Entry-level AMOLED running watches just became a battleground, and Garmin finally showed up with weapons. The company’s new Forerunner 165 and Forerunner 165 Music, launching February 20, 2024, at $249.99 and $299.99 respectively, represent something unexpected: Garmin admitting that budget-conscious beginners matter.
Key Takeaways
- Forerunner 165 and 165 Music launch at $249.99 and $299.99, undercutting Garmin’s previous cheapest AMOLED option by $200.
- Both watches feature 1.2-inch AMOLED displays, 11-day battery life in smartwatch mode, and dual-frequency GPS for accuracy.
- 165 Music adds 4GB storage for offline Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music playback.
- Coros Pace 3 at $229 with 15-day battery already pressured Garmin’s entry-level position.
- Global running watch market projected to grow 8.5% annually through 2030, with beginner segment surging post-pandemic.
Why Garmin suddenly cares about entry-level AMOLED running watches
For years, Garmin‘s AMOLED Forerunners started at $449 with the Forerunner 265. The gap between that and the $199 Forerunner 55 (which used the older MIP display technology) was a canyon. Cheaper competitors like Coros filled that space with the Pace 3, offering AMOLED, dual-band GPS, and 15-day battery life at $229. That’s not a gap anymore—that’s a rout.
Garmin held 33% of the premium GPS sports watch market in 2023, up from 28% in 2022, but that lead is fragile. The running watch market is growing at 8.5% annually through 2030, and most of that growth is beginners. Post-pandemic running adoption created millions of Couch-to-5K entrants who want AMOLED screens and don’t want to pay premium prices. Polar’s Vantage M3 at $299 and Suunto’s Race S at $349 were already circling. Garmin’s response: build a real AMOLED watch for beginners and price it to compete.
The Forerunner 165 and 165 Music aren’t stripped-down versions of the Forerunner 265. Both pack a 1.2-inch AMOLED display at 390×390 pixels, 5 ATM water resistance, up to 11 days of battery life in smartwatch mode (19 hours on GPS), heart rate monitoring, and a new dual-frequency GPS chip for better accuracy in urban canyons. They weigh 39g standard and 40.5g for the Music version—light enough that beginners won’t feel burdened during their first 5K races.
What entry-level AMOLED running watches gain with the Forerunner 165
Both watches include Garmin Coach adaptive training plans, daily suggested workouts, morning reports, sleep tracking, nap detection, and HRV status monitoring. These are the features beginners actually use—not advanced metrics like VO2 max estimation or lactate threshold prediction. The 165 Music adds 4GB of onboard storage for offline music streaming from Spotify, Deezer, and Amazon Music, which matters for runners who don’t want to carry their phone.
The dual-frequency GPS chip is the real technical lift here. It supports multi-band GNSS, meaning the watch can lock onto GPS signals faster and more reliably than single-frequency chips, especially in dense urban areas or under tree cover. For a beginner runner in a city, that’s the difference between accurate route tracking and a squiggly mess on the map.
Color options span black, slate gray, mist gray, rose, denim blue, and berry—a wider palette than Garmin’s typical premium offerings. That’s a signal too: Garmin is treating the Forerunner 165 as a lifestyle product, not just a training tool.
How entry-level AMOLED running watches compare to Garmin’s own lineup
The Forerunner 165 sits between the Forerunner 55 and the Forerunner 265 in price but punches closer to the 265 in features. The 55 still uses an MIP (memory-in-pixel) display, which is power-efficient but less vibrant than AMOLED. The 265 starts at $449 and targets intermediate runners with more advanced metrics. The 165 is the Goldilocks option: AMOLED for beginners, priced to compete, without the complexity that scares off someone just starting to run.
Against the Coros Pace 3, the Forerunner 165 trades 15-day battery life for Garmin’s ecosystem advantage. Garmin Connect is more robust than Coros’s app for beginners—it integrates with more third-party services, offers clearer visualizations, and Garmin Coach is genuinely useful for structured training. The Coros is lighter on features and heavier on battery. Which matters more depends on whether you care more about simplicity or endurance between charges.
The Polar Vantage M3 at $299 leans harder into recovery metrics like sleep quality and training load balance. If you’re a beginner obsessed with recovery, Polar’s the pick. If you want straightforward training plans and music, the Forerunner 165 Music wins.
What this means for the running watch market
Garmin’s move signals that the premium sports watch market is finally democratizing. Three years ago, AMOLED meant you paid $400-plus. Now it means $250. That compression squeezes everyone—Coros has to innovate harder, Polar has to differentiate on recovery, and budget brands like Amazfit and Xiaomi (which offer basic GPS running at $89-99) are pushed further downmarket.
For beginners, this is unambiguously good. You no longer choose between a cheap watch with a dull screen or a premium watch with a price tag that makes you question whether you’ll actually stick with running. The Forerunner 165 lets you start serious without betting the farm.
Is the Forerunner 165 worth buying over cheaper alternatives?
If you’re a beginner runner in a city, yes. The dual-frequency GPS is more accurate than budget competitors, Garmin Coach provides structure, and the AMOLED screen makes checking your stats feel less like squinting at a calculator. The Coros Pace 3 is $20 cheaper and has better battery life, but Garmin’s training ecosystem is stronger for beginners. If you want music offline, the 165 Music at $299.99 is the only choice in this price range.
Does the Forerunner 165 Music justify the $50 premium over the standard model?
Only if you run without your phone and use Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music. The 4GB storage holds roughly 500-1000 songs depending on quality. If you’re happy with your phone’s music or prefer running in silence, save the $50 and buy the standard Forerunner 165. Both have identical training features and battery life.
Garmin’s entry-level AMOLED push is less about innovation and more about market reality. Beginners are the growth segment, they’re price-conscious, and they expect AMOLED as standard. Garmin waited longer than it should have to respond, but the Forerunner 165 proves the company understands the assignment now. The running watch market just got more competitive, and beginners are the winners.
Where to Buy
Garmin Forerunner 570 | Garmin Forerunner 265 | Garmin Forerunner 955
Edited by the All Things Geek team.
Source: T3
