Forerunner 265 was released in March 2023 while Fitbit Sense 2 was unveiled in September 2022. We look at a detailed comparison between Forerunner 265 and Sense 2 in this post.
Main differences
The main differences between Forerunner 265 and Fitbit Sense 2 are shared below:
- Forerunner 265 is pricier than Fitbit Sense 2 by $150.
- Forerunner 265 can work with Android 7 or higher Android devices. It can work with iOS 15 or higher devices. Fitbit Sense 2 can work with Android 9 or higher devices. Sense 2 is compatible with iOS 15 or higher devices.
- Forerunner 265 supports multi-band GPS. It has a multi-frequency positioning sensor to offer dual-frequency GPS. Sense 2 does not support multi-band GPS.
- Forerunner 265 supports GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite networks. Sense 2 supports GPS and GLONASS satellite networks. The Galileo network is not supported by Sense 2.
- Forerunner 265 supports wireless connectivity of ANT+, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi. Fitbit Sense 2 can work with Bluetooth only.
- Forerunner 265 supports incident detection features. Sense 2 does not have any fall detection feature.
- Forerunner 265 has a longer battery backup than the Sense 2. The battery backup of Forerunner 265 is almost double the battery backup of Sense 2.
- Garmin Forerunner 265 is designed for runners. It has exclusive programs for running, outdoor recreation, and cycling.
- Forerunner 265 has 5 tactile buttons. 3 tactile buttons on the left side and 2 tactile buttons on the right side. Sense 2 has a side key on the left side of the watch.
- Sense 2 has an in-built speaker and microphone. You can make or answer calls from a Sense 2 directly from your wrist.
- Sense 2 does not have any music functionality while the Forerunner 265 provides full music coverage.
- Sense 2 is compatible with the ECG app. You can take on-demand cardiograms with a Sense 2. Forerunner 265 does not have ECG functionality.
- Forerunner 265 comes in two sizes 42 mm and 46 mm. Sense 2 has a single-size variant of 40 mm only.
We look at these features and differences in detail below.
Display specifications
Forerunner 265 and Sense 2 support AMOLED display. Both watches are capable of supporting the Always-on-display (AOD) mode.
Forerunner 265 also uses a 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass. The details about the Sense 2 display lens are unavailable.
A side-by-side comparison of Forerunner 265 and Sense 2 is shared below in the table.
| Display specifications | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Display lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | No information |
| Display shape | Round | Box or Square |
| Display size | 1.3″ or 33 mm | 1.58″ or 40 mm |
| Display resolution | 416 x 416 pixels | 336 x 336 pixels |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Color display | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on-display | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | Yes |
Forerunner 265 has a better display resolution than the Fitbit Sense 2. The quality of the display lens is also good in Forerunner 265.
Physical specifications
In our experience, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is a robust watch and looks more premium than Fitbit Sense 2.
A complete list of physical specifications of Forerunner 265 and Sense 2 is shared below.
| Physical specifications | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| iOS compatible | iOS 15 and higher versions | iOS 15 and higher versions |
| Android compatible | Android 7 and higher versions | Android 9 and higher versions |
| Watch size | 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm | 40 x 41 x 11mm |
| Watch weight | 47 g | 46 g |
| Thickness | 12.9 mm | 11 mm |
| Band size | 22 mm | Small and Large bands |
| Band material | Silicone | Silicone |
| Watch body | Fiber-enforced polymer | Aluminum |
| NFC or Contactless Payments | Garmin Pay | Fitbit Pay and Google Wallet |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM or 50 Meters | 5 ATM or 50 Meters |
| Device storage | 8 GB | 7 days of activity data |
| Speaker | No | Yes |
| Microphone | No | Yes |
Forerunner 265 has better device storage than Fitbit Sense 2. The body of the Forerunner 265 is sturdier than Fitbit Sense 2. Forerunner 265 is broader than Sense 2 while the Sense 2 is sleeker.
GPS
Forerunner 265 offers more reliable and accurate GPS connectivity than Fitbit Sense 2.
Forerunner 265 comes with a multi-frequency positioning sensor. The sensor allows Forerunner 265 to offer multi-band GPS or dual-frequency GPS capability.
With multi-band GPS, Forerunner 265 can get GPS data from multiple satellites at any given point in time. The overall reliability of GPS connection improves due to multi-band GPS.
Fitbit Sense 2 does not offer multi-band GPS support.
Apart from the dual-frequency GPS support, Forerunner 265 supports GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo satellite networks. Fitbit Sense 2 can only support GPS and GLONASS satellite networks.
The Galileo satellite network is owned and managed by the European Space Agency. Galileo GPS connectivity improves GPS accuracy and reliability in Europe.
