Garmin’s collection of AMOLED sports watches has rapidly expanded over the last couple of years, with the Fenix 8 the latest to join the ranks alongside the Forerunner 965 and Forerunner 265 released in 2023.
All three of these sports watches have performed extremely well in our review testing, whether in tracking accuracy, training analysis, or battery life. It means picking between the trio is a tricky task – and, really, the decision boils down to budget and the level of features you require from your AMOLED Garmin.
The Fenix 8 range is the most expensive here, representing the peak of the brand’s tracking in a chunky, premium design. If you’re a multi-sport athlete, enjoy having a wide breadth of features, and require something outdoor-ready (and you can afford one of the many versions on offer), this is the pick.
Alternatively, Forerunner devices – whether the top-of-the-range 965 or mid-range 265 – are primarily geared to those looking to power training in the core triathlon disciplines: running, cycling, and swimming.
There’s plenty more to understand than just these broad facts, though, which is why we’ve spent the last few weeks testing these models against each other to help you decide between them. Let’s dive in.
In-depth: Garmin Fenix 8 review
Specs comparison
| Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED (47mm) | Garmin Forerunner 965 | Garmin Forerunner 265 | |
| Case size options | 43mm, 47mm and 51mm | 47mm | 42mm and 46mm |
| Waterproof rating | 100 metres and 40 metres (diving) | 50 metres | 50 metres |
| AMOLED screen | 1.4-inch , 454 x 454 | 1.4-inch , 454 x 454 | 1.1, 360 x 360 or 1.3, 416 x 416 |
| Dual-frequency GPS | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Full-color maps | Yes | Yes | No |
| Navigation and route import | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life | Up to 16 days (47mm) | Up to 23 days | Up to 13/15 days |
| GPS battery life | Up to 35 hours | Up to 31 hours | Up to 20-24 hours |
Price and versions
In true Garmin style, there are many options to pick between here – but the Forerunner models are more limited in their sizes and styles.
The 265 comes in 42mm (265s) or 46mm (265) case sizes, for example, while the 965 is only available in a single case size (47mm). This matches the middle size of the Fenix 8.
Garmin’s latest Fenix comes in 43mm, 47mm, and 51mm sizes if you opt for the AMOLED Fenix 8 – or you can choose between 47mm and 51mm for the solar-powered, non-AMOLED version.
For pricing, the 265 comes in the cheapest, with all versions priced at£429.99/$449.99. Next is the Garmin Forerunner 965, at £599.99/$599.99. Then we get to the Fenix 8 and its many models.
Pricing for a Fenix starts at £949/$999, but this can stretch to $1,199/£1,039 if you go for the 51mm AMOLED Fenix, which essentially will give you the biggest battery of all the model sizes (more on that later).
It seems odd to talk about value for money with such big prices attached to these watches, but it feels like the 965 mostly hits the sweet spot in terms of features at that still high cost.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965
Design, display, and build
We know these are Garmin watches with color screens and, across the board, they’re great quality AMOLED displays. It’s what’s wrapped around them where there are some differences.
The big one for us has been the protection against scratches on those screens. The 965 and 265 use versions of Corning’s Gorilla Glass, while the Fenix 8 has the option of Corning’s scratch protection or tougher sapphire crystal. We easily managed to pick up scratches on the 965 in our testing, so, if you’re planning to get rugged with these watches, the Fenix will give you a little more support on that front.
That extends to the case, where it’s polymer across the board, with Garmin adding metal for the case rear and giving you the choice of steel or titanium bezels for the Fenix 8. The 965 uses titanium at the bezel, too, and that makes for a slightly nicer look than the 265. Still, this lesser model brings a sleek, sporty style that’s great for exercise.
The difference in materials and sizes, as you would expect, impacts the weight. Our 51mm Fenix 8 weighs a whopping 92g, compared to 53g (965) and 39g (265s). Of course, if you drop down a size with the Fenix, things will get lighter, but it’s undeniably the bigger watch to live with.
The Fenix 8 also has a little more to offer on the durability front. It has a 10 ATM (up to 100 meters) waterproof rating compared to the 5ATM (up to 50 meters) one on the 965 and 265. The Fenix also includes leakproof inductive buttons, which help to make it safe for recreational diving up to 40 meters.
There’s another thing the Fenix 8 has in its locker: the LED flashlight. While we initially thought this addition was a bit of a gimmick when it was introduced en masse in the last-gen Fenix 7 Pro/Epix Pro models, but have actually found it very useful in longer-term testing. It’s also something the 965 and 265 both miss out on.
Winner: Garmin Fenix 8
Smart features and OS
These Garmin watches run on the company’s proprietary operating system, working with Android and iPhones and offering a consistent experience across those two platforms.
