Compare Garmin Lily 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

Automatic activity detection was consistently useful for walks and casual movement, with reviewers noting reliable walk detection and Garmin Move IQ, though its automatic detail is limited.

The Lily 2 is constrained as an app platform: reviewers noted no Connect IQ widgets and no native third-party app installation.

Connect IQ gives the watch a modest app ecosystem for watch faces, widgets, data fields, and extras, though it is not framed as a full smartwatch app platform.

Band quality is a clear upgrade, with standard 14mm quick-release bands repeatedly praised for flexibility, comfort, and easy replacement.

Reviewers generally liked the soft, adjustable silicone strap and standard strap options, with no major comfort complaints about the band itself.

Battery life was generally strong for a small wearable, usually landing around four to five days, with a few heavier-use reviews seeing closer to three days.

Battery life was praised as strong for an AMOLED Garmin in normal training use, but several reviewers said always-on display, music, or endurance use reduces its advantage.

Blood oxygen tracking is present through Pulse Ox or SpO2, but one reviewer warned readings could run low, so confidence is moderate rather than excellent.

The watch includes blood oxygen or Pulse Ox tracking, but reviewers treated it as a useful health sensor rather than a headline reason to buy.

Bluetooth-related connectivity is limited: phone pairing and notifications work, but reviewers noted no gym-equipment broadcast, no direct Bluetooth headphone use, and no external HR sensor pairing.

Bluetooth and ANT+ sensor/headphone support were viewed positively, with reviewers noting external sensor support and solid headphone connectivity.

Brightness drew mixed reactions: one reviewer found direct-sun visibility excellent, while several others wanted a brighter screen through the patterned lens.

Brightness was a clear strength, especially the bold AMOLED screen and usable bright-display behavior.

Build quality improved versus the original Lily, with aluminum, Gorilla Glass, and a more premium feel appearing repeatedly in reviews.

Build quality was viewed as dependable for the price, with Garmin durability praised even though the plastic construction feels less premium.

Button controls are a weak point because the Lily 2 depends on touch and a pseudo-button; reviewers wanted real side buttons or easier pause controls.

The five-button layout was one of the most consistently praised usability strengths, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, and wet conditions.

Call handling works best with Android predefined responses, while iPhone users mostly just receive alerts and still need the phone to act.

Call handling was limited to reliable call-related smartphone alerts rather than full on-watch calling.

Calorie tracking was present but not especially trusted, with direct reviewer evidence saying calories were slightly off or generous.

Calorie tracking received weak support; one reviewer saw calorie burn data in strength mode but did not find that feature very useful.

Charging is functional but not universally convenient: the magnetic or clip-style charger is easy enough, yet proprietary clips and travel cable needs were recurring caveats.

Charging convenience was mostly fine thanks to secure contacts and Garmin’s familiar proprietary cable, though it is not universal wireless charging.

Charging speed was mixed, ranging from roughly an hour to full charge in some tests to slower 30-minute gains versus Apple Watch.

Charging speed was generally acceptable to good, with reviewers reporting around one hour to just under two hours depending on the source.

Coaching features are useful but limited, including hydration adaptation, timers, alerts, plans, and VO2 Max mentions, while richer recovery guidance is absent.

Coaching features were well supported through Garmin Coach, adaptive plans, structured workouts, daily suggestions, and race-related guidance.

Comfort is one of the strongest themes, with reviewers repeatedly saying the watch is lightweight, barely noticeable, and suitable for day-and-night wear.

Comfort was a major point of agreement: reviewers repeatedly described the watch as light, compact, unobtrusive, and easy to wear day and night.

Garmin Connect provides deep data and useful dashboards, but app clarity was split between reviewers who found it intuitive and those who called it clunky or unclear.

Garmin Connect was mostly praised for depth, workout analysis, and improving organization, though one reviewer found the redesign not dramatically easier.

Garmin Pay is a useful addition on Classic models, though regional bank support limits how valuable it is for some reviewers.

Garmin Pay was consistently mentioned as available and useful for contactless payments across models.

Cross-platform compatibility is generally good across Android and iPhone, but Android gets more interactive notification and call-response features.

Cross-platform compatibility is functional, but one reviewer noted the phone experience differs between iPhone and Android, especially for replies.

