Garmin’s Best Value Sports Watch? || Forerunner 265
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- čas přidán 4. 08. 2024
- Is this the best value sports watch on the market? Priced at $450, it's probably a bit too expensive to wear that crown but the Garmin Forerunner 265 delivers a lot of value for all of that money.
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Chapters
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00:00 - Intro
00:43 - Garmin's Forerunner Series
01:46 - New Bright AMOLED Screen & 265 Watchfaces
02:40 - Color Options
03:10 - Price
04:20 - Training Readiness Score
05:05 - Battery Life
05:36 - GPS Accuracy
07:10 - Heart Rate Accuracy
08:45 - Other Watch Comparisons
10:10 - 965 vs 265
11:00 - Wrap up
DISCLAIMER:
Some of these links are affiliate links, if you purchase gear with these links I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Thank you for supporting my channel and allowing me to continue to make triathlon content! - Sport
Thank you so much for checking this one out. Here's some buying information:
Dialed Cycling Lab: dialedcyclinglab.com/?s=Garmin+Forerunner%C2%AE+265
Try discount code: "matt_legrand"
Or Amazon: amzn.to/3vu2Buq
I also think a screen protector is a good idea: amzn.to/48Uu870
How you only have 25k subscribers is beyond me. The best production fitness CZcamsr, no question.
Ha! It’s a perfect amount of subscribers. 👌 I like being able to chat in the comments section with everyone. Thank you so much for the kind words. I’ll keep at it!!! 👍
Great video as always. Love your stuff
Wow, thank you Yevinn!! Super nice of you to watch and take the extra time to comment.
Wow i hit the right video ...terrific video bro... i am new to Garmin and your video makes it so easy to understand and yeah i prefer amoled screen and those watch faces look great on em.
Thank you Ravit!!!
Love the 265 just upgraded couldn’t be happier
It’s a very nice option!!! Glad you’re enjoying it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I've had mine for around 9 months now (or however long it has been since release) and it absolutely has everything a regular person could ask for. I feel like some of the AMOLED diss comes from people who never used this display technology. Sure, you do have to charge it more frequently, but it charges quickly. I charge it every 4-5 days after waking up and by the time I finish my shower and breakfast it's full or almost full; that's with at least a 30-minute outdoor run every day, with the GPS setting turned to SatIQ.
Yeah, I suspect you're right about people disliking AMOLED devices. Garmin has also done a really good job with sleep mode. The bright screen doesn't really bug me at night. Thanks for sharing your experience here. I think it's really helpful for others to hear. 👍
great video as always
agree with you this is a mid level watch for prices but some of the feature is pretty good
the aqua and black combo color is on point for color
happy training!
yes another video between the 2!!
I'm on it!
FR255 is the best value, if found with a significant discount.
I could find the FR255 for 250€ and the FR265 for 450€.
They are almost identical (same chipset and dual band GPS), the major difference being the 265’s LED display. But if found for 250€/250$, I would say the FR255 is the best value watch. The LED display upgrade isnt worth paying 200€ or 200$ extra. That’s why I bought the FR255.
I agree. The 265 might be great, but it's too expensive to be called 'best value'. The same price gets you a forerunner 955 or fenix 7, which are both better overall.
I agree. $450 puts this watch out of the very best 'value' options and into the really good mid-range options. If people are ok without the AMOLED screen, the 255 is amazing!
@theghostofpcs2391 - Good call. There's some amazing options on sale right now and I don't see any great deals on this 265. I'd say this is a great option for people that are looking for one of the AMOLED options.
I got a 265 for $382 with a huge $67 discount online and went for it because of the beautiful bright display which is unique from the FR255 which I didn't need I already have the 745 which has almost everything the FR255 so I went for something a little different. I like it! I have the small in black/green and it is very light.
Yeah, $450 is not a bad price for how much that Garmin tracks 🤓@@mlegrand
Much slimmer/lighter than my Fenix 5 plus. Doesn’t flop around due to chunky heft like the Fenix. I also like that it displays running power without an external sensor.
Yeah, this is a great option for people to consider. It's a solid value option for people. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
btw, big fan of your videos, should have mentioned this in the start 😅...so much hardwork you put into it 👍
Thank you so much Rohan! 😀
Guys, I understand cost is an important factor, but 265 provides a backup of atleast 6-10 days without always on display with small number of workouts and if u compare that to an apple watch, it surely is a breakthrough for garmin to provide such a battery backup with amoled display. Secondly, everyone does praise MIP displays of 255 n 955 but when you will use 265 or 965, you will not be able to go back to MIP again coz those colors are so vibrant. Plus, since 255 n 955 are older models than the new amoled ones, soon garmin will focus more on the new ones for updates. May be features are similar bw the mip n amoled models but the amoled seems more fluid when you scroll thru menus.
