Wear Radar

Fitbit ChargevsGarmin Forerunner 965

Fitbit Charge
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

Best for: Anyone who wants serious health and fitness tracking without the bulk or cost of a full smartwatch. Works with both Android and iPhone, making it the most accessible Fitbit tracker in the lineup.

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Garmin Forerunner 965
Buy/Wait:bad

Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest

Best for: Competitive runners, triathletes, and ultramarathon runners who want the complete Garmin running analytics suite: full maps, running dynamics, training load, race predictor, and race day guidance — in the lightest, most running-optimised Garmin form factor.

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Fitbit ChargeGarmin Forerunner 965
TierFitness TrackerSports GPS
PlatformiOS & AndroidiOS & Android
Battery7 days23 days
Always-on display
GPS
Cellular
Health sensorsecg, spo2, eda stress, hrhr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, training readiness, running dynamics
ReleasedSep 28, 2023Mar 1, 2023
Cycle length731 days1024 days
Cycle advicebadbad
Deals advicegoodgood
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Why buy each?

Fitbit Charge

ECG and EDA stress in a slim band

Full ECG, electrodermal activity stress sensing, SpO2, and continuous heart rate in a tracker thinner than most smartwatches.

Google apps integration

Google Maps navigation, Google Wallet NFC payments, and YouTube Music controls — more useful on-device apps than any previous Charge.

7-day battery with GPS

7 days of typical use, dropping to around 30 minutes per GPS workout session before needing a charge.

Garmin Forerunner 965

Full color topographic maps

Turn-by-turn navigation on full TopoActive maps — the key differentiator from the FR265. Essential for trail running and mountain racing.

Running dynamics metrics

Cadence, stride length, vertical oscillation, ground contact time, and running power — the full biomechanics suite for optimising form and efficiency.

23-day battery and 31h GPS

More than double the FR265 battery life. Enough for week-long trail ultras without a charge.