Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Polar Grit X Pro

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

Software smoothness was one of the clearest weaknesses, with reviewers calling out laggy button responses, slow processor behavior, and frustrating delays.

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

Contactless payments scored poorly because reviewers treated the lack of payments as part of the watch’s limited smartwatch experience.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness was consistently criticized as slow, unreliable, or unnecessary, making it one of the watch’s weakest areas.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Menu navigation was mixed to poor, with reviewers finding screen switching slow or the data-heavy interface baffling despite some workable controls.

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 mixed to weak, with good outdoor-oriented MIP strengths offset by dull indoor color and one severe contrast complaint.

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

Onboard music storage was a consistent weakness, with reviewers repeatedly pointing out that there is no local music storage or playback.

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

The user interface split reviewers: one found navigation easy, while others said slow loading and data density made features harder to use.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

Music controls were usually liked and often useful during workouts, although reviewers repeatedly emphasized they only control phone playback.

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

Materials quality was praised, especially the sapphire glass, stainless/titanium construction, and scratch-resistant, well-thought-out hardware.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Bluetooth connectivity was mixed: basic Bluetooth sensor support exists, but reviewers criticized Bluetooth power-meter issues and the lack of ANT+ support.

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 to negative: reviewers liked it on sale or for durability, but often found the $500-plus feature set hard to justify.

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

Notifications were useful for staying connected during activities, but several reviewers noted they remain basic and mostly read-only.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Outdoor visibility was generally good, especially in sunlight, but reviewers still reported middling clarity, indoor difficulty, and one major cycling legibility issue.

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 one of the strongest areas, with reviewers praising leg recovery, Recovery Pro, Nightly Recharge, and HRV-based fatigue guidance.

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

Smartwatch features were divisive: dashboards and music controls helped daily use, but reviewers still saw it as sports-first and far behind fuller smartwatches.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

The operating system experience was acceptable for sports basics but clearly scaled back compared with fuller smartwatch platforms.

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

Workout variety was consistently praised thanks to many sport profiles, multisport support, customizable activity choices, and broad activity/sleep tracking coverage.

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 limited; reviewers noted missing Strava Routes, no broad third-party apps, and mostly fitness-focused integrations.

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

Size-option evidence was limited to the strap package, but the small/large strap sizing was positively tied to getting a snug fit.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Watch faces and dashboards were mostly praised, especially daylight, weather, compass, and altitude views, though one reviewer wanted more variety.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Brightness was generally adequate and improved by backlight options, but one reviewer noted the factory screen setting felt dim.

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

Charging convenience was positive for the magnetic, unclogged charger, though one reviewer noted only a cable is supplied.

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 generally good or reliable, but reviewers repeatedly added caveats about single-band GPS, small drifts, or minor bobbles.

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

Sleep tracking drew strong agreement, with reviewers praising sleep timing, Nightly Recharge, HRV-linked sleep data, and easy-to-understand sleep analysis.

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

Water resistance had limited but very positive evidence, with one reviewer saying the watch was fully suitable for swimming and daily wet use.

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 experience was powerful but polarizing: reviewers praised detail and support while warning that Polar Flow can intimidate or sync poorly.

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

Comfort was mostly positive, with reviewers calling it comfortable over long wear, though one noted the watch is large and heavy.

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

Heart-rate accuracy was split: several reviewers found it very good or accurate, while others saw missed intervals, intensity errors, or inconsistent optical readings.

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

Button controls were usually praised for tactile use in wet, cold, or active conditions, even though separate lag complaints affected software response.

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: some reviewers got about a week and called it solid, while others found it weak, sub-par, or only about four days.

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

General fitness tracking was viewed positively, with reviewers saying Polar’s sports tracking and core workout performance held up well across tested activities.

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

Reviewers who discussed HRV and broader health data found the Grit X Pro unusually accurate and useful, especially for recovery-oriented health tracking.

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

Reliability was positive where discussed, with reviewers calling it outstanding, reliable, and a strong rugged sports-watch option.

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

Charging speed had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer describing the battery as long-lasting and quick-charging.

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

Fit was praised through both strap sizing and real-world wear, with reviewers describing a snug fit and a watch that does not feel bulky.

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

Wellness insights were useful for daily awareness, with reviewers noting heart-rate, sleep, recovery, and state-of-mind metrics they checked regularly.

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

The app ecosystem was mixed, with Komoot route integration useful but described as clunky by one reviewer.

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

Durability was strongly praised, with sapphire glass, rugged construction, and scratch resistance repeatedly framed as outdoor-watch strengths.

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

Build quality was a major strength, with reviewers describing the watch as solid, durable, notable, and well built.

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

Customization evidence was positive, with one reviewer praising the ability to add or remove watch-face/dashboard items as needed.

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 useful but imperfect: reviewers liked routing, elevation profiles, backtrack, and turn prompts, while noting no full maps and clunky setup.

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

Band quality was generally positive, with praise for snugness, stretch, and material feel, though the Mossy Oak coloration was only acceptable to one reviewer.

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

Coaching features were highly rated: FitSpark, FuelWise, workout builders, structured workouts, and guided tests were repeatedly described as useful or standout.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Pairing reliability varied, with some reviewers pairing straps without problems, while others found sensor pairing finicky or dependent on better indicators.

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

Style and design were clear strengths, with reviewers calling it nice-looking, watch-like, and among the best-looking fitness trackers.

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

Safety-feature evidence was limited but positive, focused on breadcrumb-style navigation for finding the way back.

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

Call handling had limited but positive evidence, with one reviewer finding workout access to texts and calls useful because it reduced phone handling.

Hill Splitter was mixed: it was useful for impromptu hill repeats, but less helpful for major climbs where remaining ascent matters.

Running power support was strongly praised, especially by triathlon and trail-focused reviewers who value native power for pacing and power-zone training.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

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

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