Customization is strong for bands and morning reports, with watch-face and patterned-lens customization more limited.

Customization was strong, with configurable widgets, data fields, watch faces, and training screens noted across reviews.

Display quality is intentionally minimalist and readable for many, but several reviewers criticized the basic monochrome LCD and lack of AMOLED vibrancy.

Display quality was one of the strongest attributes, with reviewers repeatedly praising the vibrant, crisp AMOLED screen.

Durability looks improved thanks to Gorilla Glass and aluminum construction, though few reviews included long-term abuse testing.

Durability evidence was positive overall, including resistance to daily abuse, though not all reviewers considered it a rugged outdoor watch.

ECG functionality is essentially absent, with reviews explicitly noting no ECG recordings or wishing for newer sensor hardware.

ECG functionality was consistently absent; reviewers repeatedly stated users need a different or higher-end Garmin for ECG/EKG.

Fit was praised for small wrists, snug wear, and a low-profile shape that sits comfortably without bulk.

Fit was generally positive, with the small case sitting neatly on wrists and under layers without feeling oversized.

Fitness tracking accuracy was mostly positive for casual use, especially activity and heart-rate basics, but HIIT and unsupported activities produced caveats.

Fitness tracking accuracy was praised across multiple reviews, especially for daily activity data, run metrics, and overall sensor reliability.

GPS accuracy depends on the phone because there is no onboard GPS; connected GPS could work well, but carrying a phone is required for maps and reliable distance.

GPS accuracy was a major strength; most reviewers found it accurate or solid despite the lack of dual-band GPS, with only occasional challenging-environment issues.

Health tracking accuracy was generally reliable for core metrics like heart rate, steps, sleep, respiration, and wellness trends, with some sleep and SpO2 caveats.

Health tracking accuracy was supported by the reliable sensor package and detailed data collection, but evidence was less extensive than for GPS and heart rate.

Heart-rate accuracy was a consistent strength, with several reviewers comparing it favorably to straps, Oura, Apple Watch, or Garmin watches, though intense intervals could wobble.

Heart rate accuracy was broadly positive, often matching chest straps or higher-end watches well, with occasional optical-sensor lag or spikes.

Navigation is useful but limited: reviewers liked breadcrumb routing, courses, back-to-start, and GPX support, while noting the absence of full maps.

Materials quality improved with aluminum, but one reviewer still viewed aluminum as cheaper and less durable than stainless steel.

Materials quality was a tradeoff: the polymer/plastic body helps weight and price but feels less premium than metal.

Menu navigation was workable and often easy enough, but some reviewers still described learning curves or extra steps.

Menu navigation is flexible because Garmin allows almost everything to be controlled by buttons, reducing reliance on touch.

Music controls are available for controlling a paired phone, but reviewers consistently distinguished that from true onboard music.

Music controls were a weak spot, with reviewers finding on-run controls unintuitive or limited without the Music model.

Onboard music storage is missing, and multiple reviewers explicitly called out no music storage or offline listening.

Onboard music storage is useful on the Music edition, but reviews were split because syncing can be tedious and costs extra.

The operating system experience is Garmin-centric and lean, optimized for fitness and notifications rather than native Apple or Google app ecosystems.

The operating system experience felt Garmin-like and sport-focused, with solid hybrid smartwatch behavior but limitations versus true smartwatches.

Outdoor visibility was mostly good to excellent, especially in DC Rainmaker and DesFit testing, though one reviewer found bright sun harder to read.

Outdoor visibility was a standout strength; reviewers repeatedly said the AMOLED screen was readable in sunlight and bright conditions.

Pairing reliability for connected GPS and phone handoff was much improved, with reviewers reporting quick locks and strong connection maintenance.

Pairing reliability was specifically praised for Bluetooth headphones in one review, with no broad pairing complaints across the review set.

Recovery insights are a partial win: Body Battery gives readiness-style guidance, but dedicated recovery time and workout benefit features are absent.

Recovery insights are useful through Recovery Time, Training Effect, HRV, Body Battery, and related tools, but the missing Training Readiness and Training Load limited depth.

Reliability was good in user-level evidence, with reviewers calling tracking reliable and one owner saying it did what they wanted.