The 255 is practically half the price of the 265, and my 245 still got updates last year. This probably wouldn't even be a discussion if the title said 'amoled', because the 265 is a great watch (although I'm not a fan of the flashy UI).
I think all of your points are valid. But take me as one of the very few people that have used and lived with an AMOLED screen and still gone back to MIP. (I know, I’m not normal) And I don’t think people are going back to MIPs but I also think AMOLED is overrated.
Also, within this video, when I switch to battery saver mode it jumps from 3-4 days all the way up to 22 days. Pretty impressive.
@@mlegrand true that, well MIP is cost effective and people mostly prefer that when it comes to running under sunlight. MIP does provide more battery too.
regarding the battery saver, it jumps to 22 days coz it shuts off the main battery consuming component after amoled i.e the heart rate sensor..
@@mlegrand and i noticed the heart rate sensor works kind of better during always on mode rather than the gesture mode...the sensor somehow goes into standby as and when the screen shuts off and works randomly, when u turn the wrist to switch on the gesture it takes almost 10-15 secs to get an accurate reading...
@@rohanarora85 - Yeah, that's cutting out a lot of useful stuff on the watch. But in a pinch, it's nice to know you can get more battery life.
i have been using the 265 since sometime now...tbh the battery life with an amoled display is just exceptional...the UI is quite alright though it lags only when you use an intensive watchface otherwise its fluid.
The only flaw that I find in this watch is the heart rate sensor or probably their software for it. I have complained about the same on their forum as well, the sensor is just laggy when there is no activity or even when there is, it takes time to pick the right beat. It is an expensive watch and a user expects the main thing to work accurately coz of which all the other data works.
Great feedback Rohan! Thanks for posting this. Hopefully Garmin will work on speeding up that heart rate readout. Seems like it'd be on the software side of thing. Thanks again!
I recently bought a 255 and returned it for a 265 after a day. After coming from a Venu 2 I wanted something that provided more running options but I couldn't get on with no touchscreen and the MIP display on the 255. I managed to get 30% off the 265 through work and so far I am very happy with my 265
Wow, 30% off is fantastic. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I got mine from $449 to paying $382 which is a huge discount because the place I got it from online gives great discounts for Veterans. For this reasons I decide it to get it. I didn't need the 255 because I have the 745 I got as a gift. I wanted the 265 because of the bright colorful display it looks much modern. It makes the 255 looks like a watch from the 90s. I love my 745 and 265 and 45 yes! I still have thr FR45.
First of all, thank for your service to our country! I love the fact that there are stores willing to provide discounts for veterans. I think you’ll like the 265. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Can you say which site? I’d love a Garmin discount!
I have the FR 255, and I don't think the price difference is worth it just for the AMOLED screen. The battery life gives me 37 hours with GPS only, which is considerably more than its AMOLED-equipped counterpart
I've been wearing non-AMOLED watches recently and 99% of the time, it's not a noticeable issue. Yes, the screen isn't as bright or sharp but it's readable in direct sunlight and that's huge. Given that the price and battery life on the 255 is significantly better, I'd say that's the better 'value' overall from Garmin. Good call on snagging that watch Alex and thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Yes, agree 😊
Good call NAW! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
I love how cinematic your B-roll is! For most of those shots, are you using a slider or something like a gimbal?
Dude, just checked out your channel. "Just A Game" - AAAAMAZING. I can't wait to see what you do here on CZcams in the future. Ok, back to your question, I use a gimbal a lot. So those running shots, etc are gimbal shots. But a tripod is the single best tool. A lot of these shots are with a tripod. So I'll spin the product in front of a tripod or add a spin or movement in post production. Lighting is important and I'm still learning how to make this stuff work well together. But let me know if you ever have questions or something I can help with. Best of luck Z!!!
@@mlegrand thanks! so say when the garmin for example is spinning, that is either done in post or using something like a turntable? in terms of the zooming into the watch, are you physically moving the camera closer to the watch or is that also done in post?
@@ZRaceCentral - Yes, turntable or post. Most frequently, I’ll add a subtle push in post. It’s in almost every shot in this video.
