Garmin Forerunner 965 Review: The Top Smartwatch for Runners and Multisport Athletes

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is an advanced smartwatch designed for runners and triathletes. The Forerunner 965 now boasts an AMOLED screen, new training features, and better GPS-capable auto navigation.

With an emphasis on health monitoring, fatigue management, and ruggedness, the Forerunner 965 aims to provide exhaustive information, outstanding battery longevity, and dependable navigation features. But like many specialized devices, it also comes with a hefty price tag. So, how does the watch look? What features does it have? How does it perform in sports modes? What other “smart” functions does it have? What’s the battery life like? How does it perform in day-to-day use? Let’s investigate.

About Garmin Forerunner watch bands, you can also read:

Garmin Forerunner 965 Watch bands

Garmin Forerunner 955 Watch bands

Garmin Forerunner 945 Watch Bands

Garmin Forerunner 255 Watch Bands

Garmin Forerunner 970 Watch Bands

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Design and Build Quality

The Forerunner 965 comes with a lightweight and comfortable look with a titanium bezel and reinforced polymer case which make the watch more stealthy and durable. The 965 weighs 53g which is very light for a multi-purpose smartwatch considering that the Apple Watch Ultra weighs around 61g.

Key Design Highlights:

• The case diameter is 47.2mm which should comfortably fit most wrists.
• The bezel is made out of titanium, so it is stronger and less likely to get scratched.
• The watch is resistant to swimming and rain with 5 ATM.
• The glass is scratch-resistant and durable Corning Gorilla Glass DX.

The Garmin Forerunner 965, unlike other large sports watches, keeps a lightweight, slim form factor which makes it comfortable for daily use as well as for long training sessions.

AMOLED Display - A Notable Improvement

1.4-inch AMOLED screen is a notable upgrade versus the predecessors. Unlike conventional MIP (Memory-In-Pixel) screens, AMOLED promises the following features:

• Enhanced colors coupled with richer blacks
• Superior visibility outdoors even under direct sunlight
• Improved resolution leading to sharper detail on the screens

Garmin aims to provide better underwater usability with the inclusion of 5 physical buttons that allow for effortless control during exercises. With the display always on, the screen can be checked more effectively but at the expense of less battery life.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Advanced Health and Fitness Tracking

With Garmin being well known for its health tracking, the Forerunner 965 steps it up with the 24/7 monitoring of key metrics which include:

Health Features:

• Heart Rate Monitoring - tracking with an alert for abnormal heart rates
• Pulse Ox Sensor- blood oxygen measuring for altitude and sleep
• Sleep Score Stages - measuring deep, light, and REM sleep cycles
• HRV (heart rate variability) status- assessing stress and recovery
• Body Battery- energy meter based on sleep, stress and activity

Athletes can now track the precise insights needed during the recovery phase with this level of tracking. The metrics HRV and Body Battery simplify the planning for training loads alongside rest days.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Performance and Training Elements

With unprecedented training features, the Forerunner 965 is tailored for advanced athletes who seek deeper training insights.

Important Straining Parameters:

• Aerobic performance prediction by VO2 Max Estimation
• Optimizing workout intensity with Training Readiness Score
• Long run overexertion prevention with stamina tracking
• During races, pacing strategy is boosted by PacePro ClimbPro.
• Balanced workouts are ensured by Training Load Recovery Advisor.

Real time stamina tracking is unique, enabling runners to adjust their pacing during the distance runs.

The Race Widget supports race day by helping omnicast_predictions, guiding the race training plan, and tracking the weather to assist race day readiness.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Multi-Band GPS And Navigation

Garmin, as the one of the top 10 best sports watch companies in the world, is unrivaled when it comes to accuracy of GPS systems, the Forerunner 965 has multi-band GNSS support, these include:

• Precise tracking through GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo
• Enhanced accuracy in dense environments due to multi-frequency positioning
• Outdoor navigation via preloaded TopoActive Maps

These features makes it one of the best gps watches for urban, forest, and mountain trained runners, hikers, and cyclists. The breadcrumb navigation makes you keep on track without cellular, while these settings assist altitude diving.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Tracking Sports Activities

As a multi sport device, the Forerunner 965 is a great fit for multi sport athletes due to its versatility with more than 30 sports modes.

Sports Modes Including:

• Running- Road, Trail, Treadmill
• Cycling - Road, Mountain, Indoor
• Swimming - Pool, Open Water
• Hiking and Climbing
• Strength Training and HIIT
• Triathlon Mode for a smooth multi sport tracking experience

As unlike other general smartwatches, Garmin goes beyond the basics of any single activity and provides deep analytics such as:

• Running Power Cadence (No extra sensors needed)
• Swimming Stroke SWOLF Score
• Cycling Power Estimation Enables FTP Power training

For those more adventurous, these Garmin features will enhance off-trail navigation and predicts the weather: altimeter, barometer, and compass.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Smart Features Activities Daily Use

The Forerunner 965 comes with smart watch capabilities, making it more than just a fitness watch.

• Garmin Pay: Contactless payment for ease and convenience
• Offline music storage: syncs directly with Spotify, Amazon, Music, Deezer
• Smart Notifications: texts emails, and alerts can be received
• WiFi, Bluetooth, and ANT+ connectivity

While handy, LTE advanced is the Forerunner 965's biggest drawback which still translates to needing the user's phone for calls and internet. For Android users, replies to texts and calls work seamlessly while iPhone users will face limited interaction.

Battery Life - Performance That Lasts

Garmin has great battery life, and the Forerunner 965 has a battery life that surpasses the majority of competitors:

• Smartwatch Mode: Up to 23 days
• GPS Mode (no music): Up to 36 hours
• GPS + Music: Approximately 8.5 hours

Garmin’s multi-week endurance is a great feature for athletes and adventurers who require a dependable device as compared to the Apple Watch Ultra which by the way has a 36-hour battery life.

Comparison - Forerunner 965 vs. Competitors

Unlike athletes, people in touch with the business world don't need much functionality from a smartwatch. The Ultra version of Apple Watch scores higher on smartwatch features, but the Forerunner 965 beats the Ultra in fitness tracking as well as battery life.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review - Who Should Buy the Garmin Forerunner 965?

Best For:

• Runners, triathletes, and other endurance sport athletes
• Users with a strong focus on fitness who need precise data measurements
• Adventurers that go outdoors and need reliable GPS functionality
• People who prefer not to charge their devices frequently and want to maximize battery life

Not Ideal For:

• Those who expect full smartwatch capabilities (LTE, app store, etc) features
• Casual individuals who do not utilize sophisticated training options

Final Verdict: Is the Garmin Forerunner 965 Worth It?

Pros:

• Great AMOLED screen
• Multi-band GPS works great
• Sophisticated health and training data
• Exceptional battery performance
• Enjoy music and use Garmin Pay

Cons:

• Missing LTE for standalone use
• A bit pricy for current midrange Garmins

If you want a stunning GPS smartwatch with the best GPS tracking, superb accuracy, and unmatched battery life, then the Garmin Forerunner 965 is ideal for you. It surpasses many smartwatches in the market for its tracking of fitness and performance.

Also Read:

Garmin Approach S62 review

Garmin Approach S60 review

Garmin S62 vs S70

Garmin Fenix 8 review

Garmin Fenix 7 vs Fenix 8