Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Lily 2 Active

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

The app ecosystem is praised as comprehensive for wellness data and long-term health interpretation.

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

Band quality is praised for comfort, quick-release swapping, and easy removal.

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.

Battery life is strongly praised, often beating or matching expectations and lasting around a week or more in real use.

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

One reviewer was very positive about Pulse Ox readings, saying the watch routinely matched their normal SpO2 range.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Bluetooth connectivity is viewed positively because the watch pairs easily with phones and other devices.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Brightness is generally acceptable, with one reviewer noting easy viewing, while another says the screen itself is not ultra-bright.

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

Build quality draws criticism from one reviewer who dislikes the cheaper-material feel.

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

Button controls are a unanimous strength because they make workouts and navigation much easier than touch-only Lily models.

Call handling is useful for glancing at calls on the wrist without pulling out a phone.

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

Charging convenience improves because the watch uses the standard Garmin cable rather than the older Lily clip style.

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

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

Coaching features are well received, with reviewers praising Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, and guided structured workouts.

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

Comfort is one of the most consistent strengths, with reviewers saying the small, light watch is easy to forget on the wrist.

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

The companion app is useful for setup, coaching, and deeper tracking, with one reviewer preferring it for faster, clearer health logging.

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

Garmin Pay is considered useful and easy to set up, though one reviewer notes its value drops if a phone is still needed for music.

Cross-platform compatibility is mixed because Android users get quick replies while iPhone users cannot reply from the watch.

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

Customization is mixed-to-good: notifications and data views have useful controls, but watch-face flexibility is more limited than other Garmins.

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

Display quality is divisive: reviewers like the contrast and hidden-display style, but some dislike the monochrome screen or limited visual richness.

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

Durability is a concern for one reviewer, who connects the aluminum casing to easier scratching and reduced durability.

ECG is a clear limitation: a reviewer explicitly wished Garmin had included the hardware for ECG-related features.

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

Fit is excellent for the intended user, especially people who want a small watch that sits comfortably on smaller wrists.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy is a major strength, with multiple reviewers finding pace, distance, and overall workout data accurate.

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.

GPS accuracy is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly finding quick locks, solid routes, and close agreement with other devices.

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

One review gives the broader health-tracking package a very strong assessment, describing fitness tracking as excellent within Garmin’s health ecosystem.

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

Heart-rate accuracy is consistently praised, with reviewers noting only minor delays or brief misses during harder efforts.

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

Mapping and navigation are mixed-to-weak: GPS mapping after workouts works, but reviewers note no detailed map display and no hiking profile.

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

Materials quality is criticized by one reviewer for relying on cheaper materials.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Menu navigation is viewed positively, with one reviewer describing swiping and app opening as smooth.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

Music controls work well for controlling phone playback from the wrist.

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

Onboard music storage is a repeated downside because the watch lacks local music even though it now has built-in GPS.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

The operating experience may feel unusual to traditional Garmin users, but the reviewer says the approach makes sense for this type of watch.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility is mostly strong in sunlight, although one reviewer found bright outdoor conditions could make it harder to read.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Pairing reliability is praised across sensor use, with reviewers noting easy sensor connections and appreciation for expanded external sensor support.

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

Recovery and readiness tools are praised for helping shape training decisions and fine-tune workouts.

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

Reliability is positive in one review, with the reviewer saying GPS remained spot-on and did not drop.

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

Safety features are praised as reassuring for solo runs and emergency-contact situations.

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

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

Sleep tracking earns strong marks overall, especially for wake/sleep timing and presentation, though one reviewer wanted more refinement in stages.

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

Smartphone notifications are considered helpful for quickly checking messages during outdoor activity.

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

Smartwatch features are mixed: some reviewers see a well-rounded compact device, while one finds the smart-feature set limited for the price.

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

Software smoothness is positive, with reviewers noting smooth syncing and smooth navigation between widgets.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Step counting is described as close but slightly high, with limitations when the arm is not moving normally.

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

Stress tracking is viewed as a useful interpretive metric, especially because it helps explain Body Battery changes.

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

Style and design are major strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the fashionable, subtle, non-smartwatch look.

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

Third-party app support is positive, especially syncing workout data outward and broadcasting heart rate to other devices.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness is split, with one reviewer finding it very sensitive and simple, while another calls the controls finicky.

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

The user interface is praised as simple to learn and easy to swipe through.

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

Value is mixed-to-positive: many reviewers think the upgrades justify the price, while a few criticize the cost versus fuller smartwatches.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Watch face quality is mixed, with one reviewer liking the selection and another finding the options very limiting.

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

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

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, women’s health context, sleep, stress, and overall body-awareness feedback.

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

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

Workout variety is broadly praised because the Active adds many sports, workout modes, and training tools for a compact Lily watch.