Whas that your Christmas Tree you cut and carried away at the end? If so, awesome part of the video 🎄
Yeah, I was moving that to the Christmas tree 🌲 graveyard! Holidays are fun around here!!!
I had a 235 that died and I'm looking at a 265 possibly but not sure yet. This was good to see.
Hi Andrew, I think the 265 is the way to go. It’s a great option. Let me know if you have any questions.
I don't understand the AMOLED thing. Especially if you want the battery to last longer, the screen should be turned off as much as possible. Never had a problem with the MIP screen. Everything can be seen very well in any conditions.
Hopefully Garmin FR will go back to MIP screens. I have been using FR for 7 years. I think I could upgrade my 245 to a newer one, but it seems that I have to wait, because the price is much too big for the 265. And I agree with the others that the best value is the 255.
Thanks for the detailed review. Always a pleasure to watch.
Yep, I agree also. That 255 is hard to beat. The AMOLED is super sharp but I don’t miss it that much when I switch back to MIP displays. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
It seems that the 255 and 955 are the last forerunner watches with the MIP display. I think the MIP will survive only in models such as Instinct or perhaps Fenix. Otherwise, Garmin would choose a different labeling, not the 2xx and 9xx series.
I started running with a Timex smartwatch with an arm unit for GPS (pretty sure that large, armband device gave me some cancer) year later, oh yeah, Garmin came into my life. I don't recall the model of the 2.5-inch long rectangular watch on my left wrist called a ForeRunner, but it was epic... Fast forward to 2024, twenty years later and the Garmin ForeRunner 955 Solar is on its way to my house. I love your videos, amazing editing skills, and your stories captivate me, thanks Matt!
It was probably the forerunner 201 or 305. Those were big boys. But Timex made a hell of a watch back in the day. I’m scared to think how much faster I was when I used Timex compared to how I run these days. 😬
In Canada, the 265 costs 600$. This is really too expensive I find. Fortunately, I was able to get a huge reimbursement amount from the company I work for. Aside the high price, I love my watch in almost every way except the look that could be more elegant for someone that wears the watch every day. Another aspect to improve is the size of the screen bezel. The next iteration of that model should be as good as the bezel found in the Venu 3.
Great suggestions Jerome! Hopefully Garmin is listening 👂 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
€349 incl taxes with my bank in the Netherlands.
I think display likes FR 945 or Fenix 6 are still the best in terms of durability and availability of data, also touch screen in water, sweaty situation (tipical for this kind of watch user) are the most important feature: Frankly speaking the only stuff that attract me for those evolution are treading readiness or new algorithm, but battery and screen always on by design are top needs for TRI
I will say that Garmin does a great job with their touch screens in wet environments. (Typically turning them off in favor of buttons) I also really love the morning report that’s part of the newer Garmin devices. But I also believe AMOLED is overrated. I might be the only person but MIP displays work well in direct sunlight and sip battery life 🤷🏻♂️. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand yes morning report are usefull i like to check battery and sleep on my phone and probably toghether with training readiness it's quite interesting, but i really love the raw screen of FR 945 and Fenix 6 and i think one missing feature on a new model would be magnetic charger. Did you ever compared battery life in a typical triathlon training week of Fenix6 vs 7 or FR945 vs 965 ?
I recently purchased a 265, and the three buttons on the left side have a clicky feel and function consistently. However, the back button on the right side of the watch face feels squishy and only responds when pressed down firmly until it clicks. I'm wondering if this is a deliberate design choice or a quality control issue. Given that the button resembles those on the left in style, I'm inclined to think they should all share the same tactile response and activate upon being pressed.
Yes, I think this is a quality control issue. I’d see if you could possibly switch it out. 😬 Sorry buddy.
I’ve been watching multiple videos back and forth comparing these 2 watches, 265 and 965. Still having trouble deciding which to get. I’m still using my Fenix 5 from 2018. It’s good but battery life is not as great as before and of cos the newer features from these newer watch is tempting me with so many data stats to keep track of.
It's a tricky call. But the longer you wait the more value you're getting out of that Fenix 5! 🙌 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
ARE YOU LIFTING A TREE!? You are so strong.
The graphics are really sharp!
The photos with the string...that's classy.
THE SCREENS ARE SO SHARP!
Curiosu, the "no gps" mode, is it actually no gps? As in there isn't a more substantial battery drain during workouts? Or is that battery drain associated with more accurate HR data?
