Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin vivomove Trend

Activity auto-detection scored highly in the one direct review, where Move IQ was called remarkably accurate.

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

The app ecosystem was limited by the absence of Garmin's Connect IQ app store and watch faces, which one reviewer did not see as a major dealbreaker.

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

Band quality was mixed: several reviewers liked the comfort, security, and quick-release strap, while others disliked stiffness or silicone feel.

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 mixed: five days was often accurate and acceptable, but some reviewers called it brief or weak by Garmin fitness-watch standards.

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

Blood oxygen tracking drew low confidence, with reviewers reporting suspect readings, incomplete overnight capture, and inaccurate low values.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Bluetooth connectivity was criticized in the context of phone sync for connected GPS taking too long.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Brightness was mostly praised as a large improvement, but automatic brightness could lag in bright conditions.

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

Build quality received one very positive direct assessment from a gift-focused review.

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

Button controls were a recurring weakness because reviewers missed even a single physical button and found touch-only exercise control harder.

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

Charging convenience was a central strength thanks to Qi charging, but reviewers also reported compatibility variability, finicky pads, and clip alignment issues.

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

Charging speed was polarizing, with some calling it slow while another reviewer praised short top-ups and another found wireless and clip charging comparable.

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

Coaching features were weakly represented because the reviewer specifically regretted the lack of Garmin's Morning Report-style guidance.

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

Comfort was generally strong across reviews, especially for sleep and daily wear, but at least one reviewer disliked the stiff strap overnight.

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

Garmin Connect and companion-app data were broadly praised for depth, setup, and post-workout information.

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

Contactless payments were useful but mixed, with easy setup in one review and bank/support slickness criticized against Apple Pay in another.

Cross-platform compatibility was mixed because notifications worked on both major phone platforms, but message replies were limited to Android.

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

Customization was better than expected for complications and widgets, though one reviewer found the available watch-face customization basic.

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 a major improvement for many reviewers, with sharp, clear, legible LCD text, though reflectivity hurt one reviewer's experience.

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

Durability raised concern because one reviewer noted the lack of official Gorilla Glass-style protection.

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

Fit was positive in the one direct review, which said the watch fit a variety of wrist sizes.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy was acceptable for casual workouts, but reviewers repeatedly framed the data and on-watch workout experience as stripped down or merely decent.

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 depended on phone-connected GPS; reviewers found distance and tracks often good enough, but also reported slow phone sync and odd mapped routes.

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

Reviewers who addressed broad health tracking were positive overall, describing everyday health tracking as better than its workout flaws and one reviewer comparing it favorably with Apple and Samsung watches.

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

Heart-rate tracking was usually praised as reliable for casual use, with reviewers noting close agreement with straps or other watches, though some saw lag or older-sensor limitations.

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

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

Materials quality was mixed to weak where directly discussed, with the polymer case described as feeling like plastic.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Menu navigation was usable once learned, with reviewers saying it was easy to start a run or recover from navigation mistakes.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

Music controls were useful in the one direct review because music could be controlled from the watch during workouts without leaving the workout screen.

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

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

The operating system experience was criticized as somewhat clunky despite the watch's appealing design.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility was improved for several reviewers, though some still found the display reflective or harder to read in strong sunlight.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Pairing reliability was mixed to weak, with several reviewers noting the need to keep the app open or wait minutes for phone GPS connection.

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

Recovery-style insights were supported through Garmin metrics such as Body Battery, fitness age, VO2 Max, and intensity minutes that reviewers felt helped explain readiness.

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

Reliability was praised in one review that found setup and iPhone-connected use completely reliable.

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

Safety features were valued where discussed, especially incident detection and LiveTrack for solo activity use.

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 received generally favorable comments for sleep and wake times or overall sleep time, but reviewers also flagged stage accuracy, occasional overcounting, and comparison discrepancies.

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

Smartphone notifications were a useful smartwatch strength across reviews, especially for reading messages, though platform limitations remained.

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

Smartwatch features were viewed as useful for a hybrid, with reviewers praising the balance of hidden smarts, notifications, settings, and Garmin's subscription-free platform.

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

Software smoothness was positive in the reviewed menu experience, with little noticeable lag during swiping in that review.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Step counting evidence was mixed, with one reviewer finding counts well aligned and another finding a 100-step test overcounted.

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

Stress tracking was one of the clearer strengths, with reviewers calling Garmin's continuous stress monitoring good or excellent.

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

Style and design were the strongest consensus strength, with reviewers repeatedly praising the analog look, classy finish, and non-smartwatch appearance.

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 reviewed because workout data could flow to connected platforms such as Strava and MapMyFitness.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness split reviewers: several found it excellent during workouts, while others reported missed taps, finicky gestures, or lag.

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

The user interface was mixed: reviewers found it simple enough after adaptation, but also awkward or learning-curve-heavy in some situations.

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 mixed: reviewers liked the package for casual hybrid users but questioned its price next to cheaper Vivomove models or more capable smartwatches.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Watch face quality was mixed: one reviewer found the hands hard to see in some light, while another liked several classy watch-face styles.

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

Water resistance was treated positively for everyday water exposure and swimming use.

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

Wellness insights were usually praised, especially Body Battery and sleep/lifestyle data, though one reviewer found the energy monitor less insightful day to day.

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 was mixed: some reviewers found enough modes for basics, while others criticized the limited activity list and sparse sports-watch depth.