Amazfit Active 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

86 facts in comparison

Based on 500 Reddit opinions. Close raceβ€”Active 2 edges ahead.

500 opinions
Active 2 leads by 2pts
Reddit's Pick
Amazfit Active 2
92%
A
Based on
624 Redditors
Winner

Amazfit Active 2

~$85.99
390 opinions

tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the Amazfit Active 2. With 92% positive sentiment across 651 mentions, this is a clear community favorite.

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VS
Garmin Forerunner 165
90%
A
Based on
296 Redditors

Garmin Forerunner 165

~$199.99
110 opinions

tldr; Entry AMOLED runner. Good value, training features. New entry.

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Fitness TrackingBattery LifeDisplaySmart FeaturesBuild & Comfort
⭐FIT
πŸ”‹BAT
πŸ–₯️DIS
πŸ“±SMA
πŸ”§BUI
81
Points
87
Points

Score by Category

Fitness Tracking
72%92%
Battery Life
93%83%
Display
74%100%
Smart Features
74%75%
Build & Comfort
76%80%

Why is Garmin Forerunner 165 better than Amazfit Active 2?

  • Better fitness tracking (92% vs 72%)
  • Better display (100% vs 74%)
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • AMOLED
  • Running
Based on 920 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Active 2

Winning by 2 points (92% vs 90%)

Better value
Better battery
High confidence (920 mentions)

πŸ’¬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 920 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Active 2
9.2/10
624 mentions
Forerunner 165
9.0/10
296 mentions
VALUE
Active 29.9/10
Forerunner 1659.0/10
BATTERY LIFE
Active 29.3/10
Forerunner 1658.3/10
BUILD QUALITY
Active 27.6/10
Forerunner 1658.0/10
SMART FEATURES
Active 27.4/10
Forerunner 1657.5/10
FITNESS TRACKING
Active 27.2/10
Forerunner 1659.2/10
DISPLAY
Active 27.4/10
Forerunner 16510.0/10
βš”οΈ

Head to Head

Head to Head

Active 2: 2|Forerunner 165: 3
ValueActive 2
Active 299%
Forerunner 16590%
Battery LifeActive 2
Active 293%
Forerunner 16583%
Build QualityForerunner 165
Active 276%
Forerunner 16580%
Smart Features
Active 274%
Forerunner 16575%
Fitness TrackingForerunner 165
Active 272%
Forerunner 16592%
DisplayForerunner 165
Active 274%
Forerunner 165100%
Active 292%
Forerunner 16590%
Close race - Active 2 edges ahead by 2 points

Key Specs

SpecAmazfit Active 2Garmin Forerunner 165
Display Type
1.32 inch AMOLED
AMOLED touchscreen
Peak Brightness
2,000 nits
β€”
Battery Life
Up to 10 days
β€”
Sensors
BioTracker 6.0 PPG biosensor, altimeter, accelerometer, gyroscope, ambient light sensor
β€”
Water Resistance
50 m (5 ATM)
β€”

Key Highlights

Amazfit Active 2Winner
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Garmin Forerunner 165
πŸ†• New entry
πŸ–₯️ AMOLED
πŸƒ Running
πŸ’° Good value

Topic Battles

Active 2: 1|Tied: 1|Forerunner 165: 3
⭐Fitness Tracking
Forerunner 165 wins
Active 2
72%
Forerunner 165
92%
πŸ”‹Battery Life
Active 2 wins
Active 2
93%
Forerunner 165
83%
πŸ–₯️Display
Forerunner 165 wins
Active 2
74%
Forerunner 165
100%
πŸ“±Smart Features
Active 2
74%
Forerunner 165
75%
πŸ”§Build & Comfort
Forerunner 165 wins
Active 2
76%
Forerunner 165
80%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

πŸ“ˆWhere They Rank

πŸ’¬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Amazfit Active 2

Best Praise
+15 pts
β€œTake a look at the Amazfit Active 2, it's practically a Bip 6 with a few extra sensors and it's round! I believe you might even be able to find one on sale that's close to the price of the Bip 6.”
r/Smartwatch
View
Top Criticism
+2 pts
β€œAmazfit active 2 premium does, but the only payment provider accepted in the UK is Curve which has an uncertain future and massive sign up issues. I haven't been able to sign up.”
r/Smartwatch
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Garmin Forerunner 165

