Overdue for a refresh — no successor announced yet. Prices should be at their lowest
Best for: Multisport athletes and outdoor enthusiasts who want the most visually impressive Garmin watch without sacrificing analytics. If you want Fenix-level capability with a beautiful display and don't need maximum battery life, the Epix Pro is the answer.
Full details →Late in cycle — a new model is likely coming
Best for: Beginner and intermediate runners who want real GPS accuracy and Garmin's analytics depth without the price of the 265 or 965. Also ideal as a first serious GPS watch for anyone moving up from a fitness tracker.
Full details →| Garmin Epix | Garmin Forerunner 165 | |
|---|---|---|
| Tier | Sports GPS | Sports GPS |
| Platform | iOS & Android | iOS & Android |
| Battery | 16 days | 11 days |
| Always-on display | ✅ | ❌ |
| GPS | ✅ | ✅ |
| Cellular | ❌ | ❌ |
| Health sensors | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery, training readiness | hr, spo2, hrv, stress, body battery |
| Released | Aug 31, 2023 | Mar 5, 2024 |
| Cycle length | 590 days | 1006 days |
| Cycle advice | bad | bad |
| Deals advice | good | good |
| Next model | — | — |
AMOLED always-on display with significantly higher resolution and brightness than the Fenix MIP display — a meaningful advantage for readability in all conditions.
Running dynamics, full TopoActive maps, training load, advanced sleep, race predictor — the complete Garmin suite in a less bulky package than the Fenix 8.
The Epix Pro Sapphire Solar edition achieves 31 days in smartwatch mode via solar charging — near-Fenix endurance with superior display quality.
The FR165 is the first Garmin entry-level running watch with an AMOLED display — dramatically more readable than the LCD it replaces.
Training load, recovery time, Body Battery, HRV status, VO2 max estimation — the same analytics found on watches costing twice as much.
11 days typical use and roughly 19 hours GPS — enough for most training blocks without mid-week charging.