Compare Garmin Forerunner 570 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

Strength-workout auto-detection received limited but positive evidence: one reviewer found the watch good at detecting sets and related gym data.

Reviewers saw Garmin’s ecosystem as a strength versus many sports-watch rivals, though not as broad as full smartwatch platforms.

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

Band feedback was mostly positive for comfort, breathability, drying, and odor resistance, with one reviewer noting an imperfect flush fit.

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

Battery life split reviewers: it easily beat daily-charge smartwatches for some, but many noted regression from the 265 and short always-on runtimes.

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.

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

Bluetooth reliability had negative evidence from one reviewer who repeatedly saw phone disconnect and reconnect messages.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Brightness was one of the strongest points, with reviewers repeatedly praising the brighter AMOLED panel and outdoor readability.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Build quality was generally praised for the aluminum bezel, low weight, and sturdy polymer construction, though it remains mid-range rather than luxury.

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

Button controls were strongly praised, especially for wet hands, sweaty workouts, swimming, and glove use.

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

Call handling was useful but not essential; reviewers said calls worked and audio was acceptable, though one noted volume limits.

Charging convenience was mixed: the connector clicks in reliably, but the lack of wireless charging disappointed an Apple Watch switcher.

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

Charging speed had limited positive evidence, with one reviewer saying a morning-shower charge could refill the watch.

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

Coaching features were a major strength, especially training readiness, daily suggested workouts, triathlon plans, and adaptive guidance.

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

Comfort was mostly praised for lightness and long-wear feel, though larger-case sleep comfort bothered some reviewers.

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

The companion app earned praise for deep data and customization, but some reviewers noted subscriptions or a learning curve.

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

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

Cross-platform compatibility was good with iPhone syncing, while phone-dependent assistant behavior and iPhone reply limits kept it from being seamless.

Customization was praised for watch-face colors, layouts, widgets, data fields, and Garmin’s flexible display options.

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

Display quality was a clear highlight: reviewers liked the larger, sharper, vivid AMOLED screen and premium visual feel.

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

Durability evidence was positive overall, with reviewers reporting pristine bezels, scratch resistance, and little wear after weeks or months.

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

ECG functionality was one of the most criticized omissions because the Gen 5 sensor made reviewers expect ECG at this price.

Fit was praised for secure wrist placement, good sizing, ample strap holes, and minimal movement during workouts.

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

Fitness tracking accuracy was rated very highly, with several reviewers calling the broader tracking experience impeccable or second to none.

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

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest areas, with repeated praise for near-flawless tracks, reliable distance, and strong multi-band performance.

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.

Health tracking accuracy was mixed: general metrics were useful, but reviewers criticized illness detection and Garmin’s sleep-stage limitations.

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

Heart-rate accuracy was widely praised, often compared favorably with chest straps, though gym and cycling edge cases remained.

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

Mapping and navigation drew the most consistent criticism: breadcrumb routing helped, but reviewers wanted full offline maps at this price.

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 viewed as improved thanks to the aluminum bezel, though reviewers still described the watch as mid-range or partly plastic.

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

Menu navigation was praised for being intuitive, easier to navigate, and enjoyable to interact with after Garmin’s UI refresh.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

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

The operating-system experience felt more modern and coherent, though one Apple switcher still found Garmin clunkier.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

Outdoor visibility was excellent, with reviewers praising bright-sun readability and clarity in varied outdoor conditions.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Pairing reliability was mixed: one reviewer had smooth iPhone syncing, while another saw repeated phone disconnections.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Recovery insights were a standout for several reviewers, helping them judge readiness, avoid overtraining, and interpret rest.

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

Reliability was mostly strong for GPS and training use, but one reviewer reported heat-related unresponsiveness.

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

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

Size options were praised because the 42mm and 47mm choices helped smaller wrists and broadened appeal.

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

Sleep tracking accuracy was mixed: some found it reasonably accurate, while others found it less robust or weak at REM-stage tracking.

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

Smartphone notifications were a drawback in one review because alerts lingered during workouts and vibration controls were limited.

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

Smartwatch features improved meaningfully with mic, speaker, reports, voice tools, and music/payment basics, though the watch is still sports-first.

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

Software smoothness was praised in reviews that found the interface faster, more modern, snappy, and polished.

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

Step counting accuracy had limited positive evidence, with one controlled walk test missing by only about 40 steps.

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.

Style and design were widely praised for a more colorful, expressive, premium-looking Forerunner, though one reviewer found it visually familiar.

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

Third-party app support was useful but limited: Connect IQ adds apps and data fields, but trails watchOS and Wear OS.

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

Touchscreen responsiveness was consistently praised as fast, responsive, and useful when buttons were not needed.

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

The user interface was generally easier, cleaner, and more useful, though some Garmin newcomers still found it clunkier than Apple.

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

Value for money was the main controversy: reviewers loved the watch but often said the price and omitted maps/ECG hurt its case.

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

Voice assistant quality was mixed: offline voice commands worked well for timers and activities, but phone-assistant behavior was less convincing.

Watch face quality received limited positive evidence for clean defaults and strong customization of stats, color, and layout.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Water resistance had limited but positive real-world evidence from swimming in pools, lakes, and the ocean without issues.

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

Wellness insights were highly useful for some reviewers, especially Body Battery, sleep score, readiness, race projections, and evening reports.

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

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

Workout tracking variety was a major strength, with praise for many sports modes, multisport/triathlon support, and broad training coverage.

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