Best Praise
+3 pts
β€œFor Garmin, I can’t imagine needing more than the Garmin Forerunner 165. Or, maybe the Instinct 3. I think the feature set tops out at around $500. Gotta have that flashlight! (Do you, though?) Above that is looks, mostly. (They always unlock some feature to make it more tempting.)”
r/Smartwatch
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Top Criticism
+1 pts
β€œpersonally I think the FR165 would be a bad choice as its a much more running, swimming & cycling focussed watch with very little on the outdoor recreational side. It does have hiking, but its got no water sport options. While you could always use other to track paddling activities you would miss out on paddling specific metrics like stroke rate etc. Despite not having elevation data (post activity in the app the app will populate this data based on your gps fixes) and a hiking activity (can just use walking) the vivoactive 5 (VA5) would probably be a much better fit overall for you at the same price level. Note the standard FR165 doesn't have offline music - so would need the FR165 music version, which is generally more expensive than the VA5. [https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/compare/?compareProduct=1057989&compareProduct=1285545&compareProduct=1055469&compareProduct=886785&compareProduct=886725](https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/compare/?compareProduct=1057989&compareProduct=1285545&compareProduct=1055469&compareProduct=886785&compareProduct=886725) Comparison of suggested options - you can see how from an activity point of view the FR165 really is much more focussed on people serious about running, swimming & cycling - has very few leisure recreational activity types that it will track. Personally would suggest looking to see the original Epix gen 2 (non pro non sapphire version - will have 16GB storage) is going for - as its old now and is often at a serious discount, making it super attactive and will easily cover all your needs. if price wise it the Epix isn't there there, and VA5 isn't a go, then would suggest looking at the fR265 as I think it will give you next best fit (or the venu 3 as they are normally similarly priced in most countries) - [https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/compare/?compareProduct=1057989&compareProduct=1285545&compareProduct=1055469&compareProduct=886785&compareProduct=873008](https://www.garmin.com/en-GB/compare/?compareProduct=1057989&compareProduct=1285545&compareProduct=1055469&compareProduct=886785&compareProduct=873008) (Venu 3 instead of FR965).”
r/Smartwatch
View
3 more quotes available below

πŸ“ˆHistorical Price Data

Amazfit Active 2
Garmin Forerunner 165
$120$180$240Jun '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $79.99Low: $198.88Current: $99.4Current: $199.99
Amazfit Active 2
All-time low: $79.99(2025-07)
$2 below 90-day avg
Garmin Forerunner 165
All-time low: $189.99(2025-06)
$17 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Amazfit Active 2 Wins
92%
2
vs
90%
165

Close race, but Amazfit Active 2 edges ahead by 2 points based on 920 Reddit opinions.

Why Active 2Winner
  • Better Value for Money (99% vs 90%)
  • More discussed (624 vs 296)
Why Forerunner 165
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • πŸ–₯️ AMOLED

❀️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

58%Positive
Positive
58%
Neutral
38%
Negative
4%
Based on 624 Reddit opinions

Sentiment Breakdown

35%Positive
Positive
35%
Neutral
63%
Negative
2%
Based on 296 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Amazfit Active 2 or Garmin Forerunner 165?
Based on 920 Reddit comments, Amazfit Active 2 has a slight edge with 92% positive sentiment vs Garmin Forerunner 165's 90%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Amazfit Active 2 or Garmin Forerunner 165?
Both have similar approval ratings (92% vs 90%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Amazfit Active 2?
Amazfit Active 2 has 624 mentions on Reddit with 92% positive sentiment. Users consistently recommend it based on real ownership experiences.
What do Redditors say about Garmin Forerunner 165?
Reddit users highlight: New entry. AMOLED. Running. With 296 mentions and 90% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 920 Reddit comments: 624 about Amazfit Active 2 and 296 about Garmin Forerunner 165. Data was sourced from Smartwatches community discussions.
How accurate are these ratings?
Our sentiment analysis is approximately 80-85% accurate compared to manual review. Well-discussed products with many mentions tend to have more reliable scores than niche items with fewer data points.
Why trust Reddit over professional reviews?
Reddit users bought products with their own money and have no incentive to mislead. You're seeing hundreds of real opinions across different use cases, not just one reviewer's take. This crowdsourced approach surfaces both common praise and recurring complaints.

500 Reddit opinions analyzed Β· Last updated 6/11/2026

Amazfit Active 2 vs Garmin Forerunner 165 | reccs.co