Forerunner 265’s multi-band GPS support and Galileo GPS network compatibility make it a much more preferable smartwatch than Fitbit Sense 2.
Wireless Connectivity
Garmin Forerunner 265 can support Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ wireless connectivity. Fitbit Sense 2 can only support Bluetooth connectivity.
Wi-Fi is not enabled on Fitbit Sense 2.
Music
Fitbit Sense 2 does not support any music functionality.
Garmin Forerunner 265 can provide complete music coverage. In Forerunner 265, you can avail of the following music features:
- You can store music content on the Forerunner 265 device storage. Forerunner 265 has an internal memory of 8 GB.
- You can manage music on Forerunner 265 directly from the smartwatch interface.
- You can download the Spotify music streaming app from the Connect IQ store and use it through paired smartphone connectivity. A premium subscription of Spotify is needed to avail the music streaming ability.
- You can use Forerunner 265 to control and manage music on the paired smartphone.
Forerunner 265 is compatible with full music functionality. Sense 2 lacks music functionality. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of the Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch.
ECG app
Fitbit Sense 2 offers an ECG app to take on-demand electrocardiogram readings. You can share these ECG readings with your medical practitioner.
Fitbit Sense 2 uses an optical heart sensor to take ECG readings.
Forerunner 265 does not have the ECG app or ability.
Sensors
Forerunner 265 and Fitbit Sense 2 offer an identical set of sensor, with a few exceptions.
| Sensors | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | No |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate sensor | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygenation sensor | Yes | Yes |
| NFC Receiver | Yes | Yes |
| cEDA Sensor for Stress tracking | No | Yes |
Forerunner 265 includes a compass while the Sense 2 does not have a sensor for the compass. Fitbit Sense 2 has a cEDA sensor to measure skin conductance (cEDA) for stress detection.
Health tracking
Forerunner 265 has a rich suite of health-tracking features. Sense 2 also has a diverse range of health-tracking features.
Some health monitoring and tracking features in Sense 2 are part of the Fitbit Premium subscription. Fitbit Premium is an additional cost of $79.99 a year or $9.99 a month.
| Health monitoring | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Fitbit Sense 2 |
|---|---|---|
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Resting Heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate variability (HRV) | Yes | Yes |
| ECG app | No | Yes |
| cEDA Sensor for Stress tracking | No | Yes |
| Breathing rate monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygenation monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Stress monitoring | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Stress score | Yes | Yes (in Fitbit Premium) |
| Health Dashboard | Yes | Yes (in Fitbit Premium) |
| Temperature readings | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Glucose Tracking | No | Yes (in Fitbit Premium) |
| Women Health | Yes | Yes |
| Body stress scores | Body Battery | Daily Readiness Score (in Fitbit Premium) |
Fitbit Sense 2 has an ECG app for on-demand electrocardiogram readings. These ECG readings can be shared with a medical practitioner. Apart from this, Sense 2 also has a cEDA sensor that measures stress through electrical conductance.
A few health parameters and a consolidated Health Dashboard in Fitbit Sense 2 are behind the paywall of Fitbit Premium.
Battery
The battery life of Fitbit Sense 2 is 6 days. With GPS usage, the battery drains at a faster rate.
Sense 2 does support fast charging. You can add a day’s worth of charge by charging the device for 12 minutes.
Forerunner 265 offers longer battery backup. It is designed to keep the steady company of athletes and runners.
The watch operates in different smartwatch modes. The battery charge rating for each watch mode in Forerunner 265 is shared below:
| Watch mode | Forerunner 265 backup |
|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | Up to 13 days |
| GPS-Only GNSS mode | Up to 20 hours |
| GPS-Only GNSS mode with music | Up to 7 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band | Up to 14 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music | Up to 6 hours |
| SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode | Up to 16 hours |
| SatIQ (AutoSelect) GNSS mode with music | Up to 6.5 hours |
The battery backup of Forerunner 265 is double the battery backup offered by a Fitbit Sense 2 smartwatch.
Costs
Garmin Forerunner 265 comes at a list price of $449.99 while the Fitbit Sense 2 costs $299.99.
Final verdict
Forerunner 265 is my personal favorite and I am heavily biased in favor of the Forerunner series. In particular, the reasons I like Forerunner 265 over the Fitbit Sense 2 are:
- Multi-band GPS in Forerunner 265
- Support for Galileo satellite networks. Trust me, it helps in improving GPS reliability across the European terrain.
- Support for ANT+, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity.
- Full music functionality
- Longer battery life
- Sturdier build of the watch.
- 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass in the display lens of the watch.
The only reason I can think of Fitbit Sense 2 is the availability of the ECG app. I find the build quality of Fitbit Sense 2 lacking. It could have been built more sturdily to last longer.
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