Garmin Forerunner 265 and 955 are for advanced runners. Forerunner 955 was released in 2022 and Forerunner 265 is a March 2023 released smartwatch.
Both watches are priced in an identical price range. So, it makes all the more sense to study the features and capabilities of the Forerunner 265 and 955 before committing your money to one of these.
We look forward to settling the debate between the Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 955 by evaluating each watch on the significant factors below.
Main differences between Forerunner 265 and 955
- Forerunner 955 comes at a list price of $499.99 and Forerunner 265 costs $449.99.
- Forerunner 955 supports Golf and pairs with the Golf app.
- Forerunner 265 has an AMOLED display while the Forerunner 955 has an MIP screen or the memory-in-pixel screen
- Forerunner 955 has higher device storage than Forerunner 265
- Forerunner 955 has a much better battery backup than the Forerunner 265
We look at each of these differences in detail below.
Display
The biggest differentiator between the Forerunner 265 and 955 has to be the display type and technology used.
Forerunner 955 uses a MIP or memory-in-pixel screen. There is nothing wrong with the MIP screen. It, actually, helps in the optimum usage of the battery.
Forerunner 265 uses an AMOLED display. The AMOLED display is a heavy battery user. But, it does bring out better display clarity and brightness on the Forerunner 265.
- Due to AMOLED display, AOD or Always-on-display mode is supported on Forerunner 265.
- AMOLED display leads to a much better display resolution of the Forerunner 265.
The display resolution of Forerunner 265 is 416 x 416 pixels and the display resolution of Forerunner 955 is 260 x 260 pixels.
One of the other display facts to consider is the type of display glass used on each watch.
Forerunner 265 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and Forerunner 955 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX. The Forerunner 955 has a better variant of the Corning Gorilla Glass 3 as it has an additional DX coating on the display surface.
DX coating is an anti-reflective coating that helps in improving the readability experience of the display screen. You can read more about the DX coated Corning Gorilla Glass on this page.
Both watches come with a display screen size of 1.3″ or 33 mm. The Forerunner 265, however, has an Ambient light sensor.
Both watches also have a color displays and support touchscreen functionality.
Bottomline – Forerunner 265 has much better display technology and display performance than the Forerunner 955.
Physical specifications
In terms of the physical device specifications of the Forerunner 265 and 955, there are subtle differences. Some of these are shared below.
- Forerunner 265 has device dimensions of 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm and Forerunner 955 has device dimensions of 46.5 x 46.5 x 14.4 mm.
- Forerunner 265 weighs 47 g and Forerunner 955 weighs 52 g.
- Forerunner 265 is recommended for a wrist circumference between 135-205 mm.
- Forerunner 955 is recommended for a wrist circumference between 130-220 mm.
- Forerunner 955 has a device storage of 32 GB and Forerunner 265 has a device storage of 8 GB. Device storage is critical for adding topo maps and storing offline music files for offline listening through the watch.
The body of Forerunner 265 and 955 is made of fiber-enforced polymer. Both watches come with a 22 mm silicone band.
Bottomline – Forerunner 955 has better device specifications. It is designed to offer better battery life and device storage for serious runners.
Battery
In terms of battery life, the Forerunner 955 offers better backup. The battery backup for the Forerunner 955 is designed to last longer and it outlasts the battery of the Forerunner 265 as well.
The actual battery backup times for Forerunner 265 and 955 are given below for ready reference.
| Mode | Forerunner 955 backup | Forerunner 265 backup |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | up to 15 days | up to 13 days |
| GPS mode | up to 42 hours | up to 20 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band without music | up to 20 hours | up to 14 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band with music | up to 8.5 hours | up to 7 hours |
Bottomline – The additional battery life of the Forerunner 955 is meant to offer extended backup times to serious runners. For committed runners, a Forerunner 955 battery is more useful.
Activity profiles
Forerunner 955 has more comprehensive activity profiles than Forerunner 265. Some of these extensive profiles are given hereunder.
- Outdoor recreation profiles – Forerunner 955 has additional recreation profiles for Climbing, Backcountry Skiing, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, XC Skate Skiing, Stand Up, Kayaking, Snowshoeing, Mapping, Navigating, Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Track Me, Project Waypoint, Disc Golf.
- Cycling profiles – Forerunner 955 has additional cycling profiles for Gravel Biking, Road Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, Cyclocross.
- Forerunner 955 also has additional swimming profiles for Swimming/running.
The incremental activity profiles on the Forerunner 955 offer a wide range of activities that can be tracked through the watch.
Final thoughts
Depending on the usage, you may pick a Forerunner 955 or Forerunner 265. For seasoned runners, a Forerunner 955 offers more value for money. It has a better battery, more extensive training and activity tracking profiles. The DX coated Corning Gorilla Glass 3 of the Forerunner 955 is also a better glass.
Forerunner 265’s AMOLED display is a good progression from the Forerunner 955 series.