As smartwatches, they all work well. They display notifications nicely and offer features like Garmin Pay and weather forecasts, Connect IQ Store access, and built-in music players for offline playback from apps like Spotify.
While the experience is the same, though, keep storage in mind when picking between these models; the 265 offers the least storage (8GB vs 32GB available on Fenix 8/965), so there’s less room for apps and audio files.
The big differences lie with the UI changes Garmin has made to the Fenix 8, and it’s unclear if those changes will be supported on the 965 and 265. You’re also getting the added voice features on the Fenix, with the ability to make Bluetooth calls, summon your smartphone’s smart assistant, record voice notes, and command your watch without pressing a button.
How important those features are in day-to-day will depend on the user, but, outside those voice smarts, there’s little to separate this trio of Garmins in the smarts department.
Winner: Garmin Fenix 8
Battery life
Battery life is a big factor when you throw an AMOLED screen into the mix. Simply, whether the always-on mode is enabled or not, this will drain the battery quicker than Garmin’s transflective, memory-in-pixel displays. And it’s worth remembering that the latter, more power-efficient displays are available as part of the Fenix 8 range (but not the 965 or 265).
When using these three watches under roughly the same testing conditions, which include enabling the AOD, our experience has shown that the 965 will typically last around 6-7 days. The 265, meanwhile, will last around 4 days. Both, it should be noted, can last comfortably over a week if you disable the AOD.
With the Fenix 8, we’ve been testing the largest, 51mm AMOLED option, and the battery has kept us going for weeks. Garmin says it can go for anywhere from 29-48 days. The 965 promises 23 days and the 265 13 days. Again, this will depend on the usage of key features, but the Fenix 8, whichever model you opt for, is going to give you more.
It’s the same for GPS battery life. In the top accuracy mode, the Fenix 8 will last up to 62 hours, while the 965 is limited to 19 and the 265 is even less at 16 hours. Those should cover you for regular GPS use throughout the week, and leave a smaller dent in the Fenix 8’s battery reserves.
Winner: Garmin Fenix 8
Tracking performance
These are all multisports watches at heart, with the 965 and 265 offering a more running-focused edge, while the Fenix 8 brings more on the adventure tracking front.
It’s a watch you can go diving with, track a wider range of outdoor sports, and enjoy a richer mapping experience.
The good news is that from an accuracy point of view, all three have performed well for us, particularly on the GPS front. All offer Garmin’s latest Multi-Band GNSS mode, and that leads to some of the best tracking accuracy we’ve found on a sports watch.
All have optical heart rate sensors and support the ability to pair external HR sensors. Although, if you don’t want to do that, we’ve found the smaller 265 has performed best in our heart rate tests.
When turning to the watches for maps and navigation, the 965 and the Fenix 8 both feature full mapping support, while the 265 supports breadcrumb-style navigation with support to upload routes. Both work well, but, naturally, if this is an important feature for you, we would always recommend opting for that native mapping experience.
The mapping support on the 965 and Fenix 8 is pretty similar, especially given they have the same size and resolution screens, with the Fenix 8 only adding ski resort maps and some additional tides information. If you’re going to use them for activities like runs and hikes, the experience across the map-supporting Garmins should do the job for you.
In the core sports modes, the 265 also misses out on the golf mode present on the 965, though even the latter’s golf support isn’t as detailed as the Fenix 8’s. The Forerunner models also lack insights like heat and altitude acclimation, endurance scores, and real-time stamina metrics.
Ultimately though, they all offer a good balance of tracking accuracy, analysis and supported sports. You’re not going to grab these watches for health or general wellbeing tracking really though we’ve found all pretty competent for continuous heart rate and stress monitoring with all three offering similar results for sleep tracking. It can be inconsistent at times, but Garmin’s sleep tracking in general has improved.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 965
Verdict
So, that’s how we got on with testing with the Fenix 8, Forerunner 965, and Forerunner 265, so which of these Garmins should you be sizing up? Here’s our take:
Buy the Garmin Fenix 8 if… you want the toughest AMOLED-packing watch with standout tracking, more advanced smartwatch features, and weeks of battery life.
Buy the Garmin Forerunner 965 if… you want features like good GPS accuracy, full mapping and Garmin’s best training features at a more affordable price than the Fenix 8.
Buy the Garmin Forerunner 265 if… you want a Garmin AMOLED watch with good wrist-based HR performance, a smaller design and roughly a week of battery between charges.
Also, consider the Garmin Forerunner 165… if you’re set on a Garmin with a colour screen and want good tracking, some navigation support, and solid battery life on a budget.
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