Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Garmin Forerunner 170 Music

GPS accuracy was one of the strongest themes, with most reviewers finding reliable tracks even without dual-band GPS; a few dense-terrain issues remained.

GPS performance earned unusually consistent praise despite the single-band hardware, with reviewers finding it close to pricier multi-band Garmins and accurate on city, coastal, and woodland routes. Multi-band remains preferable for the toughest dense-city or deep-trail conditions.

Heart-rate accuracy was generally praised across runs, rides, and intervals, with only occasional optical-sensor lag or spikes.

Heart-rate tracking is generally strong for running and mixed training, with several reviewers calling the older Elevate 4 sensor very good. Hard intervals and strength work can expose some lag, so a chest strap remains the cleaner choice for precision.

Fitness tracking accuracy was praised for broad data quality and even strength-training rep counting in testing.

Across running, swimming, gym work, elevation tracking, and race-style intervals, reviewers found the watch consistently accurate and useful for analyzing performance.

Sleep tracking was mostly viewed as useful and directionally accurate, though one reviewer reported a poor night that the watch missed.

Sleep tracking has improved enough to broadly match an Oura Ring on sleep duration, bedtime, and key stages on most nights, though Garmin’s history here was acknowledged as weaker.

Recovery insights were useful but clearly limited versus higher Forerunners, with some reviewers calling out missing readiness/load tools or odd recovery estimates.

Training Readiness, Training Status, load, and recovery guidance are among the watch’s biggest strengths, helping runners structure training and avoid overdoing it. One reviewer cautioned that beginners can become too dependent on recovery scores instead of listening to their bodies.

Workout variety covers most mainstream running, gym, cycling, swimming, and fitness needs, but reviewers consistently noted missing triathlon or backcountry profiles.

The jump to more than 80 sport profiles makes the watch far more versatile than older entry Forerunners, covering running, gym, team, winter, and water activities. The lack of native HYROX and multisport/triathlon modes still leaves gaps for some athletes.

Coaching and structured workouts were praised as approachable, flexible, and valuable for beginner and intermediate runners.

Garmin Coach and Quick Workouts are standout strengths, offering adaptive plans, fast structured sessions, and useful guidance for everyone from first-race runners to experienced athletes. Suggested Quick Workouts can occasionally be tougher than expected.

Blood oxygen tracking was treated as a useful extra by reviewers who valued the reassurance, though broader accuracy was not deeply tested.

Pulse Ox is welcomed as part of the expanded health package, bringing a feature that previously sat above this entry-to-midrange tier.

Wellness insights such as Morning Report and Body Battery were considered fun, useful, and sometimes addictive.

Garmin’s broader wellness package is viewed positively, especially the comprehensive health data and useful evening reports that recap the day and help frame the next one.

Battery life was generally good for an AMOLED Garmin and daily training, but reviewers flagged limits for long adventures, always-on use, or heavy GPS/music.

Battery life is adequate rather than class-leading. Depending on display settings and training load, reviewers saw roughly three-and-a-half to six days in heavier real-world use; most runners found that workable, but it trails some cheaper or older alternatives.

Charging convenience was mixed: secure contacts helped, but the proprietary/short cable was a drawback.

Charging is a clear annoyance: the proprietary Garmin cable can be finicky to keep seated and feels dated compared with USB-C.

Comfort was consistently excellent, with reviewers praising the lightweight feel for all-day wear and sleep.

The light, slim case is exceptionally easy to wear for workouts, sleep, and daily use, especially on smaller wrists. The main comfort caveat is skin irritation reported from the strap or back casing by a couple of reviewers.

Materials quality was mixed: plastic kept it light and affordable but felt less premium.

Materials are a weak spot compared with premium Garmins: the polymer construction feels basic, and one report flagged possible skin irritation from the plastic back during prolonged wear.

Band quality was mostly comfortable and flexible, but one reviewer warned the stock strap needs frequent washing to avoid irritation.

The silicone band feels soft and stretchy, but one reviewer developed a rash from it, making long-term skin comfort a real point of variability.

Build quality was viewed as solid and well-made for a lightweight running watch.

The build is functional and familiar rather than premium, described as standard Garmin fare with a lightweight plastic character.

Water resistance was considered more than enough for rain, sweat, showering, and swimming use.

The watch handled swimming well in testing and was considered safe and dependable for both pool use and showering.

Fit was strong for many wrists, with secure wear and little slipping, though the single case size remained a caveat.

The compact case fits smaller wrists well while still being judged suitable for a broad range of wrist sizes, with little catching or digging during wear.

Style and design were viewed as slim, low-profile, sleek, and suitable for daily wear, though still sporty.

The watch keeps Garmin’s sporty look but earns praise for fun color choices, coordinated bands, and a polished appearance that still feels light on the wrist.

Display quality was a standout strength thanks to a crisp, vibrant AMOLED screen, though one reviewer still preferred MIP for always-visible use.

The AMOLED screen is one of the watch’s most praised features: colorful, sharp enough for dense run data, and easy to read. It is not as fluid or premium as flagship smartwatch panels, but reviewers still rate it highly.

Outdoor visibility was excellent in direct sun and bright conditions.

Outdoor readability is excellent, with multiple reviewers saying pace and data remain easy to see in bright sunshine and normal running conditions.

Brightness was strongly praised in sunlight and adaptive lighting conditions.

Reviewers consistently found the AMOLED display bright and vivid enough for normal use, including direct sunlight, even though Garmin’s pricier watches can get brighter.

