Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Forerunner 170 Music

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

Garmin’s polished software and Connect IQ support add useful widgets and apps, but the music ecosystem still excludes Apple Music.

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

The silicone band feels soft and stretchy, with the 170 models adding nicer metal hardware and subtle two-tone styling.

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 adequate for several days of training, but real-world results often fall below Garmin’s 10-day claim. Always-on display, GPS, and music can cut endurance sharply, and the cheaper Forerunner 70 lasts longer.

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

Pulse Ox support is a meaningful upgrade over the previous entry-level generation and broadens overnight and wellness monitoring.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Skin-temperature tracking is missing because the watch does not use Garmin’s newer Gen 5 sensor. That feature remains reserved for pricier models.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

The AMOLED display is bright and vivid enough for outdoor runs. It is not Garmin’s brightest panel, but readability remained strong in sunshine.

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

The lightweight polymer construction feels better finished than older entry-level Forerunners. The screwed-on back and small metal details help it feel less cheap.

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

Five physical buttons are a major strength during runs, especially with sweaty hands or gloves. Nearly every function can be controlled without relying on touch.

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

Garmin’s proprietary cable is less convenient than magnetic or wireless alternatives and can shift out of place on the watch.

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

A full recharge takes just over an hour, which helps offset the need to charge more often than the headline estimate suggests.

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

Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, Daily Suggested Workouts, and Quick Workout provide unusually strong structure at this price. The tools work well for beginners building consistency and experienced runners training for races.

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

The compact, lightweight case is easy to forget during runs, sleep, and daily wear. One report of skin irritation from the plastic back is the main caveat.

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

Garmin Connect syncs quickly and works well for logging and data review, but its design can feel cluttered and overdue for a redesign.

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

Garmin Pay is convenient for phone-free coffee, water, or emergency purchases. Its value depends heavily on local bank support and whether the extra model cost feels justified.

Garmin Connect provides nearly the same experience on iPhone and Android, making the watch a strong option for users who may switch phone platforms.

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

Data screens can be tailored to show exactly what matters during a run, and watch faces offer additional visual personalization.

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

The 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen is colorful, sharp, and attractive. It trails flagship Apple, Samsung, and premium Garmin panels in fluidity and peak brightness, but remains excellent for training.

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

ECG is not available on this model because it uses Garmin’s older Gen 4 sensor. Buyers who want on-demand ECG readings need a higher-end Garmin.

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

The compact case sits comfortably on smaller wrists and should suit a broad range of wrist sizes without feeling cumbersome.

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

Distance, pace, swimming, and indoor workout tracking were consistently reliable across testing. The watch performs close to more expensive sports watches for most common activities.

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 locks quickly and stayed reliable in real-world running, swimming, and city testing. Single-band GNSS is a technical limitation, but most testers saw little practical loss outside very difficult terrain.

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

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

Heart-rate tracking is strong for running and indoor cycling, but weight training and some outdoor cycling can expose the limits of the older Gen 4 sensor. An external strap remains best for precision.

There is no built-in cellular connection. LiveTrack and location sharing therefore require carrying a paired phone.

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

Breadcrumb routes and synced courses are useful for planned runs, but full offline maps are missing. Trail, mountain, and ultra users may find this limitation significant.

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

The polymer body keeps weight low and generally feels well assembled. The plastic back may irritate sensitive skin during continuous wear.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

The updated menus move quickly and physical-button navigation is easy during workouts. A few controls, including the start action, can still feel ambiguous.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

The responsive touchscreen makes browsing and controlling music much easier than button-only operation.

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

Offline Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer, and other supported services make phone-free running easy. Apple Music remains unsupported, and the Music edition’s premium may not suit runners who always carry a phone.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

Garmin’s latest interface looks more polished, colorful, and modern while bringing sports and smartwatch tools into one place. It also positions the watch well for future updates.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Workout data remains easy to read in bright sunlight. Physical buttons also preserve usability when glare, sweat, or gloves make touch less convenient.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

GPS acquisition and Strava syncing are fast, with run uploads happening almost instantly compared with older Forerunners.

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

Training Readiness, Training Status, load, HRV, and recovery-time guidance are among the watch’s strongest features. The recommendations feel closely tied to recent sleep, stress, and training history.

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

Core tracking and everyday functions proved dependable across running, swimming, and gym use, even though the hardware is not Garmin’s newest.

Wrist-based running power and dynamics bring advanced training data to a lower-priced watch without requiring an external sensor.

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

LiveTrack is useful for solo runners because contacts can follow an activity in progress. It is not independent safety coverage, since the feature relies on a connected phone.

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

The compact 42–43mm design works for many wrists, but there is no larger case option for buyers who prefer a bigger display or more substantial watch.

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

Sleep duration, bedtime, and major sleep stages generally aligned with the Oura Ring in side-by-side use, showing meaningful improvement over older Garmin sleep tracking.

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

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

Garmin Pay, notifications, apps, and offline music make the watch useful beyond training. It still prioritizes sports over the richer app and communication features of mainstream smartwatches.

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

The updated interface feels faster and smoother than older entry-level Garmins, and activity syncing is notably quick.

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.

Stress data feeds into readiness and recovery guidance, helping the watch suggest when to push harder or back off.

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

Fresh colors, a polished band treatment, and a compact sporty shape make the watch more appealing than older budget Forerunners. It still looks clearly fitness-focused rather than dressy.

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

Connect IQ adds downloadable apps and watch faces, while services such as WhatsApp, Spotify, and Deezer broaden everyday usefulness.

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

Swipes and taps register quickly without feeling overly sensitive. Touch works well for menus and music, while buttons remain available for workouts.

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

The on-watch experience is generally simple, polished, and easy to live with. Some features are buried in settings, so learning the full menu structure takes time.

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

The feature set is impressive for runners who want advanced coaching, music, and payments in one compact watch. Value becomes less convincing beside the cheaper Forerunner 70, discounted Forerunner 265, and running-focused rivals.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Customizable watch faces and clean data layouts make the screen attractive while keeping essential running information easy to scan.

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

The 5ATM rating handles showers, pool swims, and open-water sessions confidently. Swim tracking also performed well in testing.

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

Sleep, HRV, Body Battery, stress, and daily reports create a broad picture of recovery and energy rather than focusing only on workouts.

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.

More than 80 sport profiles cover running, cycling, swimming, strength work, winter sports, and many niche activities. The breadth is unusually strong for an entry-to-midrange Forerunner.