Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Samsung Watch 6

Garmin Forerunner 265 and Samsung Watch 6 are competing smartwatches within a price bracket. Forerunner 265 was unveiled in March 2023 and Samsung Watch 6 was released in August 2023.

We look at the significant differences between the Forerunner 265 and the Samsung Watch 6 below.

Smartwatch features covered in this post

Main differences

Garmin Forerunner 265 comes in two sizes (42 mm and 46 mm). On a similar note, the Samsung Watch 6 comes in Classic Edition and the Standard Edition in two different sizes (43 mm and 47 mm).
Garmin Forerunner 265 can work with Android and iOS smartphones. Samsung Watch 6 can only work with Android devices and it is incompatible with iOS devices or iPhones.
Samsung Watch 6 has an IP68 dust-resistant rating. Garmin Forerunner 265 lacks the IP rating against dust protection.
Samsung Watch 6 comes with an ECG app to take on-demand electrocardiogram readings. Forerunner 265 lacks the ECG app functionality.
Samsung Watch 6 uses the Sapphire glass in the display. Forerunner 265 uses the 3rd generation Corning Gorilla Glass.
Garmin Forerunner 265 has a longer battery backup than Samsung Watch 6.
Forerunner 265 has a more reliable and accurate GPS performance than the Samsung Watch 6 as it supports multi-band GPS.
Samsung Watch 6 Classic and regular editions also come in an LTE variant. This means that you can connect to a network services provider or a cellular provider using the LTE connection in the Samsung Watch 6 Classic LTE edition.
Samsung Watch 6 has a higher storage of 16 GB. Forerunner 265 has an internal storage of 8 GB.
Samsung Watch 6 comes in limited colors -Black and Graphite gray. Forerunner 265 has more color options.
You can make calls or answer calls directly from the Samsung Watch 6.
Samsung Watch 6 does not support ANT+ wireless connectivity. Forerunner 265 supports ANT+ wireless connectivity.
Samsung Watch 6 Classic Edition comes with a rotating bezel.
Samsung Watch 6 has an in-built speaker and microphone.

We look at some of these main features and differences below.

Display specifications

Samsung Watch 6 has a better display glass as it uses Sapphire glass. Sapphire glass is made of Sapphire crystal. Sapphire crystals are the second hardest naturally available mineral in the world.

Sapphire glasses are almost scratch-resistant and take the normal wear and tear very easily.

The other display specifications are shared below.

Display specifications	Garmin Forerunner 265	Samsung Watch 6
Display lens	Corning Gorilla Glass 3	Sapphire Glass
Display size	1.3″ or 33 mm	33mm(1.3″) or 37 mm (1.4″)
Display type	AMOLED	AMOLED
Always-on-display	Yes	Yes
Display resolution	416 x 416 pixels	450 x 450 pixels
Color display	Yes	Yes
Touchscreen	Yes	Yes
LED Flashlight	No	No

Samsung Watch 6 has a more premium Sapphire glass in the display lens than the Forerunner 265.

Physical specifications

Garmin Forerunner 265 comes out as a sturdy smartwatch. Samsung Watch 6 uses a contemporary design with a very slim bezel.

We look at the physical specifications of Forerunner 265 and Samsung Watch 6 below.

Physical specifications	Garmin Forerunner 265	Samsung Watch 6
Physical size	46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm	46.5 x 46.5 x 10.9 mm – Classic Edition 47 mm 42.5 x 42.5 x 10.9 mm – Classic Edition 43 mm 44.4 x 42.8 x 9.0 mm – Standard Edition/Bluetooth Edition 44 mm 40.4 x 38.8 x 9.0 mm – Standard Edition/Bluetooth Edition 40 mm
Thickness	12.9 mm	9 mm and 10.9 mm
Watch Body Material	Fiber-enforced polymer	Stainless Steel – Classic Edition Aluminium – Standard Edition/Bluetooth Edition
Bezel	Fiber-enforced polymer	Aluminium/Stainless Steel
Weight	47 g	59 g – Classic Edition 47 mm 52 g – Classic Edition 43 mm 33.3 g – Standard Edition/Bluetooth Edition 44 mm 28.7 g – Standard Edition/Bluetooth Edition 40 mm
Device Storage	8 GB	16 GB
GPS	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO	GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou
Water Resistance	5 ATM or 50 Meters	5 ATM or 50 Meters
Dust Resistance	–	IP 68
NFC Payments	Garmin Pay	Samsung Tap & Pay/Samsung Wallet
Charger	Garmin wire charger	Fast charger sold separately
Wireless Connectivity	ANT+, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi	Bluetooth, Wi-Fi
In-built Speaker	No	Yes
In-built Microphone	No	Yes

