Forerunner 965 and Forerunner 265 were released in March 2023. Both watches have advanced over the prior editions of the Forerunner 955 and Forerunner 255.
We look at the main differences between the Forerunner 965 and 265 and discuss the features in detail below.
Main differences between Forerunner 965 and 265
- Forerunner 965 uses DX coated Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and Forerunner 265 uses Corning Gorilla Glass 3.
- Forerunner 965 has better battery backup.
- Forerunner 965 has additional profiles for various sports including cycling.
- Forerunner 965 is compatible with Golf and comes preloaded with over 43000 golf courses.
- Forerunner 965 has better device storage than Forerunner 265.
We evaluate these features in detail to help you pick the most appropriate Forerunner watch.
Display of Forerunner 965 and 265
In terms of display type and technology, Forerunner 965 is a better watch than the Forerunner 265.
The main reason for better display can be attributed to better display glass. The DX coating is an anti-reflective coating that improves the readability experience of the watch.
The size of the watch also plays a role in offering better display resolution.
- Forerunner 965 and 265 support AMOLED display.
- Both watches have support for Always-on-display or AOD. AOD feature is a major battery drain factor.
- Forerunner 965 has a display resolution of 454 x 454 pixels and Forerunner 265 has a display resolution of 416 x 416 pixels.
If you are after a better display experience, you can definitely choose the Forerunner 965.
Physical specifications
The Forerunner 965 is a slightly bigger watch than the Forerunner 265. The bigger size affords a better display experience and display resolution. The exact physical specifications of both watches are shared hereunder.
| Specifications | Forerunner 965 | Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Watch dimensions | 47.2 x 47.2 x 13.2 (mm) | 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 (mm) |
| Thickness | 13.2 mm | 12.9 mm |
| Display screen dimensions | 1.4″ | 1.3″ |
| Weight | 53 g | 47 g |
| Watch Band size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Device storage | 32 GB | 8 GB |
It is essentially a matter of personal choice to choose one between the Forerunner 965 and 265. In terms of device specifications, there are marginal differences between Forerunner 965 and 265.
Battery
For serious runners, the battery backup of a smartwatch is important. Forerunner 965 is designed to offer extended battery backup times. And, the difference in battery capacities of Forerunner 965 and 265 do foretell that the Forerunner 965 is best suited for advanced runners.
Garmin offers battery backup times that are based on the mode used on the watch. The backup times for the most important watch modes are shared below.
| Watch mode | Forerunner 965 Backup | Forerunner 265 Backup |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | up to 23 days | up to 13 adys |
| GPS mode | up to 31 hours | up to 20 hours |
| SatIQ GNSS mode | up to 22 hours | up to 16 hours |
| All-Systems GNSS mode + Multi-Band | up to 19 hours | up to 14 hours |
| GPS mode with music | up to 10.5 hours | up to 13 days |
Clearly, Forerunner 965 is better in respect of battery run times and makes for the right choice for advanced runners.
Activity profiles
Forerunner 965 and Forerunner 265 do have similar activity profiles. The difference lies in the scope and extent of features available within a specific activity profile.
- Forerunner 965 has additional profiles for cycling.
- Forerunner 965 has additional outdoor recreation profiles.
- Forerunner 965 has additional profiles for swimming
Price
The difference in costs between the Forerunner 965 and Forerunner 265 is $150.
- Forerunner 965 costs $599.99 and Forerunner 265 costs $449.99.
Closing thoughts
For an additional spend of $150, I prefer the Forerunner 965 over Forerunner 265 for the following three reasons:
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX coated display that affords much better readability, especially when you are outdoors.
- Support for Golf
- Almost 60 percent higher battery backup time on the GPS mode.
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