Compare Garmin Forerunner 965 vs CMF Watch Pro 2

Water resistance was strong in swim/shower-style use, with no accidental toggles and 50m/5ATM confidence noted.

Water resistance was a weakness because reviewers noted the IP68 rating did not translate into confident swimming or water-sport use.

Health tracking was praised for the breadth and quality of Garmin’s metrics, especially for active users.

General health tracking drew mostly negative evidence, with reviewers describing bad or limited sensor reliability despite some basic monitoring features.

Onboard music was praised for Spotify/offline support and 32GB storage for music and maps.

Onboard music storage was absent and called out as a limitation for a product using the Pro label.

The missing dedicated flashlight was repeatedly framed as a disappointment, especially compared with higher-end Garmin models.

The flashlight was unexpectedly useful for one reviewer thanks to the bright display-based torch.

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest points, repeatedly described as highly accurate, reliable, and often best-in-class.

GPS was the most inconsistent tracking feature, with repeated slow-lock complaints and failures, though some reviewers found distance data accurate once connected.

Reviewers liked Garmin’s cloud sync, Strava/Apple Health integration, Connect IQ options, and lack of a required subscription, though it remains sports-first.

The app ecosystem was limited; reviewers criticized the lack of downloadable apps and problems exporting or syncing activity data.

The OS experience was viewed as effective and more fun with the refreshed AMOLED-era interface.

The operating system experience was seen as basic and less polished than established smartwatch platforms.

Heart-rate accuracy was generally strong and often close to chest straps, though high-intensity intervals could show lag or spotty readings.

Heart-rate evidence was mixed but leaned negative: some reviewers found close readings, while many reported lag, missed peaks, or poor interval accuracy.

Wellness insights were valued for health, fitness, stress, body battery, and sleep context, though one reviewer ignored some metrics.

Wellness insights were considered shallow: reviewers liked simple overviews but repeatedly noted the lack of deeper sleep, recovery, or trend interpretation.

Sensor connectivity was viewed as a strength because the watch supports broad ANT+ and Bluetooth Smart pairing.

Bluetooth connectivity was split: a few reviewers had seamless or issue-free pairing, while others reported fickle connections and random disconnects.

Step counting was tested as accurate, with a very low error rate in one review.

Step counting was mixed, with one reviewer seeing close daily totals while others called the pedometer or step estimates untrustworthy.

Call handling was mixed to weak: one review listed calls among lifestyle features, while others noted missing wrist-call or hands-free functionality.

Call handling was consistently good for the price, with reviewers finding the microphone, speaker, and Bluetooth call clarity adequate to strong.

Buttons were consistently praised as tactile, easy to use during workouts, and a dependable alternative to touch controls.

Button and crown controls were mixed: some liked the functional crown, while others found it stiff, flimsy, awkward, or cheap.

Customization was a clear strength, from data screens and watch faces to app and watch settings.

Customization was a standout concept through bezels, widgets, gestures, bands, and faces, but reviewers criticized fiddly bezels and limited official options.

Third-party app support was mixed: Strava and Connect IQ are useful, but Garmin apps can feel clunky or less polished.

Third-party app support was constrained: Strava and health-platform integrations helped, but reviewers still criticized missing real third-party apps or broken Strava export.

Fitness tracking accuracy was broadly praised across distance, elevation, running dynamics, and sports metrics, with gym heart-rate caveats.

Fitness tracking accuracy was polarized: some workouts looked reasonable or matched other trackers, while others found the watch unsuitable as a dedicated tracker.

Outdoor visibility was praised in sun, water, and all-light conditions, despite AMOLED battery tradeoffs.

Outdoor visibility split by reviewer, with some finding it readable in daylight and others struggling in sunlight or workout screens.

Charging speed was praised as fast or at least on the better side, with reviewers noting quick top-ups.

Charging speed was adequate rather than impressive, usually around 90 to 120 minutes for a full charge.

Reviewers found the AMOLED display bright enough indoors and at low settings, with clear improvements over older displays.