iOS and iPhone compatibility

Garmin Forerunner 265 is compatible with iOS 15 or higher devices. On a similar basis, Forerunner 265 is compatible with Android 7 or higher devices.

Samsung Watch 6 is based on the Wear OS. It is, therefore, not compatible with iOS devices or iPhone. Samsung Watch 6 can only work with Android 10 or higher smartphone devices.

GPS

Garmin Forerunner 265 offers more reliable and accurate GPS tracking. Forerunner 265 comes with a multi-frequency positioning sensor. The sensor allows multi-band GPS capability on the Forerunner 265 smartwatch.

With multi-band GPS, your smartwatch can get GPS data from multiple satellites at any given point in time. This feature is very useful when you are in a remote area or in a hilly terrain.

Samsung Watch 6 does not support multi-band GPS or dual-frequency GPS.

Garmin Forerunner 265 supports GPS, GLONASS, and GALILEO networks. Samsung Watch 6 supports GPS, GLONASS, GALILEO, and BeiDou satellite networks.

ECG App

Samsung Watch 6 has an ECG app. It can be used to take on-the-spot electrocardiogram readings. The ECG graph is useful in detecting AFib or Atrial Fibrillation conditions. In other words, an ECG reading could help in uncovering irregular heart rhythm conditions.

The ECG app is part of the Samsung Health app. However, it may not be available in every country as of now. So, please check the availability of the Samsung ECG app in your specific country.

Garmin Forerunner 265 does not have any ECG app or functionality as of now.

Battery

Samsung Watch 6 comes with a 40 hour battery backup. The battery, however, will degrade faster when you turn on GPS.

The Classic Edition 47 mm watch has a 425 mAH battery and the Classic Edition 43 mm watch has a 300 mAH battery.

Samsung Watch 6 does support fast charging. You can go from zero to full battery charge in less than 2 hours. In less than 10 minutes of charging, you can add up to 8 hours of battery backup on the Samsung Watch 6.

Garmin Forerunner 265 comes with an extended battery life of up to 14 days in the smartwatch mode. On GPS mode, a Forerunner 265 can last for up to 20 hours.

Forerunner 265 offers longer battery backup than Samsung Watch 6. It is designed to keep runners happy in terms of battery backup at all times.

LTE Connectivity

Garmin Forerunner 265 does not support LTE connectivity.

Samsung Watch 6 supports LTE connectivity in the Bluetooth and Classic Editions. With LTE connectivity, you can connect to a cellular network directly from the smartwatch. So, there is no need to carry your smartphone at all times.

You can make calls and answer calls directly from the Samsung Watch 6 LTE edition smartwatch.

To make use of LTE connectivity, you will need to have a valid subscription to one of the telecom providers.

Costs

Garmin Forerunner 265 comes at a list price of $449.99.

Samsung Watch 6 has multiple variants.

Samsung Watch 6 40 mm costs $299.99
Samsung Watch 6 44 mm costs $329.99
Samsung Watch 6 Classic 43 mm costs $399.99
Samsung Watch 6 Classic 47 mm costs $429.99
Samsung Watch 6 Classic with LTE costs $449.99

Final verdict

Garmin Forerunner 265 is apt for runners and athletes. It has in-built programs for running, cycling, swimming, and outdoor recreation. The watch has an extended battery life and offers accurate and reliable GPS metrics.

The multi-band GPS functionality in Forerunner 265 improves GPS reliability by quite a bit.

Samsung Watch 6 is more like a lifestyle smartwatch. It does offer the ECG feature and LTE connectivity options. The downside of a Samsung Watch 6 is that it can only work with an Android smartphone.

Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 6