Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 and Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)

Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) to see which is better. Check what is the strength and weakness (pros and cons) of Garmin Forerunner 165 and Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm).


Compare Garmin Forerunner 165 VS Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) to see which is better
Garmin Forerunner 165

Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)

Garmin Forerunner 165 is a new budget-friendly smartwatch with an AMOLED display and built-in GPS. The Forerunner 165 has a 1.2" touchscreen display, an optical heart rate sensor, and a standard Garmin plug charger. It has a battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode.

Garmin Forerunner 165 Key Features

  • 1.2" touchscreen AMOLED display
  • Battery Life: It has a battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours in GPS mode.
  • Daily Activity Tracking: The Forerunner 165 tracks steps, sleep, heart rate, HRV, blood oxygen, body battery, and more.
  • Built-in GPS with GNSS: Track pace, distance and speed
  • Training Metrics and Recovery Insights: You can get personalized adaptive training plans, running dynamics, VO2 max, training effect, recovery time, and more.
  • Smart Notifications and Garmin Pay

Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatch is powered by an improved S9 SiP with a 4-core Apple Neural Engine. It introduces a new innovative way to interact and control your watch, double-tap your index finger and thumb to answer calls, open notifications, play and pause music, and more. The watch comes in 45mm and 41mm sizes, and the user can choose between aluminum or stainless steel case material. Watch Series 9 (45mm) has a 1.9-inch OLED display with 484x396 pixels resolution and has the option to choose GPS only or GPS + Celluar version. 

Apple Watch Series 9 smartwatch key features:

  • Improved S9 SiP with a 4-core Apple Neural Engine.
  • 1.9 inches always-on OLED display with 2,000 nits maximum brightness
  • Double Tap Gestures: Double tap your index finger and thumb to answer calls, open notifications, play and pause music, and more.
  • Up to 18 hours of battery life on regular mode and 36 hours on power saving mode.

Reasons To Buy Garmin Forerunner 165 Smartwatch

Is Garmin Forerunner 165 is better than Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)? Here are some the features of Garmin Forerunner 165 more promising and recommended compared to Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm).


Released On
Garmin Forerunner 165
2024-02-20 vs 2023-09-22
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Display Pixel Density (PPI)

Display pixel density, or PPI (Pixels Per Inch), is a crucial specification when evaluating the quality and clarity of a display. PPI measures the number of pixels present within one inch of the display. The higher the pixel density, the sharper and more detailed the images and text appear.

Garmin Forerunner 165
~460 ppi vs ~326 ppi
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Battery Life (Normal Use / Mode)
Garmin Forerunner 165
11 Days vs 18 Hours
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Battery Life (Power Saving)
Garmin Forerunner 165
20 Days vs 36 Hours
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Compatible with Android
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs No
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Weight
Garmin Forerunner 165
39g vs Stainless Steel - 51.5g
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Blood Oxygen
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs No
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Indicative Price

The price displayed below is only for the reference. It may vary among different retailers and shops.

Garmin Forerunner 165
$249.99 vs $749 (Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular)
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Blood Oxygen (Pulse Oximeter SpO2)
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs No
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)


Reasons To Buy Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) Smartwatch

Is Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) is better than Garmin Forerunner 165? Here are some the features of Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) more promising and recommended compared to Garmin Forerunner 165.


Display Size
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
1.9 inches vs 1.2 inches
Garmin Forerunner 165
Screen Resolution
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
484 x 396 pixels vs 390 x 390 pixels
Garmin Forerunner 165
Internal Memory
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
64GB vs 4GB
Garmin Forerunner 165
Display Protection
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Ion-X glass (on aluminum case) vs Chemically Strengthened Glass
Garmin Forerunner 165
Built-In Cellular
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Built-In Wi-Fi
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Electrical Heart Sensor (ECG)
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Gyroscope
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Fast Charging
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Wireless Charging
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Ultra Wideband
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Speaker
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Microphone
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Music Storage
Music storage in a smartwatch refers to the device's ability to store music files locally within its internal storage. This feature enables users to transfer, store, and play music directly from the smartwatch without requiring a nearby phone.
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
On-Device Voice control

On-device voice control or assistance helps you to manage tasks through voice commands right from your wrist. You can use voice commands to perform various functions, such as setting reminders, making calls, setting up navigation, controlling other connected devices, etc.

Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165
Multisport / Triathlon Tracking

Smartwatches with multisport or triathlon mode can track multiple activities in a single session and allow a seamless transition between them while keeping track of your overall time. Users can switch between activities, such as cycling, running, and swimming, without having to pause and start new sessions.

Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Yes vs No
Garmin Forerunner 165


Common Strength And Weakness Of Garmin Forerunner 165 and Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)


Always-On Display

Always-On Display (AOD) feature allows the screen to remain partially active even when the device is not in active use or standby mode. It is a convenient feature that allows the user to see essential information such as time, date, and possibly notifications without tapping the screen.

Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Built-In GPS
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Built-In Bluetooth
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Compatible with iOS
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Optical Heart Sensor
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Altimeter
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Accelerometer
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Ambient Light Sensor
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Compass
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Depth Gauge Sensor
Garmin Forerunner 165
No vs No
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Water Temperature Sensor
Garmin Forerunner 165
No vs No
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
NFC
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Heart Rate Monitoring
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Sleep Tracking
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Water Resistance
Garmin Forerunner 165
5 ATM vs 5 ATM
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Menstrual Cycle Tracking
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Ovulation Estimate
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Workout and Fitness Tracking

Workout and Fitness Tracking features help track activities effectively, whether at home, in the gym, or outdoors. Some examples include indoor or outdoor walking, indoor or outdoor running, swimming, cycling, High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Yoga, Dance, Core Training, etc...

Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Elevation Tracking
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Temperature Tracking
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Daily Activity Tracking

Daily Activity Tracking features track step count, how much you move, how often you stand up, and how long you exercise daily.

Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Music Control

Music control on a smartwatch lets you manage playback from your wrist instead of using your phone or music device. This feature can be handy when working out or away from the phone. Some smartwatch models have built-in storage to stream music directly from the watch, while others control music on your phone.

Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
Sports Tracking
Garmin Forerunner 165
Yes vs Yes
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)


Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm) Specs


Garmin Forerunner 165
Apple Watch Series 9 (45mm)
General
Released On
2024-02-20
2023-09-22
Model Number
A2980 (GPS Aluminium)
A2984 (GPS + Cellular Aluminium / Stainless Steel)
Indicative Price
$249.99
$749 (Stainless Steel GPS + Cellular)
Starts from $429 USD (Aluminum GPS only)
Display
Display Type
AMOLED Display
Retina LTPO OLED Display
Maximum Brightness
2000 nits
Display Size
1.2 inches
1.9 inches
Screen Resolution
390 x 390 pixels
484 x 396 pixels
Display Pixel Density (PPI)
~460 ppi
~326 ppi
Always-On Display
Yes
Yes
Display Protection
Chemically Strengthened Glass
Ion-X glass (on aluminum case)
Sapphire crystal glass (on stainless steel case)
Memory
Internal Memory
4GB
64GB
Music Storage
No
Yes
Processor
Processor
S9 SiP with 64-bit dual-core processor
4-core Apple Neural Engine
Power
Battery Capacity
308 mAh Li-Ion battery
Battery Life (Normal Use / Mode)
11 Days
18 Hours
Battery Life (Power Saving)
20 Days
36 Hours
Connectivity
Built-In Cellular
No
Yes
Has two version GPS / GPS + cellular
Built-In GPS
Yes
Single Band GPS
GNSS
Galileo
Yes
L1 GPS
GNSS
Galileo
BeiDou
Built-In Wi-Fi
No
Yes
Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n)
Built-In Bluetooth
Yes
Yes
Bluetooth 5.3
Compatible with iOS
Yes
Yes
Compatible with Android
Yes
No
Ultra Wideband
No
Yes
NFC
Yes
Supports GARMIN PAY
Yes
Supports Apple Pay
Music Control
Yes
Yes
Safety
Emergency SOS
Emergency SOS
Sensors
Electrical Heart Sensor (ECG)
No
Yes
Optical Heart Sensor
Yes
Garmin ELEVATE Optical Heart Rate sensor
Yes
Third-generation optical heart sensor
Temperature Sensor
Yes
Altimeter
Yes
Yes
Always-on altimeter
Accelerometer
Yes
Yes
High-g accelerometer
Gyroscope
No
Yes
Ambient Light Sensor
Yes
Yes
Compass
Yes
Yes
Compass with Waypoints and Backtrack
Depth Gauge Sensor
No
No
Water Temperature Sensor
No
No
Blood Oxygen (Pulse Oximeter SpO2)
Yes
Garmin Pulse Ox
No
Battery
Fast Charging
No
Yes
Wireless Charging
No
Garmin proprietary plug charger
Yes
USB-C magnetic fast charging
Tracking
Heart Rate Monitoring
Yes
Daily Resting Heart Rate
Abnormal Heart Rate
Respiration Rate
Yes
Record heartbeat and rhythm
High and low heart rate notifications
Irregular rhythm notifications
Sleep Tracking
Yes
Sleep Tracking
Sleep Stages Tracking
Yes
Sleep Tracking
Sleep Stages Tracking
Blood Oxygen
Yes
No
Workout and Fitness Tracking
Yes
Track indoor cycling; strength; HIIT; cardio; elliptical training; etc...
Yes
Track HIIT; elliptical; strength; core training; etc
Elevation Tracking
Yes
Yes
Temperature Tracking
Yes
Yes
Daily Activity Tracking
Yes
Yes
Track your step and move count
Sports Tracking
Yes
Track running
outdoor cycling and swimming
Yes
Track running; outdoor cycling and swimming etc
Multisport / Triathlon Tracking
No
Yes
Design
Case Size
43mm Case
45mm Case
Weight
39g
Stainless Steel - 51.5g
Aluminum - 39.0g
Case Material
Fiber-reinforced polymer
Stainless Steel
Aluminum
Speaker
No
Yes
Microphone
No
Yes
Water Resistance
5 ATM
5 ATM
Dust Resistance
Yes
Dust resistance IP6X
Dimensions
43 x 43 x 11.6 mm
Height: 45mm
Width: 38mm
Depth: 10.7mm
Women Health
Menstrual Cycle Tracking
Yes
Yes
Cycle Tracking with ovulation estimates
Ovulation Estimate
Yes
Yes
Other
On-Device Voice control
No
Yes
Siri Voice Control