Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra (2025)

Workout auto-detection is broadly useful, with reviewers citing automatic workout detection and reliable walk detection, though manual starts remain better for some activities.

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 strength: reviewers mention many available apps, Google Play access, and expanded usefulness from the extra storage.

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

Band feedback is mostly positive for comfort, stability, and easy removal, though one reviewer noted dirt collecting in the strap holes.

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, often described as the best in Samsung’s lineup, though heavy GPS or always-on use can reduce it.

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 across the health sensor set, but one long-term reviewer found SpO2 readings routinely low.

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

Bluetooth support is present, including Bluetooth 5.3 mentions, but external sensor connections were criticized or described as unavailable.

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

Brightness earns strong praise, with reviewers citing high nits, bright AMOLED output, and easy readability.

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

Build quality is consistently praised through the rugged titanium case, durable chassis, and robust construction.

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

Button controls are mixed: reviewers like the Quick/action button and programmable shortcuts, but one long-term reviewer disliked accidental presses and limited workout button behavior.

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

Call handling is supported through Bluetooth calling, speaker/mic use, and smartwatch features for calls and texts.

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 included as part of the activity metrics, but the evidence is limited to feature availability rather than deep accuracy testing.

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

Charging is wireless and reasonably convenient, but one reviewer criticized the missing wall charging block.

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

Charging speed gets limited but positive evidence, with one review reporting a full charge in about 95 minutes.

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

Coaching features are a real addition, especially Running Coach, with reviewers describing personalized plans and guidance.

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

Comfort depends on wrist and expectations: some reviewers found it comfortable, while others felt the weight or bulk.

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

The companion app setup is useful but split, with health and smartwatch settings divided between Samsung Health and Galaxy Wearable.

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

Contactless payments are supported through Samsung Wallet or Samsung Pay shortcuts.

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

Cross-platform compatibility is limited: reviews say it works with Android but not iPhone, with the best experience tied to Samsung phones.

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

Customization is strong across programmable buttons, widgets, tiles, colors, and watch-face data.

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

Display quality is a major strength, with repeated praise for the large, vibrant AMOLED display.

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

Durability is a standout, backed by titanium construction, MIL-STD claims, scratch protection, and reviewer reports of little damage.

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

ECG functionality is widely listed as part of the health feature set, though one review notes Samsung-phone pairing requirements for ECG and blood pressure.

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

Fit is polarizing: it can fit some larger wrists well, but reviewers also note the single 47mm size and large wrist footprint.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy is generally good for everyday and running use, though scientific testing places it below the top alternatives.

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 good in several reviewer tests and supports dual-frequency GPS, but scientific testing found some route deviation.

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 feature-rich but mixed in accuracy, with strong sensor coverage offset by questionable antioxidant, HRV, and some sleep-stage findings.

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 strongest in running evidence, with one reviewer matching a Polar strap closely, while scientific testing calls it good rather than elite.

LTE is a consistent advantage because it is standard or broadly available, though one reviewer notes carrier setup can cost extra.

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

Navigation support is useful through offline maps, Google Maps routing, and GPS widgets, but one reviewer notes no built-in maps on-watch.

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

Materials quality is strong, centered on titanium, sapphire/robust design references, and corrosion-resistant claims.

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

Menu navigation is mostly straightforward through swipes, app drawers, digital bezel haptics, and simple operation.

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

Music features are useful for downloaded Spotify, streaming, media tiles, and larger storage for music.

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 clear 2025 upgrade, repeatedly described as 64GB and useful for music, apps, and offline maps.

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

The operating system experience benefits from One UI 8/Wear OS updates, Gemini, Now Bar, and refreshed interface 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 multiple reviewers saying the bright display remains readable in sunlight.

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

Pairing and setup reliability are positive where tested, with instant recognition and quick setup noted.

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-style insights are mixed: vascular load interests some reviewers, while HRV and related metrics draw skepticism.

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

Reliability is mostly acceptable but not flawless, with one review noting brief display interruptions and another calling performance not horrible rather than perfect.

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

Safety features include fall detection, emergency siren references, sleep apnea alerts, and related health/safety setup options.

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 limited by the single large 47mm format, though the band can fit a range of wrists and the screen size appeals to some users.

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 improving, but reviewers disagree on sleep stages and awake-time accuracy.

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

Smartphone notifications are well supported, with reviewers noting detailed notification views and suggested replies.

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 broad, including LTE, calls, texts, Gemini, Now Bar, storage, and Samsung’s full watch software stack.

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

Software smoothness is generally good, with smooth app launches and more functional One UI behavior, despite occasional reliability caveats.

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

Step counting is positive in basic walking tests, but one reviewer notes accuracy drops when arms are not swinging.

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

Stress tracking is included in Samsung’s health sensor set, though the reviews provide feature evidence more than accuracy testing.

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

Style is divisive: some reviewers like the rugged, colorful, stylish look, while others find it bulky or not pretty.

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 solid through Google Play, fitness apps such as Strava and Map My Run, and a growing Wear OS app selection.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness and gesture operation are described as intentional and straightforward in the long-term review evidence.

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

The user interface is improved and functional, though some reviewers dislike parts of the visual layout.

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 main weak point because reviewers repeatedly question the high price and minimal 2025 hardware changes.

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

Voice assistant quality is a strength with Gemini, which reviewers describe as convenient, useful, and directly available on the wrist.

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

Watch faces are a strength, with reviewers praising quantity, customization, and Samsung’s polished face designs.

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

Water resistance is a strong feature, with reviews citing 5ATM/10ATM ratings, IP68 claims, and pool/rain/snow use.

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

Wellness insights are useful but uneven: sleep coaching and vascular load get interest, while energy score and antioxidant index receive skepticism.

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

Wi-Fi support is present across connectivity mentions, including LTE/Wi-Fi model references.

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 strong, with reviewers citing many tracked activities, multisport/triathlon capability, and broad exercise lists.