Reliability was praised in workout use, with one reviewer reporting no issues with stability.

In demanding race preparation and event use, the watch did its job consistently, delivering dependable data and controls without getting in the way.

Value for money was one of the strongest areas, with reviewers repeatedly calling it a high-value or sweet-spot Garmin.

Value depends heavily on what you need. The 170 Music packs premium training tools, accurate tracking, payments, and phone-free audio at a lower tier than Garmin flagships, but several reviewers think the cheaper 70, discounted 165/265, or Coros Pace 4 can be better buys.

Music controls were criticized as unintuitive during runs.

The touchscreen makes on-watch music controls notably easier to use and helps the device feel more like a regular smartwatch.

Onboard music storage drew split views: handy or smooth for some, but tedious and poor value for others.

Offline music is one of the Music model’s clearest benefits, letting runners leave the phone behind and load playlists from supported services. The feature is easy to live with, but the price premium and Apple Music gap weaken the value for some users.

Pairing reliability for headphones was described as generally solid.

Syncing and connection behavior impressed in testing, with near-instant GPS lock and quick, easy Strava synchronization.

The app ecosystem was useful through Connect IQ and Garmin features, but Garmin's broader platform could still feel intimidating.

Connect IQ adds some smartwatch extensibility, but one reviewer found its useful app selection much thinner than Apple’s or Google’s stores.

Mapping and navigation were useful for breadcrumb routes and GPX/course following, but the lack of full maps was a repeated limitation.

Breadcrumb course guidance is useful for everyday routes, but the lack of full offline maps is one of the most repeated omissions. It is fine for familiar roads and basic course following, less convincing for wilderness, ultras, or map-heavy trail use.

The operating experience was familiar and straightforward for Garmin users.

The latest Garmin software feels more polished and cohesive, bringing sports and smartwatch functions together with a sleeker presentation. Reviewers also value its position for receiving newer features.

Smartwatch features were considered respectable for a training watch, especially notifications, Garmin Pay, music features, and basic phone-linked tools.

The 170 Music goes beyond pure run tracking with payments, apps, notifications, music, and a more complete smartwatch interface. Reviewers still see it as a sports watch first rather than a true phone-replacement smartwatch.

Software smoothness was praised as simple, fast, and accurate in use.

The updated software is praised for faster performance and smoother navigation than Garmin’s older budget-watch experience.

Garmin Pay was viewed as a straightforward, effective contactless payment feature.

Garmin Pay is useful for phone-free runs and everyday purchases, but reviewers disagree on whether it justifies the price premium over the cheaper Forerunner 70.

Touchscreen responsiveness was widely praised, including smooth swiping, reliable taps, and usability with gloves or wet screens.

The touchscreen is repeatedly described as snappy and responsive without becoming overly sensitive, making swipes and taps reliable in daily use.

Garmin Connect was seen as powerful and useful, with cleaner or comprehensive analysis, though one reviewer found the redesign not much easier.

Garmin Connect is powerful for training analysis and can make certain tasks easier, but one reviewer felt the app still badly needs a redesign. Its depth is useful, though not always elegant.

Third-party app/widget support was available and sometimes useful for tailoring data, though one reviewer did not find it especially useful.

Streaming support is a mixed point: Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer and some other services work well, but Apple Music’s absence is repeatedly called out as a meaningful limitation. Spotify offline use also requires Premium.

Menu navigation was considered intuitive after a short adjustment period.

Five-button navigation is generally easy and dependable, especially while running, and the newer software feels smoother. The main drawback is that some capabilities remain buried in settings.

The interface was repeatedly described as simple, approachable, and easy to use.

The on-watch interface is widely considered simple, polished, and easy to use through either touch or buttons. Small quirks remain, including buried settings and an occasionally ambiguous start-button interaction.

Button controls were a major strength, especially for workouts, gloves, sweat, rain, and avoiding touchscreen reliance.

Garmin’s five-button layout is a major practical strength for runners because it remains easy to operate with sweaty hands, gloves, or a bouncing stride. One reviewer noted a small ambiguity around the start button.

Customization was a strength, from watch faces and widgets to activity screens and data pages.

Watch faces, widgets, and data screens can be customized extensively, letting runners prioritize the information they actually want to see.

Safety features such as LiveTrack were valued for sharing location during activities.

LiveTrack is a useful safety extra for solo activities, giving contacts a way to follow the wearer’s location when a phone connection is available.

One reviewer found the run alerts comically loud and disliked having no separate volume adjustment beyond disabling sound and vibration.

Bluetooth headphone pairing was reported to work without problems.

Smartphone notifications were described as reliable and easier to read on the AMOLED display.

Watch face quality was praised for full customization.

Wi-Fi/music setup drew criticism when troubleshooting made the watch appear connected even though playlist syncing failed.

Charging speed was praised in the reviews that discussed it, ranging from under two hours to very fast top-ups.

Garmin Connect worked almost identically on iPhone and Android in testing, making the core experience effectively platform-neutral.

Durability was reassuring, with reviewers reporting no concerns and even real-world abuse without damage.

Size options were limited because the watch comes in only one size, though one reviewer liked the in-between fit.

Reviewers described the Forerunner 165 as having reliable sensors and detailed data collection for general health and fitness tracking.

Step counting was reported as close to other tested devices.

Stress tracking was mentioned as part of the watch's helpful health-glance system for knowing when to ease off.

Wrist-based running power is welcomed as a surprisingly advanced training tool at this price, giving runners another way to manage effort and work on form.