Have to run to go play a board game with some mates - but I"ll watch second half later!!
XOXO
"No gps" mode. Heart rate tracking should still be going so it might drain the battery a bit more than standby. I don't know for sure. I'd have to do some testing. Enjoy your board game buddy!!!!
I am thinking of getting a used fr 265 for $260. Still contemplating if its a good deal or not? better deal than a new coros pace 3? Thoughts?
As long as it’s in good condition! Yeah, it’s a better device than the Pace 3. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand thanks so much for replying. Great video as always. I also see a Fenix 7x for $300 but that sounds too good to be true maybe.
Is this better than COROS PACE 3 for hiking for example?
I'm not a huge hiker so I don't know if I'm the best judge but I think it's a good bit better than the Coros Pace 3.
A comparison between the 265 and 965 would be good. I’ve been interested in both those watches as I currently have a Fenix 6 Pro S which is great but it might be time for an upgrade.
Ok, I'm on it! Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
czcams.com/video/wwCB4ayuybU/video.html
Plz give a detailed analysis/ review of 965 Vs 265
Ok, I'll get to work on that. It will take a bit to put together. Maybe a few weeks. Thank you Dr Ganesh Rakh!
I'm looking forward for your comparison of those top watches too. I am not yet decided and struggling with myself
Hola, a día de hoy que plataforma eligiria para sus entrenamientos Garmin connect o coros ?
I test and use both platforms. I tend to use the Garmin Connect platform a bit more than the COROS. Thank you for watching buddy!
965 vs AW ultra? I wanna upgrade from my series 7. And also switching away from apple is a bit daunting! How do the health metrics work with garmin and apple health?
Garmin has it's own Garmin Connect app which has pretty comprehensive activity tracking metrics. It'll also show sleep, steps and other stuff in here but it is different than Apple Health. It's a bit more sports and recovery focussed. If you switch to Garmin, there will be things you will miss from the Apple Watch. But the same goes the other way. Tricky call. Let me know if there's anything else I can do to help. Thanks Adil!
@@mlegrand yeah that’s my concern. I’ve got years of data in Apple health and it’s always good to look back and see the progress
@@mlegrand another question actually! I really like the vibration alarm on my AW. Does garmin have something similar - really not much info online!
@@Karaku5 - Not that I know of. Seems like something Garmin should consider adding. 🤷♂
@@Karaku5I’ve been using the vivoactive 5 which has this, so imagine the 265 will do too
Please, do the comparative between the 255 and 265.
Ok, I'm on it!
I thinkt for those who only want to run but have complete functions, the 265 is fine. What do You think?
Garmin also has a new 165 which covers most of what runners might need. 👍
Hi Matt could you do a 165 v 265 comparison. I have small wrists so please compare them both on yours. I have Apple Watch 9. But the HR monitor is very patchy and I prefer garmin health app. So I use Apple for day to day and I have a garmin forerunner 50s which I use for my 2 runs a week not ideal but it works for me. Now I want to upgrade my garmin for the 165. But would be interested to know your thought. Thanks.
Sorry meant to say I have forerunner 55s. Not 50. It’s the small version as I have very small wrists 150mm. The watch just does the job gps and HR always spot on. But would like to upgrade to 165
Yeah, I am planning to review the 165 in a few weeks. I’ll try to compare it visually to the 266 somewhere within that initial review. The 265 does come in a smaller size option which you might like but I’m guessing the 165 will have everything you want. I think it’d be cool to make a 165 vs 265 separate video but it’ll take some time to get all of this done. ✅ 👍
How much better is the Coros pace 3 battery life?
COROS does a few things to increase battery life. Lower heart rate sample rates and a different screen technology for example. But I’m seeing about 3x the battery life on the COROS Pace 3.
In my country the 265 costs the same as the 955, so I guess it's better to just go for the 955 ?
Or even the fenix 7.
The 955 is a really great option with a long batter life and mapping. It's a good option as long as you're ok without AMOLED. (Personally, I don't think AMOLED is a deal breaker)
ofc yes.
Does the 265 track swimming
Yes it does. It’s probably one of the best swimming watch’s on the market in my humble opinion. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Last Christmas sale, this FR265 gave me headache as which watch to buy.
But then suddenly 1 yr old FR955 (non-solar) show with almost same price ($450 equivalent), so its no brainer to get it and I like MIP vs Amoled at least for now for watches especially for battery life.
I love FR955, the only possibly gripe is a little to thick for watch but I'm getting use to it.
