Amazfit Balance vs Garmin Forerunner 165

97 facts in comparison

Based on 329 Reddit opinions. Close raceβ€”Forerunner 165 edges ahead.

329 opinions
Forerunner 165 leads by 1pts
Amazfit Balance
89%
A-
Based on
464 Redditors

Amazfit Balance

~$249.99
219 opinions

tldr; Amazfit's premium play. AI readiness scores gimmicky but hardware solid. Competes with Garmin Venu at lower price.

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VS
Reddit's Pick
Garmin Forerunner 165
90%
A
Based on
296 Redditors
Winner

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
84
Points
87
Points

Score by Category

Fitness Tracking
79%92%
Battery Life
96%83%
Display
89%100%
Smart Features
78%75%
Build & Comfort
68%80%

Why is Garmin Forerunner 165 better than Amazfit Balance?

  • Higher Reddit score (90% vs 89%)
  • Better fitness tracking (92% vs 79%)
  • Better build quality (80% vs 68%)
  • Better display (100% vs 89%)
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • AMOLED
  • Running
Based on 760 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Forerunner 165

Winning by 1 points (90% vs 89%)

Better fitness tracking
Better build quality
Better display
High confidence (760 mentions)

πŸ’¬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 760 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Amazfit Balance
8.9/10
464 mentions
Forerunner 165
9.0/10
296 mentions
BATTERY LIFE
Amazfit Balance9.6/10
Forerunner 1658.3/10
SMART FEATURES
Amazfit Balance7.8/10
Forerunner 1657.5/10
BUILD QUALITY
Amazfit Balance6.8/10
Forerunner 1658.0/10
DISPLAY
Amazfit Balance8.9/10
Forerunner 16510.0/10
FITNESS TRACKING
Amazfit Balance7.9/10
Forerunner 1659.2/10
VALUE
Amazfit Balance9.3/10
Forerunner 1659.0/10
βš”οΈ

Head to Head

Head to Head

Amazfit Balance: 3|Forerunner 165: 3
Battery LifeAmazfit Balance
Amazfit Balance96%
Forerunner 16583%
Smart FeaturesAmazfit Balance
Amazfit Balance78%
Forerunner 16575%
Build QualityForerunner 165
Amazfit Balance68%
Forerunner 16580%
DisplayForerunner 165
Amazfit Balance89%
Forerunner 165100%
Fitness TrackingForerunner 165
Amazfit Balance79%
Forerunner 16592%
ValueAmazfit Balance
Amazfit Balance93%
Forerunner 16590%
Amazfit Balance89%
Forerunner 16590%
Close race - Forerunner 165 edges ahead by 1 points

Key Specs

SpecAmazfit BalanceGarmin Forerunner 165
Brand
Amazfit
Garmin
Manufacturer
Amazfit
Garmin
Color
Black
Black
Weight
0.0926 pounds
0.08625 Pounds
Height
1.7 Inches
1.68897637623 inches

Key Highlights

Amazfit BalanceWinner
πŸ€– AI-powered insights
πŸ“± AMOLED 1.5" display
πŸ”‹ 14-day battery
πŸ’° $200 vs $400 Garmin
Garmin Forerunner 165
πŸ†• New entry
πŸ–₯️ AMOLED
πŸƒ Running
πŸ’° Good value

Topic Battles

Amazfit Balance: 2|Tied: 0|Forerunner 165: 3
⭐Fitness Tracking
Forerunner 165 wins
Amazfit Balance
79%
Forerunner 165
92%
πŸ”‹Battery Life
Amazfit Balance wins
Amazfit Balance
96%
Forerunner 165
83%
πŸ–₯️Display
Forerunner 165 wins
Amazfit Balance
89%
Forerunner 165
100%
πŸ“±Smart Features
Amazfit Balance wins
Amazfit Balance
78%
Forerunner 165
75%
πŸ”§Build & Comfort
Forerunner 165 wins
Amazfit Balance
68%
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 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
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3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Amazfit Balance

Best Praise
+4 pts
β€œAmazfit Balance seems to fit the bill. Looks rather clean, 46mm, has your regular 22mm quick release strap, and decent activity tracking, and only 150usd. Their Active 2 might be another option, although it is a tad bit smaller.”
r/Smartwatch
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Top Criticism
+1 pts
β€œamazfit balance will not give 2 weeks on AOD on (screen always on). Its typical use is up to 14 days with heavy use as up to 7 days, with AOD on mode up to 5 days. Longest current running time with AOD on is probably the Garmin Epix 2 Pro 51mm which will give you up to 10 days AOD on.”
r/Smartwatch
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3 more quotes available below

πŸ“ˆHistorical Price Data

Amazfit Balance
Garmin Forerunner 165
$200$240$280$320May '25Sep '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Feb '26Mar '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $249.99Low: $198.88Current: $299.99Current: $199.89
Amazfit Balance
All-time low: $249.99(2026-02)
$14 below 90-day avg
Garmin Forerunner 165
All-time low: $189.99(2025-06)
$25 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Too Close to Call

Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (90% vs 89%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.

Why Forerunner 165
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • πŸ–₯️ AMOLED
  • πŸƒ Running
Why Amazfit Balance
  • πŸ€– AI-powered insights
  • πŸ“± AMOLED 1.5" display
  • More discussed (464 vs 296)

❀️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

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

Sentiment Breakdown

43%Positive
Positive
43%
Neutral
53%
Negative
4%
Based on 464 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Garmin Forerunner 165 or Amazfit Balance?
Based on 760 Reddit comments, Garmin Forerunner 165 has a slight edge with 90% positive sentiment vs Amazfit Balance's 89%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Garmin Forerunner 165 or Amazfit Balance?
Both have similar approval ratings (90% vs 89%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
What do Redditors love about Garmin Forerunner 165?
Reddit users highlight: New entry. AMOLED. Running. With 296 mentions and 90% approval, it's a well-regarded choice in the community.
What do Redditors say about Amazfit Balance?
Reddit users highlight: AI-powered insights. AMOLED 1.5" display. 14-day battery. With 464 mentions and 89% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 760 Reddit comments: 296 about Garmin Forerunner 165 and 464 about Amazfit Balance. 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.

329 Reddit opinions analyzed Β· Last updated 5/10/2026