tldr; Entry AMOLED runner. Good value, training features. New entry.
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Best praise vs top criticism for Garmin Forerunner 165
“only watch that isn't an apple watch that will work with iphone without any hassels that includes the ability to spotify or another offline streaming service is garmin. Fortunately garmins tend to have good build quality. As long as you have a subscritpion for that streaming service you can download the playlists and use them offline for amazon, spotify, deezer and youtube music (there are also some other minor country specific ones). For a garmin within the 200-500 euro range would suggest looking at and considering: vivoactive 5, forerunner 165 music, venu 3, FR265, FR955 , FR965 - you might even be able to find the older fenix 7 or Epix 2 withing that price depending on sales etc.”
“Offline spotify on garmin - so looking at Vivoactive 5 / venu 3 / forerunner 165 music '/ FR255 music / FR265 / FR955 / FR965 and the Fenix/ Epix variants. Note that garmin currently doesn't offer any simple coaching for swimming - for running, cycling and strenght sure - but not for swimming. However you can use a 3rd party site like swim.com. You pull in your training and do that on the watch and its syncs back the activity - the only meh part is that instead of having all your data in one place you have your swim tracking analysis on the swim platform and all your data (including the swimming) on the connect app. Or you can just create your own workout on the connect app/web and sync it to the watch and then run it on the wach (just make sure the model you choose allows for this as not all do). Cheapest option is the VA5 - but mainly touch operated, so if main focus is swimming may not be ideal; in which case FR165 music or maybe FR255 music (but MIP screen and no touch) - is your best option as 5 buttons; however note that the fR165 is a bit limited when it comes to outdoor recreational tracking so defintiely worth check what actiities each watch can track. If you want drill mode (for tracking when using kickboards, one arm strokes etc) you need to check teh watch has that functionality (tends to be on higher end FR or Fenix/Epix models).”
376 Reddit opinions analyzed • Last updated 2/24/2026