Brightness was adequate to good for many reviewers, but auto-brightness and peak brightness were not consistently satisfying in all lighting.

Music controls were adequate for basic use, but one reviewer noted playback issues when skipping or changing playlists.

Music controls were useful when they worked, with reviewers praising phone playback controls, though this is not the same as standalone music.

Calorie usefulness was split between helpful fueling alerts and weak diet/caloric-consumption tracking.

Calorie tracking drew negative evidence from one reviewer who found calorie estimates lower than expected during workouts.

Fit was positive for users comfortable with Garmin sizing, but the larger case was not ideal for smaller wrists.

Fit was positive in the review that addressed it, with the watch described as a suitable unisex size.

Stress tracking was included in useful readiness and health context rather than treated as a standalone killer feature.

Stress tracking evidence was mixed, with some reviewers seeing broad alignment while another found consistently low or inaccurate stress readings.

Durability was mixed: some reviewers saw scratch resistance and solid materials, while several reported scratches or durability concerns.

Durability evidence was cautiously positive, with several reviewers seeing no scratches or damage, though others worried about resilience.

Notifications were useful and more readable, but iOS limitations and limited message handling held them back.

Notification handling was one of the bigger smart-feature weaknesses, with basic interaction, limited replies, and several reports of delays or missed alerts.

The stock silicone/removable straps were generally praised as flexible, comfortable, good-looking, and easy to swap.

Band quality was mixed, with several comfortable straps but also complaints about cheap, thin, or sweat-unfriendly bands.

Garmin Pay was treated as useful in concept but limited by inconsistent bank support, especially outside the US.

Contactless payments were a clear missing feature, with reviewers repeatedly flagging absent NFC or mobile payments as a compromise.

Smartwatch features were the main compromise: useful basics exist, but reviewers repeatedly called the experience barebones or limited.

Smartwatch features were basic and often described as closer to a fitness watch than a full smartwatch, despite useful essentials.

Software smoothness was praised, with the UI described as smoother, faster, and free of lag in normal use.

Software smoothness varied widely, from snappy and fluid in several reviews to laggy, cheap-feeling, or delayed in others.

Touch controls were useful and optional, with reviewers appreciating that buttons can replace touch during workouts.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly acceptable, but tap-to-wake reliability remained a noted quirk.

One reviewer found blood oxygen readings close to a pulse oximeter, supporting strong SpO2 tracking confidence.

Blood oxygen tracking was viewed as a useful basic feature and several reviewers found readings reliable or broadly accurate for a budget watch.

Exercise auto-detection was criticized because training features require manually starting activities.

Activity auto-detection was highly inconsistent, ranging from reliable walk recognition to delayed prompts, zeroed starts, false cycling alerts, or missed detection.

Mapping and navigation were major strengths, with detailed AMOLED maps, turn prompts, trail help, and strong route-following support.

Mapping evidence was limited but positive, with one reviewer noting improved, coherent GPS route displays after workouts.

Build quality was mixed: reviewers liked Garmin durability in general but noted the flatter screen and bezel can be easier to hit or scratch.

Build quality divided reviewers, with some calling it surprisingly premium or impeccable and others saying it felt cheap for hardware handling.

Charging convenience was a repeated weakness due to Garmin’s proprietary connector, loose cable complaints, and lack of wireless charging.

Charging convenience was a recurring negative because the magnetic pogo-pin charger was fiddly, orientation-sensitive, or easy to knock loose.

Workout variety was a major strength, with reviewers praising the large sport-mode library and deep multisport functionality.

Workout variety was a strength, with reviewers noting the broad 120-sport profile list as unusually generous for the price.

LTE was a clear omission; reviewers called Garmin’s lack of cellular connectivity a shame or noted it was not added.

LTE connectivity was absent, leaving calls, messages, and notifications dependent on a nearby connected phone.

Sleep tracking was mixed: several reviewers found it excellent or improved, while others criticized sleep phases or felt results were off.

