Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

93 facts in comparison

Based on 259 Reddit opinions. Forerunner 165 leads by 27 points.

259 opinions
Forerunner 165 leads by 27pts
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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VS
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
63%
C
Based on
368 Redditors

Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

~$195.55
149 opinions

tldr; Latest Galaxy Watch. Faster chip, AI features. Incremental.

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Fitness TrackingBattery LifeDisplaySmart FeaturesBuild & Comfort
FIT
🔋BAT
🖥️DIS
📱SMA
🔧BUI
87
Points
62
Points

Score by Category

Fitness Tracking
92%56%
Battery Life
83%24%
Display
100%62%
Smart Features
75%73%
Build & Comfort
80%73%

Why is Galaxy Watch 7 better than Garmin Forerunner 165?

  • 🆕 Latest Samsung
  • AI features
  • Incremental
Based on 664 Reddit opinions
Clear Winner

Reddit prefers the Forerunner 165

Winning by 27 points (90% vs 63%)

Better value
Better fitness tracking
Better build quality
High confidence (664 mentions)

💬Reddit Sentiment

Based on 664 Reddit mentions

Overall Rating

Forerunner 165
9.0/10
296 mentions
Watch 7
6.3/10
368 mentions
VALUE
Forerunner 1659.0/10
Watch 78.2/10
FITNESS TRACKING
Forerunner 1659.2/10
Watch 75.6/10
BUILD QUALITY
Forerunner 1658.0/10
Watch 77.3/10
SMART FEATURES
Forerunner 1657.5/10
Watch 77.3/10
DISPLAY
Forerunner 16510.0/10
Watch 76.2/10
BATTERY LIFE
Forerunner 1658.3/10
Watch 72.4/10
⚔️

Head to Head

Head to Head

Forerunner 165: 5|Watch 7: 0
ValueForerunner 165
Forerunner 16590%
Watch 782%
Fitness TrackingForerunner 165
Forerunner 16592%
Watch 756%
Build QualityForerunner 165
Forerunner 16580%
Watch 773%
Smart Features
Forerunner 16575%
Watch 773%
DisplayForerunner 165
Forerunner 165100%
Watch 762%
Battery LifeForerunner 165
Forerunner 16583%
Watch 724%
Forerunner 16590%
Watch 763%
Clear winner - Forerunner 165 leads by 27 points

Key Specs

SpecGarmin Forerunner 165Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
Display Type
AMOLED touchscreen
Display Size
1.2 inch diameter
Display Resolution
390 x 390 pixels
Battery Life Smartwatch
Up to 11 days
Water Rating
5 ATM

Key Highlights

Garmin Forerunner 165Winner
🆕 New entry
🖥️ AMOLED
🏃 Running
💰 Good value
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
🆕 Latest Samsung
🤖 AI features
📈 Incremental
💰 Premium

Topic Battles

Forerunner 165: 4|Tied: 1|Watch 7: 0
Fitness Tracking
Forerunner 165 wins
Forerunner 165
92%
Watch 7
56%
🔋Battery Life
Forerunner 165 wins
Forerunner 165
83%
Watch 7
24%
🖥️Display
Forerunner 165 wins
Forerunner 165
100%
Watch 7
62%
📱Smart Features
Forerunner 165
75%
Watch 7
73%
🔧Build & Comfort
Forerunner 165 wins
Forerunner 165
80%
Watch 7
73%

Based on Reddit sentiment across 5 categories

📈Where They Rank

💬What Redditors Actually Say

What Redditors Say

Best praise vs top criticism for Garmin Forerunner 165

Best Praise
+3 pts
For 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
personally 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 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7

Best Praise
+4 pts
I recently got a galaxy watch 7 and I love it. I don't have Facebook so I couldn't tell you about that. Being able to go for a run without having a phone and still listen to music while having accurate GPS is amazing
r/Smartwatch
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Top Criticism
+2 pts
I am using my Gw7 and i Must say: Stay away. The automatic Workout Functions doesnt work properly, the Battery ONLY holds 3-4 days of Charge with energy save Mode. I know there are smartwatches out there with better Battery life, but i own a S22u and thought a Samsung watch will be good... Lesson learned lol Fell Free to ask something about the watch
r/Smartwatch
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3 more quotes available below

📈Historical Price Data

Garmin Forerunner 165
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
$200$250$300Jun '25Jul '25Sep '25Oct '25Nov '25Dec '25Jan '26Feb '26Apr '26May '26Low: $198.88Low: $184.99Current: $199.99
Garmin Forerunner 165
All-time low: $189.99(2025-06)
$17 below 90-day avg
Samsung Galaxy Watch 7
All-time low: $129.99(2025-11)
$13 below 90-day avg

Which is Better?

Garmin Forerunner 165 Wins
90%
165
vs
63%
7

Garmin Forerunner 165 leads by 27 points based on 664 Reddit opinions.

Why Forerunner 165Winner
  • Better Value for Money (90% vs 82%)
Why Watch 7
  • 🆕 Latest Samsung
  • 🤖 AI features

❤️The Love/Hate Breakdown

Sentiment Breakdown

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

Sentiment Breakdown

24%Positive
Positive
24%
Neutral
60%
Negative
16%
Based on 368 Reddit opinions

Frequently Asked Questions

Which is better, Garmin Forerunner 165 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
Based on 664 Reddit comments, Garmin Forerunner 165 is the preferred choice with 90% positive sentiment vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 7's 63%. Garmin Forerunner 165 leads by 27 percentage points.
Should I buy Garmin Forerunner 165 or Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
If you want the safer choice based on community sentiment, Garmin Forerunner 165 has stronger approval ratings (90% vs 63%). However, Samsung Galaxy Watch 7 may still be better depending on your specific needs, budget, or use case.
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 Samsung Galaxy Watch 7?
Reddit users highlight: Latest Samsung. AI features. Incremental. With 368 mentions and 63% approval, it remains a popular alternative.
How many Reddit reviews were analyzed?
This comparison analyzed 664 Reddit comments: 296 about Garmin Forerunner 165 and 368 about Samsung Galaxy Watch 7. 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.

259 Reddit opinions analyzed · Last updated 6/14/2026