Garmin Forerunner 965 Review | The Ultimate GPS Smartwatch

Last Updated on September 10, 2024 by Luis Cooper

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a game-changer for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Packed with advanced features like a vibrant AMOLED display, built-in GPS, and extensive health-tracking capabilities, this smartwatch is designed to elevate your training experience.

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or just starting, the Forerunner 965 promises to be your ultimate companion in reaching your fitness goals.

Let’s dive into the details and see what makes this watch stand out.

Garmin Forerunner 965 Review

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is the company’s top multisport watch to date.

Its stunning AMOLED display rivals Apple’s, while improvements in battery life, a more compact design, and premium titanium enhancements elevate its appeal.

This watch represents a remarkable technological achievement, combining style and functionality for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.

Design: 

Regarding design and durability, I think the Garmin is more durable than other watches.

This one has a very flat screen for the kind of screen and the bezel.

So you are more likely to hit it against things you’re more likely to scratch it. 

So that’s just one thing to remember versus the epics and the higher-tier Garmin watches out there. 

Now, it comes included with a silicone band.

Remember that when you get that wet, don’t dry it off, and keep wearing it; it will continue to have more moisture on your wrist.

Dry the silicone band after working out, or it will leave marks on your wrist.

And that happens with any fitness tracker or thing you wear on your wrist.

So I highly recommend getting a more clothy-based one that can dry much faster. 

There are five hardware buttons, just like other Garmin watches.

You know, start your run to maneuver the watch. 

It’s nice that it has a touchscreen, and you can maneuver the entire watch using the button.

So I appreciate that. 

One thing I’ve noticed is just like the vibe: if you are a runner, it’s cool to wear a Garmin watch.

I’m a serious athlete, so it gives me a nice vibe. 

Moving towards the display and the user experience, it’s brightly colored.

You can see it outside, which is lovely.

Some older Garmin watches are more complicated to see, but this one works exceptionally well.

It is now color-based.

When I started wearing Garmin 965, I thought, wow, the color makes a big difference. 

I would argue that the colors look too retro and old-school.

I’m not a big fan of colors, but I like things like that. 

Specs: 

Brand	Garmin
Model number of the product	010-02809-00
Model name of the item	Garmin forerunner 965
ASIN	B0BS1XZY7T
Batteries	1 Lithium polymer batteries required. (included)
Dimensions of the product	1.85 x 1.85 x 0.52 inches
Connectivity feature	Bluetooth
Weight of item	53 Grams
Size	standard
Compatible devices	smartphones

Fitness Tracking: 

Let’s move on to our next topic: fitness tracking.

The Garmin 965 is one tier above the Garmin 265 and incorporates many other features.

So, if you want more features than the basic one, it’s an excellent watch for training for a triathlon and running.

When it comes to heart rate accuracy, I typically wear two watches all the time and notice that the heart rate on the Garmin is pretty consistent.

You can connect it to a chest-based strap. 

GPS does have multi-band GPS, which is potentially more accurate. 

Battery Life: 

Next is battery life and charging.

From a charging experience perspective, I wish all these would support G wireless charging.

When traveling, you want to bring fewer chargers, but they offer their proprietary plug; you plug that in.

I have found some USBC adapters online, where it’s tiny.

So that’s like a thought: if you want to bring USBC cable and then have a small adapter that you get for your watch, it’s not the ideal charging experience cause you have to plug it in the bottom, and then you’ve to flip, put your watch upside down, but it works, and that’s where the battery life comes in. 

So, the Garmin watches are extremely good at battery life depending on how much you run, how much fitness tracking you do, and if you wear it while you sleep.

There are so many wearables, such as the satellite feature you use and the GPS feature you use, in terms of accuracy when running.

All of that impacts the battery life, but for the most part, it’s pretty good.

Most of these watches have a battery life of seven days, which is good if you work out a lot; the fitness tracking features will drain your battery much faster.

It’s just about this inconsistent every few days.

You’ll have to charge your watch, but if you are going on a weekend trip, I know as long as I charge my watch beforehand, I can go on that weekend trip, and I don’t need the charger, so I like that. 

Health and Wellness: 

One thing I love about Garmin watches is the training load.

It’ll tell me, ‘Hey, you’re being productive,’ ‘you are de-training.’ Well, it can be depressing if you are de-training and wearing the watch, and maybe you’re injured or not running as much as you used to.

So I’ve noticed that when I’m not training for a specific event, I’ll take the Garmin watch off, so that’s something to keep in mind. 

Some other features like stress, body battery, and VO2 max, although these things are nice.

I think the VO2 max, and I appreciate it: the stress and the body battery.

I never use these features.

They are there, and okay, it’s kind of insightful and helpful, but I don’t think enough people will spend all their time investing.

It’s another valuable data point that could help you understand how you are feeling if your intuition is not the best.

These are just extra fancy features.

According to statistics, most people do not look at and use them so that I wouldn’t consider them. 

Smartwatch Features:

Here are the smartwatch features.

Listening to music is a big part of running, right?

You want to be able to listen to music and change your song and volume.

Having your phone is probably the most straightforward option because you must press the up and down buttons and pick a new playlist.

But sometimes, running is hard, so being able to do it on your watch is the next best thing. 

Garmin offers the ability to do everything, but it’s not easy.

You have to go into deep menus and press lots of buttons, and if you are running, you’re more likely not to do this; if you have your phone with you, you might take it out and do it. 

You can also download offline music; unlike other watches, it doesn’t offer a way to stream.

I appreciate that it’s integrated with Spotify, and I can download my favorite running playlist. 

I think calls and message notifications are unnecessary because we are getting so many messages and pings.

Still, you can get your calls and notifications on the Garmin if your phone is nearby and connected to Bluetooth. 

There are safety features on the Garmin, but you need to ensure your phone is nearby, leading us to the next thing: payments.

Let’s say you go for a run with your friends and don’t want to bring your phone.

You all decide to have brunch and want to pay for the thing.

I like having payments on my wrist.

Garmin does have Garmin Pay, but unfortunately, it doesn’t support all the cards you want. 

Our Verdict

The Garmin Forerunner 965 Running Smartwatch is a standout choice for runners and fitness enthusiasts. Its vibrant AMOLED display offers clear visibility, even in bright sunlight. The watch provides comprehensive training metrics and recovery insights, helping users optimize their performance and avoid burnout. Its sleek black and powder gray design adds a touch of elegance, making it suitable for everyday wear. Overall, the Forerunner 965 combines advanced features with style, making it a top contender in the smartwatch market.

FAQs:

Is the Garmin 965 worth it?

The Forerunner 965 is built for performance, and if you’re a runner, we’d highly recommend this model. While not as rugged as other models in this price range, it’s one of the lightest and slimmest in our lineup. This watch contains all you need for a great workout or adventure.

Is the Garmin Forerunner 965 waterproof?

The device is intended for surface swimming. Scuba diving with the device may damage the product and void the warranty. NOTE: The watch has a wrist-based heart rate that is enabled for swimming activities. The watch is compatible with chest heart rate monitors like the HRM-Pro series accessories.

Does the Garmin 965 have music?

On a Forerunner 965 watch, you can download audio content from your computer or a third-party provider to listen to when your phone is not nearby. You can also connect Bluetooth headphones to listen to audio content stored on your watch.

Best Garmin Watches for Students

Best Potential Rolex Investments

Best Smartwatches for Golf