Amazfit T-Rex 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

84 facts in comparison

Based on 260 Reddit opinions. Close raceβ€”T-Rex 3 edges ahead.

260 opinions
T-Rex 3 leads by 1pts
Reddit's Pick
Amazfit T-Rex 3
91%
A
Based on
284 Redditors
Winner

Amazfit T-Rex 3

~$249.99
150 opinions

tldr; Reddit overwhelmingly recommends the Amazfit T-Rex 3. With 94% positive sentiment across 288 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
89
Points
87
Points

Score by Category

Fitness Tracking
81%92%
Battery Life
98%83%
Display
100%100%
Smart Features
76%75%
Build & Comfort
89%80%

Why is Garmin Forerunner 165 better than Amazfit T-Rex 3?

  • Better fitness tracking (92% vs 81%)
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • AMOLED
  • Running
Based on 580 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the T-Rex 3

Winning by 1 points (91% vs 90%)

Better build quality
Better battery
High confidence (580 mentions)

πŸ’¬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 580 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

T-Rex 3
9.1/10
284 mentions
Forerunner 165
9.0/10
296 mentions
BUILD QUALITY
T-Rex 38.9/10
Forerunner 1658.0/10
BATTERY LIFE
T-Rex 39.8/10
Forerunner 1658.3/10
VALUE
T-Rex 39.2/10
Forerunner 1659.0/10
SMART FEATURES
T-Rex 37.6/10
Forerunner 1657.5/10
FITNESS TRACKING
T-Rex 38.1/10
Forerunner 1659.2/10
DISPLAY
T-Rex 310.0/10
Forerunner 16510.0/10
βš”οΈ

Head to Head

Head to Head

T-Rex 3: 2|Forerunner 165: 1
Build QualityT-Rex 3
T-Rex 389%
Forerunner 16580%
Battery LifeT-Rex 3
T-Rex 398%
Forerunner 16583%
Value
T-Rex 392%
Forerunner 16590%
Smart Features
T-Rex 376%
Forerunner 16575%
Fitness TrackingForerunner 165
T-Rex 381%
Forerunner 16592%
Display
T-Rex 3100%
Forerunner 165100%
T-Rex 391%
Forerunner 16590%
Close race - T-Rex 3 edges ahead by 1 points

Key Specs

SpecAmazfit T-Rex 3Garmin Forerunner 165
Brand
Amazfit
Garmin
Manufacturer
Amazfit
Garmin
Color
Onyx Black
Black
Weight
0.15 pounds
0.08625 Pounds
Height
2.8346456664 inches
1.68897637623 inches

Key Highlights

Amazfit T-Rex 3Winner
Solid community reputation
Frequently recommended
Garmin Forerunner 165
πŸ†• New entry
πŸ–₯️ AMOLED
πŸƒ Running
πŸ’° Good value

Topic Battles

T-Rex 3: 2|Tied: 2|Forerunner 165: 1
⭐Fitness Tracking
Forerunner 165 wins
T-Rex 3
81%
Forerunner 165
92%
πŸ”‹Battery Life
T-Rex 3 wins
T-Rex 3
98%
Forerunner 165
83%
πŸ–₯️Display
T-Rex 3
100%
Forerunner 165
100%
πŸ“±Smart Features
T-Rex 3
76%
Forerunner 165
75%
πŸ”§Build & Comfort
T-Rex 3 wins
T-Rex 3
89%
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 T-Rex 3

Best Praise
+4 pts
β€œCheck out the Amazfit T-Rex 3, Balance and the Active 2 as well as the BIP 6. All really good devices. I'm using an Active 2 myself”
r/Smartwatch
View
Top Criticism
+2 pts
β€œGo away from T-Rex 3 right now. Amazfit released T-Rex 3 Pro and all the software goes for T-Rex 3 Pro. and metrics of T-Rex 3 (readiness crap and sleeping) are pretty terrible so if you want Amazfit go for T-Rex 3 Pro or Balance 2 or GT 5 Pro but not T-Rex 3.”
r/Smartwatch
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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
View
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 T-Rex 3
Garmin Forerunner 165
$200$240$280Jun '25Jul '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $249.99Low: $198.88Current: $199.99
Amazfit T-Rex 3
All-time low: $189.99(2025-07)
$12 below 90-day avg
Garmin Forerunner 165
All-time low: $189.99(2025-06)
$17 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Too Close to Call

Both products have nearly identical approval ratings (91% vs 90%). Choose based on your specific needs and preferences.

Why T-Rex 3
    Why Forerunner 165
    • πŸ†• New entry
    • πŸ–₯️ AMOLED

    ❀️The Love/Hate Breakdown

    Sentiment Breakdown

    50%Positive
    Positive
    50%
    Neutral
    47%
    Negative
    3%
    Based on 284 Reddit opinions

    Sentiment Breakdown

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

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Which is better, Amazfit T-Rex 3 or Garmin Forerunner 165?
    Based on 580 Reddit comments, Amazfit T-Rex 3 has a slight edge with 91% positive sentiment vs Garmin Forerunner 165's 90%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
    Should I buy Amazfit T-Rex 3 or Garmin Forerunner 165?
    Both have similar approval ratings (91% vs 90%), so focus on specific features, pricing, and what matters most to you.
    What do Redditors love about Amazfit T-Rex 3?
    Amazfit T-Rex 3 has 284 mentions on Reddit with 91% 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 580 Reddit comments: 284 about Amazfit T-Rex 3 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.

    260 Reddit opinions analyzed Β· Last updated 6/14/2026