Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Suunto Vertical 2

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

The app ecosystem was a weakness relative to Garmin, with reviewers calling out a lack of deeper training ecosystem or rich smart features.

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

Band quality was mostly positive for softness and security, though reviewers also noted fiddly clasps, stiffness, or awkward break-in.

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 was the strongest point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly called it class-leading or excellent for AMOLED, with a few real-world caveats versus claims.

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

Blood oxygen evidence was limited but positive, tied to a redesigned sensor that improved stability during demanding outdoor use.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Brightness was strongly praised, with reviewers emphasizing the 2,000-nit output and easy readability in bright conditions.

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

Build quality was repeatedly described as intentional, solid, tank-like, and suited to hard outdoor use.

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

Button controls were broadly praised for glove use and tactile feedback, though some reviewers still preferred a crown or different interface logic.

Calorie estimates were questioned by one reviewer, who said the watch tended to overestimate calories burned.

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

Charging convenience was a major improvement, with reviewers praising the stronger magnetic charger, better clip, and reliable connection.

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

Charging speed was acceptable rather than impressive, with one reviewer calling the roughly 90-minute charge adequate but not great.

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

Coaching features were useful for structured progress, though one advanced pacing feature was less convenient because it required a chest strap.

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

Comfort was mixed: reviewers often found it wearable or balanced for its size, but the heavy, bulky case was a recurring caveat.

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

Companion app quality was mixed: several reviewers liked its clean, digestible dashboard, but others found it less glanceable, overloaded, or inconsistent in background syncing.

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

Contactless payments were a clear missing feature and one reviewer explicitly docked the product for no tap-to-pay wallet.

Cross-platform compatibility had an iPhone caveat, with one reviewer noting reduced notification and response behavior when paired to iOS.

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

Customization was praised for watch-face and data flexibility, with reviewers appreciating how much the display could be tailored.

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 was one of the strongest positives, with reviewers repeatedly praising the AMOLED screen as bright, sharp, vibrant, clean, and modern.

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

Durability evidence was strong, with reviewers reporting protective construction, resistance to scratches, and a solid feel after rough use.

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

Fit was generally secure when adjusted correctly, but reviewers stressed that sensor accuracy and stability depend on placement.

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

Sports tracking was described as solid overall, with accuracy tied to GPS performance and getting the watch fit right.

The flashlight was widely considered useful or even essential, but several reviewers criticized early software behavior, access flow, or clunky controls.

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 was one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly calling land-based tracking accurate, rock-solid, spot-on, or near-perfect.

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

Reviewers found the broader health metrics generally usable, with one calling the data accurate enough and another seeing solid performance across navigation, sleep, and heart-rate measurements.

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

Heart-rate accuracy was mixed-positive: many reviewers saw accurate or much-improved readings, while others reported startup wobble, high-intensity drift, fit sensitivity, or inconsistent results.

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 were usually praised for clear, useful offline maps and route guidance, but reviewers noted setup friction, manual toggles, route limits, or Garmin’s easier experience.

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

Materials quality was praised through the metal casing and sapphire-glass construction.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Menu navigation was mixed: reviewers liked the clearer flow, but some found the touch-centric interface or long scrolling awkward.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

Music controls were serviceable to good for phone playback, but reviewers framed them as limited controls rather than a full music experience.

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

Onboard music storage was repeatedly criticized or marked absent, with reviewers noting no offline music despite the available storage.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

The operating system experience was praised as fast and efficient in the available review evidence.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility was excellent across the evidence, especially in sun, low light, and map use.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Pairing and sync reliability was split: one reviewer had no connection or syncing issues, while another found background activity inconsistent.

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

Recovery insights were generally useful, with reviewers saying advice or training-state feedback aligned with how they felt and helped track progress.

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

Reliability evidence was limited but positive, centered on performance data, durability, and route reliability.

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

Safety features were mixed: the flashlight helped, but one reviewer criticized the lack of a true SOS function.

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

Size options were a weakness because one reviewer specifically criticized the single-size approach.

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

Sleep tracking drew mixed feedback: several reviewers found it accurate or improved, but others noted hit-or-miss results, missed wake periods, or quirks.

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

Notification handling was mixed: alerts could arrive reliably, but reviewers repeatedly noted read-only limits, short previews, no images, or reduced iPhone behavior.

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

Smartwatch features were considered limited; reviewers treated the watch as an outdoor tool rather than a full everyday smartwatch.

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

Software smoothness was much improved versus older Suunto models, with reviewers calling the UI faster, smoother, and more responsive.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Step counting had a minor accuracy concern, with one reviewer saying the watch frequently overcounted steps.

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

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

Style and design were praised as rugged, sleek, good-looking, and more refined than earlier models.

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 was positive where discussed, especially clean syncing with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and health-app workflows.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly positive, but reviewers noted wet-screen confusion and occasional lag.

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

The user interface was viewed as more intuitive than earlier Suunto releases, though evidence was limited.

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

Value for money was generally positive because the watch delivers strong outdoor performance at less than some Garmin rivals, though some reviewers flagged competition and higher titanium pricing.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Watch-face quality was generally liked, especially the clear default face and useful data, though one review noted dim-state readability issues elsewhere.

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

Water resistance evidence was positive but limited, with one reviewer calling it fully waterproof and happy in the pool.

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

Wellness insights were seen as meaningful but fairly lean, especially the Resources-style daily energy framing.

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

Wi-Fi connectivity was mainly discussed through map downloads, where reviewers ran into a fiddly process or setup failures.

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

Workout variety was a clear strength, with reviewers repeatedly praising the very broad set of sport modes and activity profiles.