch faces, data pages, and workouts, though some reviewers note it can take work to set up.

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

The AMOLED display is a highlight across reviews: vivid, crisp, readable, colorful, and a major reason to choose Epix over MIP-display alternatives.

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

Durability is a strong theme, with sapphire glass, rugged construction, and long-term reports of no front-face scratches after heavy use.

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

ECG evidence is mixed by review timing: one source notes a firmware update enabled ECG, while another earlier review says it was not yet available.

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

Fit depends heavily on size and wrist shape; smaller case options help, but a 47mm unit still felt ungainly on a very small wrist.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy is well regarded overall, with reviewers praising Garmin’s tracking package and repeatable distance measurements.

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 one of the strongest consensus points, repeatedly described as reliable, fast, spot-on, and among the best available.

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 is generally useful but not uniformly trusted; reviewers praised HRV/body feedback while questioning wearable-derived metrics in some contexts.

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 strong for many runs and workouts, especially with the newer sensor, but reviewers still saw latency or errors during cycling, intervals, or odd wrist-based readings.

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 standout strengths, with offline maps, routable navigation, course support, and wrist-based map use repeatedly praised.

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

Materials quality is premium-leaning thanks to titanium, sapphire, and stainless options, though not every case component is luxury metal.

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

Menu navigation is powerful but can be overwhelming, with one reviewer saying many options are not explained clearly.

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

Music controls and playback are useful, including offline Spotify and onboard playback, but one review reported patchy playback and headphone disconnects.

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

Onboard storage is a strength, with 32GB available for maps, music, and workout data and enough room for phone-free listening.

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

The operating system is deep and feature-rich, with strong built-in software and no required subscription, but it demands learning.

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

Outdoor visibility is excellent overall, with the AMOLED screen praised in sunlight, outdoors, and compared with other displays.

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

Pairing reliability is only lightly covered, but the AirPods report is positive, describing a simple Bluetooth connection that stayed connected.

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 major Garmin strength, including Training Readiness, Acute Load, HRV, Body Battery, Hill Score, and Endurance Score; usefulness varies by metric.

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

Reliability is strong in the available evidence, with one reviewer calling Garmin devices extremely reliable and another preferring Epix Pro stability over a newer model.

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

Safety features are centered on the LED flashlight, strobe modes, visibility options, and LiveTrack-style use, and reviewers found the flashlight more useful than expected.

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 broad positive because Epix Pro comes in 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm, finally covering smaller and larger wrists.

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 accuracy is mixed but improving: some reviewers trust it or find sleep timing accurate, while others still compare it unfavorably with Oura or report occasional misses.

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

Smartphone notifications are readable and useful, but interaction depends on phone platform; iPhone users get more limited response options.

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 adequate but secondary to sports use, with notifications, music, payments, and widgets present but less polished than Apple or Samsung.

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

Software smoothness is mixed; one reviewer noticed slower post-workout chart loading, while another wanted faster software-side improvements.

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

Step tracking is only lightly discussed, but one review says daily steps and sleep tracking serve users well.

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

Stress tracking feeds Garmin’s Body Battery and readiness-style insights, with one reviewer noting stress clearly depletes the Body Battery estimate.

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

Style is rugged, serious, and tool-like rather than elegant, which some reviewers loved and others framed as a matter of taste.

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 support appears through Connect IQ, letting users add watch faces, data fields, widgets, and apps.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness is generally positive, especially for maps and daily use, with one reviewer praising it as responsive without being overly sensitive.

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

The user interface is capable but polarizing: some reviewers call it slick, while long-term users still find it confusing.

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 divisive: reviewers praise what the watch delivers for serious users, but repeatedly flag cheaper Garmin alternatives and the high price.

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

Voice assistant quality is weak because reviewers note Garmin does not emphasize assistant features and Venu-style voice functionality is missing.

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

Watch faces are customizable, but the experience is not flawless; one long-term user forgot how to switch faces.

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

Water resistance is a clear strength, with 100m/10 ATM-style resistance repeatedly mentioned for swimming, wet rides, and even diving contexts.

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

Wellness insights are engaging and useful, especially Morning Report, HRV, Body Battery, stress, sleep, and health snapshots.

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

Wi-Fi is useful for uploads, syncing, and map management, though big map downloads can be slower than USB.

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 variety is extensive, with many sport profiles, new activity modes, and broad coverage across running, cycling, swimming, gym, team sports, and more.