Garmin - Forerunner 265 GPS Smartwatch 46 mm Fiber-Reinforced polymer - Black - (2023)
Customers are saying
Customers admire the exceptional battery life and overall performance of this device, which users find perfect for exercise enthusiasts. Many appreciate the functional design, accurate GPS tracking, and the insightful sleep monitoring capabilities. While the watch is praised for being lightweight and comfortable, a few users have expressed a desire for a larger size option. Overall, the product is highly regarded for its comprehensive feature set and reliable accuracy.
Color
BlackAMOLED touchscreen display
Brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display with traditional button controls; lightweight design in 46 mm size
Battery life
Up to 13 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and up to 20 hours in GPS mode
Morning report
As soon as you wake up, get your morning report with an overview of your sleep, recovery and training outlook alongside HRV status, training readiness and weather (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Race widget and daily suggested workout
Plan race strategy with personalized daily suggested workouts based on the race and course that you input into the Garmin Connect app and then view the race widget on your watch; daily suggested workouts adapt after every run to match performance and recovery
Training readiness
Training readiness score is based on sleep quality, recovery, training load and HRV status to determine if you’re primed to go hard and get the most out of your workout (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
More activities
30+ built-in activity profiles include running, triathlons, cycling, open-water swimming and more
Training status
Using indicators such as HRV status, recent exercise history and performance, get insight into overall effort with training status — and know whether you’re training productively, peaking or strained (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Safety and tracking
Safety and tracking features, including incident detection and Assistance, send a message with your live location to emergency contacts when paired with your compatible smartphone; requires setup and your smartphone to be in an area with network coverage
Superior accuracy
Multi-band GNSS with SatIQ technology provides superior positioning accuracy in challenging environments while also optimizing the device’s battery life
Connected features
Never miss a call or text from your paired Android or Apple smartphone with smart notifications
Garmin Pay payment solution
Leave your cash and cards at home; Garmin Pay contactless payments let you pay for purchases on the go (with a supported country and payment network)
Music on the go
Download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer (subscription may be required), and connect with your wireless headphones for phone-free listening
Free Connect app
See your health and fitness information, connect and compete with friends, sign up for challenges to earn badges and more — all in our free, zero-subscription Garmin Connect app
- Screen Size33 millimetersTouch ScreenNoOperating System CompatibilityAndroid, Apple iOSOperating SystemGarminApp CompatibleYesBuilt-in Storage8 gigabytes
Reviews
Rating 4.8 out of 5 stars with 310 reviews
- Battery Life (97)
- Overall Performance (86)
- Functionality (28)
- Sleep Tracking (27)
- Comfort (18)
- Size (3)
Customer Images
The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
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Train brilliantly with the Forerunner 265 GPS running smartwatch. Its colorful AMOLED touchscreen display stands out while the training readiness feature — which tells you when you’re primed for a productive session — helps you crush your goals. Wake up to your morning report with HRV status to see health insights alongside an overview of sleep, recovery and training outlook (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked). Plan your race strategy with the race widget, which enables personalized daily suggested workouts that adapt to performance, recovery, the race you’re running and its course. Get ready to make the most of every run with wrist-based running power and multi-band GPS. And when you want to switch it up with cross training, choose from more than 30 activity profiles, including triathlons, cycling, swimming and more. Get a more complete picture of your health, not just a glimpse, from your Forerunner 265 with up to 13 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.

Featuring a stainless steel design, the Venu 4 GPS smartwatch provides advanced features you need — all on a bright, colorful display — to better understand your body and promote a healthier lifestyle. Keep pushing day after day with up to 12 days of battery life. Body Battery energy monitoring tracks your body’s energy levels to find the best times for activity and rest. Help improve the quality of your sleep with personalized sleep metrics, including the sleep alignment feature to understand if you’re in sync with your internal cycle. The health status feature looks for changes in your health data that could indicate added stress to your body, so you can know when you’re trending away from your usual range. Make every activity count using personalized Garmin Coach training plans for running, cycling, strength and fitness. And switch up your activities with easy-to-follow animated workouts, daily suggested workouts and more than 80 built-in sports apps — including for active wheelchair users. Log custom or preset daily behaviors — such as caffeine and alcohol intake — to view reports in the Garmin Connect smartphone app on how your lifestyle choices may impact your overall health. All smartwatch data presented is intended to be a close estimation of the metrics tracked. Plus, make and take calls right from your wrist when paired to your smartphone.

For performance-driven runners, there’s Forerunner 970 — the premium GPS running and triathlon smartwatch with our brightest AMOLED display, durable sapphire lens and lightweight titanium bezel. Use the built-in LED flashlight for greater awareness when you head out before the sun’s up or stay out past dark. Understand your overall energy efficiency with running economy, and see how much you are slowing down when your foot hits the ground with step speed loss (HRM 600 monitor required; sold separately). Running tolerance helps you understand the real impact running has on your body so you can adjust your training to avoid overload and improve. Use multi-band GPS and full-color, built-in maps plus navigation enhancements to stay on track while you train. Forerunner 970 is ready to go as long as you are, with up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. If you ever go too far, use the built-in speaker and microphone to make a call from your wrist (when paired with your smartphone).

Instinct 3 is the rugged 45 mm GPS smartwatch with a 0.9” display, built-in flashlight and unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode with solar charging (assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions). With bolted construction, a metal-reinforced bezel and scratch-resistant lens, it can take on your toughest adventures. It’s engineered to MIL-STD-810 standards for thermal and shock resistance and is also 10 ATM water-rated. To keep you on track, the Instinct 3 smartwatch includes a built-in 3-axis compass and barometric altimeter. Plus, multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology delivers superior positioning while also optimizing battery life. Its 24/7 health and wellness features keep you connected to your body with heart rate tracking, advanced sleep monitoring, Pulse Ox and more (this is not a medical device, and data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked; Pulse Ox not available in all countries). Instinct 3 also includes Garmin Pay contactless payments (with a supported bank).
| Pros for Garmin - Forerunner 265 GPS Smartwatch 46 mm Fiber-Reinforced polymer - Black - (2023) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Battery Life, Overall Performance, Functionality, Sleep Tracking, Comfort | Battery Life, Overall Performance, Health Tracking, Ease of Use, Design | Overall Performance, Battery Life, Features, Flashlight, Weight | Battery Life, Overall Performance, Features, Flashlight, Solar Charging |
| Cons for Garmin - Forerunner 265 GPS Smartwatch 46 mm Fiber-Reinforced polymer - Black - (2023) | |||
| Size | There were no cons for this product— | Sleep Tracking | User Interface |


































