Sleep tracking split sharply, ranging from reasonably accurate sleep and wake times to unreliable stages, missed awake periods, and reviewers unwilling to trust it.

ECG was a recurring missing feature and was called disappointing or expected by several reviewers.

ECG support was treated as an absent advanced health feature, understandable at the price but still a limitation for serious health tracking.

Value was context-dependent: reviewers praised the feature set and later discounts, but questioned the price for casual users or 955/265 owners.

Value for money was overwhelmingly positive across nearly every review, even when reviewers disagreed on whether the compromises were worth it.

Voice assistant support was weak because the watch lacks true assistant, microphone, and call-smarts expected from fuller smartwatches.

Voice assistant support was weak because it mostly relayed the phone assistant and felt gimmicky, flawed, or unnecessary.

Cross-platform use was positive overall, with Android offering more watch interaction and Apple Health integration appreciated.

Cross-platform support was useful because the watch works with both Android and iPhone, but iOS integration had focus-mode and feature limitations.

Pairing and syncing were positive, with quick phone pairing and seamless Strava syncing noted.

Initial pairing was generally positive, with reviewers describing setup and syncing as faultless, quick, or easy.

Materials were mostly praised for high-quality straps and a premium titanium bezel, though not all durability concerns disappeared.

Materials quality received positive evidence where the aluminum alloy case was described as premium-feeling.

The interface was widely praised as easier, cleaner, more modern, and dramatically improved by AMOLED.

The user interface was easy to learn and intuitive, though some reviewers felt the layout was not always optimized for the round display.

The AMOLED display drew very strong praise for color, legibility, sharpness, maps, and overall upgrade value.

Display quality was one of the strongest attributes, with repeated praise for the AMOLED panel, sharpness, color, and value for the price.

Suggested workouts, interval tools, race guidance, and on-wrist coaching were repeatedly described as helpful for training.

Coaching features were modest but useful, especially guided warm-ups and reminders, though they did not create a full training-coach experience.

Watch faces benefited from AMOLED and were sometimes called stunning, though one reviewer noted fewer choices than before.

Watch faces were often praised for quantity and style, though storage limits and the six-face cap frustrated some reviewers.

Recovery insights were a standout, especially Training Readiness, which reviewers found actionable, digestible, and useful.

Recovery insights were surprisingly positive where tested, with training load, workout effect, and recovery estimates aligning well with Garmin comparisons.

Style and design were praised as sporty, premium, modern, and among the better-looking Forerunner designs.

Style and design were among the clearest strengths, with reviewers repeatedly praising the distinctive, non-generic look.

Comfort was mostly positive because the watch is light and wearable 24/7, though some reviewers found it bulky or heavy at first.

Comfort was generally strong thanks to the light case and wearable size, though one leather strap bothered a reviewer during workouts.

Menu navigation was generally easy once learned, with reviewers calling controls frictionless or easy to get used to.

Menu navigation was generally good, with smooth interface movement and reliable swipe operation noted by reviewers.

Battery life was broadly praised as strong for everyday training and most races, with caveats around always-on AMOLED, GPS-heavy use, and ultra-distance events.

Battery life was the strongest consensus positive, typically lasting multiple days and often outperforming mainstream full smartwatches.

Garmin Connect was viewed as powerful and data-rich, but some reviewers found its organization confusing or dated.

The companion app was polarizing: several reviewers liked its design and clarity, while others hit crashes, data-export problems, or syncing trouble.

Body temperature tracking was treated as an absent advanced health metric rather than a supported feature.

Data privacy and device security were clear weaknesses because reviewers noted the lack of a PIN, pattern, or lock mode.

Reliability was generally positive, with only minor bugs noted and one long-term reviewer saying it performed well in demanding use.

Safety-related features were praised through navigation alerts, LiveTrack, and situational-awareness benefits.

Size options were a weakness because the 965 comes in only one size and can feel large on small wrists.

Wi-Fi was a weak point for large map downloads because the watch-side transfer was described as slow.