Reliability was praised in long-term and general-use terms, with reviewers describing the watch as dependable and accessible.

Safety features are a real strength for this class, including incident detection, LiveTrack, emergency contacts, and assistance alerts through a phone.

Safety features were positively noted through LiveTrack and incident detection, though the evidence came from one detailed review.

Size options and wrist fit favor small wrists and compact-wearable shoppers, though the product line itself remains very small and style-focused.

Size options were a weakness because reviewers repeatedly noted there is only one case size, despite the size working for many wrists.

Sleep tracking was mixed: some reviewers found scores and timing aligned, while others saw missed sleep duration and less useful graphs.

Sleep tracking was mostly useful for sleep duration and scores, but opinions were mixed because at least one reviewer found missed restless sleep.

Smartphone notifications arrive reliably, but control is limited, especially on iPhone and when trying to filter app-specific alerts.

Smartphone notifications were considered reliable and readable, with texts, calls, and app alerts working well when paired.

Smartwatch features are useful but lean, including notifications, weather, calendar, Find My Phone, Morning Report, Garmin Pay on Classic, and music controls.

Smartwatch features were solid for a sport watch, including notifications, wallet/payments, Find My Phone, music, and safety tools, but not full smartwatch depth.

Software smoothness improved over the original Lily, especially gesture wake and connected GPS handoff, though some touch controls remained less fluid.

Software smoothness was acceptable but not premium-watch smooth, with one review noting the refresh rate was not Apple Watch-like.

Step counting was broadly supported and valued, including pool-length and walking evidence, though one user contrasted it with an older inaccurate watch rather than direct lab validation.

Step counting accuracy was positively supported by one review that found it closely matched other tested devices.

Stress tracking was praised as engaging and useful, often linked with Body Battery and daily wellness patterns.

Stress tracking was present as part of the broader Garmin health and sleep feature set.

Style and design were the broadest positive theme, with reviewers repeatedly describing the Lily 2 as elegant, classy, jewelry-like, and more wearable than sporty watches.

Style and design were viewed positively for a sporty, compact watch with a bright display that could be worn daily.

Third-party app support is limited overall, but manually started workouts can sync to outside services like Strava through Garmin Connect.

Third-party app support exists through Connect IQ widgets, watch faces, data fields, and apps, but reviewers did not portray it as a rich smartwatch store.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mixed to weak, with several reviewers finding it sluggish, less fluid, or insufficiently refined despite one positive touch-screen comment.

Touchscreen responsiveness was mostly praised as smooth and useful, though one reviewer noted accidental touches.

The user interface is usable but not polished; reviewers described it as fine, simple, or learnable, while also noting extra steps and learning curves.

The user interface was considered approachable and easy to use, especially with the combined touchscreen and button approach.

Value is context-dependent: reviewers liked the style, battery, and feature set, but comparisons to cheaper Fitbits or similarly priced Garmin models limited enthusiasm.

Value for money was one of the strongest consensus points, with many reviewers calling the 165 a strong budget or sweet-spot Garmin.

Voice assistant quality is effectively absent because one reviewer explicitly noted there is no voice assistant.

Watch face quality is basic, with a handful of monochrome options and repeated wishes for more color or more choices.

Watch face quality was strong thanks to customizable stock faces and Connect IQ options.

Water resistance is a strength, with 5ATM or 50-meter swim/shower-safe evidence across multiple reviews.

Water resistance was well supported for swimming, rain, sweat, and shallow water, with reviewers noting 5ATM or 50-meter resistance.

Wellness insights are a standout, especially Body Battery, stress, hydration, sleep score, and Garmin Connect data that help users understand daily energy.

Wellness insights were strong through Morning Report, Body Battery, HRV, sleep, stress, recovery, and daily health glances.

Wi-Fi connectivity exists mainly for the Music edition and music syncing, but one review reported Wi-Fi troubleshooting friction.

Workout variety is good for casual users with 18 profiles and new dance, HIIT, rowing, and meditation options, but missing indoor cycling and some sports frustrates reviewers.

Workout tracking variety covers most common running, cycling, swimming, gym, yoga, and fitness modes, but reviewers repeatedly noted missing triathlon, skiing, and other niche profiles.