Anyhow, Subs to you now after couple of your vids showing on my feeds and like how you present your vids / opinion. Keep it up bro!
Same predicament for me as well last month when I wanted to upgrade from my aging FR235. I picked up the 955 (just under $400 here in Indonesia) over the 265 mostly for the mapping for the occasional times I go hiking.
I believe the 265 doesn't have mapping though I could be wrong.
Thank you so much for the kind words about the channel!!! That 955 is a really great device. I think you’ll really enjoy it. The MIP displays aren’t as sharp but they’re still extremely usable and better in direct sunlight. AMOLED is nice but I don’t miss it that much when wearing other watches. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand YES after 1 month of use, I do really enjoy using it. I just wish I go ahead spent more and get the Solar just for Aesthetic reason as Solar just add 1-2 days as most hahaha. But with 12-13 days with 30mins-1hr daily activity, that's more than enough for me.
I belive I will be using FR955 for next 2 yrs, unless battery for Amoled (AOD) is already more than 1 week or tempted to sales haha. Else in future I think the sole MIP units will only be Fenix line-up.
@@dri1811ya Yes I think 265 only have Breadcrumb navigation instead of Full map navigation of 955. And I think Battery life is big difference of 2 due to difference in display tech.
450 Euro is really expensive for that watch. The pace 3 does most things the fr 265 does at 250 euro :/
Yeah, the price is probably my biggest complaint here. I gave the Pace 3 an extremely positive review here: czcams.com/video/zK7RnkhpVqU/video.html and I think the next video on this channel will be the Coros Pace 3 After 100 Days.
@@mlegrand i would be very interested to see that!
Oh the value... As of now Fenix 7/7s can be had here for 30€ more. And if you want something lighter e.g. Polar Pacer Pro can be had for 40% of the cost.
Yeah, I don’t disagree. That Fenix 7 at that price is a hell of a deal. I’m not sure the Pacer Pro is quite on the same level as this FR 265 but it’s all hard to say. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@@mlegrand Sure Pacer Pro is not at the level of FR265, but even for pretty active person the training features are more than sufficient and thus it is hugely better value at that price.
I missed mip screen. Feels like losing an old friend of mine
100% - I switch around between watches a lot and when I go back to a MIP screen it's really not bad. 99.9% of the time, I'm just glancing at my watch for the time. I don't always need super sharp text. It just needs to be visible. MIPs are visible in all different kinds of conditions. Hopefully Garmin doesn't give up on it. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment Slim, I really appreciate it. 👍
No non music option? Not good Garmin.
Yeah, same with the 965, Fenix and Epix. The nicer watches just have it on here by default. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
And Garmin doesn’t support Apple Music which I have. So I’m paying for something I can’t use.
Venu 3 ❤
I've yet to review that one. I'll try to get one at some point soon. 👌 Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
Disagree. The 255 is half the price and has 99% of the features. Certainly those that matters.
Great call Rob! And that 255 is typically on sale and I don't see any great deals on this 265. I'd say this is only a great option for people that are looking for one of the AMOLED options. Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
@mlegrand Sure! If you're crazy about getting amoled the 265 is a pretty good option. Just not enough differentiation otherwise to justify the high price IMO. Thanks for your videos, they're always well produced.
@@robhunt8378 - Thanks Rob! Best of luck with training this year! 👍
255 Music and 265 difference is too little though , almost even. I got my 265 for $420 brand new from a Hong Kong online seller. If you're talking about the base 255, then Music storage is not just 1%. It's a dealbreaker for some to have no music storage
@@escamunicha4276 it's a fair point. Depends on the country too. In the UK the 255 music could be found for around 240-260 with the right deal. I've never seen the 265 below £360. May be worth for that price difference if you want Amoled I guess (or hotkeys)
Garmin’s best value watch is 255 /955 ...
255 for sure. Maybe the 955 non Solar. But it also depends a lot on who is running sales. Currently, I'm not seeing a ton of deals. 🤷♂️ Thank you for watching and taking the extra time to comment. I really appreciate it. 👍
No 955 i have that watch and now my second. First one lot of bugs, same for the second one. At higher temp. + 20 Celsius it shuts off. And distances arent precise. I run now again with my prehistorie 235 because its more reliable.
Still loving my 245 amazing watch, had it 4 years and battery still lasts 7 days 🫡
Wow, that's fantastic. I think you'll enjoy the updated features when it's time to update. But make the 245 last as long as possible. That's tremendous value!