Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Forerunner 165

99 facts in comparison

Based on 218 Reddit opinions. Close raceβ€”Forerunner 165 edges ahead.

218 opinions
Forerunner 165 leads by 4pts
Garmin Fenix 8
86%
A-
Based on
305 Redditors

Garmin Fenix 8

~$997.79
108 opinions

tldr; Latest flagship. AMOLED option, all features. Ultimate Garmin.

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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
76
Points
87
Points

Score by Category

Fitness Tracking
100%92%
Battery Life
95%83%
Display
83%100%
Smart Features
78%75%
Build & Comfort
88%80%

Why is Garmin Forerunner 165 better than Garmin Fenix 8?

  • Higher Reddit score (90% vs 86%)
  • Better value (90% vs 12%)
  • Better display (100% vs 83%)
  • πŸ†• New entry
  • AMOLED
  • Running
Based on 601 Reddit opinions
Too Close to Call

Reddit prefers the Forerunner 165

Winning by 4 points (90% vs 86%)

Better value
Better display
New entry
High confidence (601 mentions)

πŸ’¬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 601 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Fenix 8
8.6/10
305 mentions
Forerunner 165
9.0/10
296 mentions
BATTERY LIFE
Fenix 89.5/10
Forerunner 1658.3/10
BUILD QUALITY
Fenix 88.8/10
Forerunner 1658.0/10
SMART FEATURES
Fenix 87.8/10
Forerunner 1657.5/10
FITNESS TRACKING
Fenix 810.0/10
Forerunner 1659.2/10
VALUE
Fenix 81.2/10
Forerunner 1659.0/10
DISPLAY
Fenix 88.3/10
Forerunner 16510.0/10
βš”οΈ

Head to Head

Head to Head

Fenix 8: 4|Forerunner 165: 2
Battery LifeFenix 8
Fenix 895%
Forerunner 16583%
Build QualityFenix 8
Fenix 888%
Forerunner 16580%
Smart FeaturesFenix 8
Fenix 878%
Forerunner 16575%
Fitness TrackingFenix 8
Fenix 8100%
Forerunner 16592%
ValueForerunner 165
Fenix 812%
Forerunner 16590%
DisplayForerunner 165
Fenix 883%
Forerunner 165100%
Fenix 886%
Forerunner 16590%
Close race - Forerunner 165 edges ahead by 4 points

Key Specs

SpecGarmin Fenix 8Garmin Forerunner 165
Display Type
AMOLED (always on)
AMOLED touchscreen
Display Size
1.4 inch AMOLED
1.2 inch diameter
Display Resolution
454 x 454 pixels
390 x 390 pixels
Battery Life Smartwatch
Up to 16 days
Up to 11 days
Water Resistance
10 ATM
β€”

Key Highlights

Garmin Fenix 8
πŸ‘‘ Flagship
πŸ–₯️ AMOLED option
πŸ”οΈ All features
πŸ’Έ Very expensive
Garmin Forerunner 165Winner
πŸ†• New entry
πŸ–₯️ AMOLED
πŸƒ Running
πŸ’° Good value

Topic Battles

Fenix 8: 4|Tied: 0|Forerunner 165: 1
⭐Fitness Tracking
Fenix 8 wins
Fenix 8
100%
Forerunner 165
92%
πŸ”‹Battery Life
Fenix 8 wins
Fenix 8
95%
Forerunner 165
83%
πŸ–₯️Display
Forerunner 165 wins
Fenix 8
83%
Forerunner 165
100%
πŸ“±Smart Features
Fenix 8 wins
Fenix 8
78%
Forerunner 165
75%
πŸ”§Build & Comfort
Fenix 8 wins
Fenix 8
88%
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
View
3 more quotes available below

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Garmin Fenix 8

Best Praise
+2 pts
β€œYeah Fenix 8 is top, but Venu 4 is close to the top. Some differences: F8 has maps on board, V4 not. F8 is dive certified, has a depth sensor, V4 not.”
r/Smartwatch
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Top Criticism
+4 pts
β€œNo. Fenix doesn't have either SIM or eSIM support so it can't make phone calls without a phone. Garmin's LTE is not for that.”
r/Smartwatch
View
3 more quotes available below

πŸ“ˆHistorical Price Data

Garmin Fenix 8
Garmin Forerunner 165
$300$600$900Jun '25Aug '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Mar '26Apr '26Low: $749.99Low: $198.88Current: $999.99Current: $199.99
Garmin Fenix 8
All-time low: $745.99(2025-12)
$2 below 90-day avg
Garmin Forerunner 165
All-time low: $189.99(2025-06)
$17 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Garmin Forerunner 165 Wins
90%
165
vs
86%
8

Close race, but Garmin Forerunner 165 edges ahead by 4 points based on 601 Reddit opinions.

Why Forerunner 165Winner
  • Better Value for Money (90% vs 12%)
Why Fenix 8
  • πŸ‘‘ Flagship
  • πŸ–₯️ AMOLED option

❀️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

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

Sentiment Breakdown

31%Positive
Positive
31%
Neutral
65%
Negative
4%
Based on 305 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Garmin Forerunner 165 or Garmin Fenix 8?
Based on 601 Reddit comments, Garmin Forerunner 165 has a slight edge with 90% positive sentiment vs Garmin Fenix 8's 86%. The difference is small, so both are solid choices.
Should I buy Garmin Forerunner 165 or Garmin Fenix 8?
Both have similar approval ratings (90% vs 86%), 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 Garmin Fenix 8?
Reddit users highlight: Flagship. AMOLED option. All features. With 305 mentions and 86% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 601 Reddit comments: 296 about Garmin Forerunner 165 and 305 about Garmin Fenix 8. 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.

218 Reddit opinions analyzed Β· Last updated 6/7/2026