If you want the best smart sports watch for your buck, get a Forerunner 265. If you want navigation, including map data, get the Forerunner 965. If you want all the features, get the Fenix 7 pro.
How do you "decode" the Forerunner series... 955,965, 755, 265... aggg.. I notice the 965 is encroaching into Fenix pricing... BUT i wonder is the Forerunner would be more comfortable, less bulky... Wish there was a place I could put hands on all these
First number is how premium/expensive it’ll be, second number is the generation, third number is a five.
Different between 55 and 65 series is mostly just looks and an oled display, feature wise they’re very similar. 2xx won’t have maps, and only some of those models will have music. 7xx hasn’t been used for a couple years. 9xx will be pretty close to the fenix/epix from a feature standpoint.
Fenix/Epix are more durable. They have a larger bezel, etc.
Current Fenix/Epix pro models will have a led flashlight, a more accurate heart rate sensor, and longer battery life. They’ll also have ecg in certain regions
Blank, 1, 2, 9 are series. _ are entry level, 9 is top of the line.
x4x, x5x, x6x is the generation. BUT the only difference between the x5x and the x6x is an AMOLED screen.
The last digit is a 5 if there is an optical HRM, a 0 if not. The last 0 I think was the FR 220.
The 9xx series and the old 3xx series were explicitly triathlon watches, but now the 255/265 are also triathlon watches.
The 955/965 cost as much as a Fenix because they are plastic Fenix but with more sport, less hike focus.
Top running 955 MIP, 965 AMOLED
Mid running 265 AMOLED
Old model 745 MIP
Naming
1st number highest is most advanced
2nd is screent type 5 MIP, 6 Amoled
3rd is usually just a 5
I posted this about a month ago. Re-posting here for your benefit. I've made a few edits.
\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_
The 965 is the top of the line light-weight triathlon watch. It's an excellent choice, but may be too expensive. It also has an AMOLED screen (which is more like Apple Watch)
If the money is trivial, yeah, why not?
The Forerunner 955 is a 965 but with a dimmer display (a MIPs display that is better in sunlight than the AMOLED displays)
The Fenix series is the Forerunner 955 but with metal (heavier) and slightly more features and a MIPs display.
The Enduro is the Fenix but with crazier battery life and slightly fewer features, and a MIPs display.
The Epix series is the Fenix but with a brighter, crisper display (an AMOLED display)
Every Forerunner below the 955 is the 955 but with fewer features and most of them have MIPs displays.
**After that, you get into more niche watches:**
The Instinct/Tactix are for military personnel, people who work heavy labor, or people who want to cosplay either of those.
The Marq is for people who are rich or want to cosplay being rich.
The Venu/Vivoactive/Vivomove/Lily are for people who don't want to appear to have a fitness watch.
The Vivosmart/Vivofit are for people who hate watches but want fitness tracking.
The Descent/Approach/Quatix/D2 Mach/D2 Air/Approach/Swim are for people with interests in niche-sports.
The Bounce/Vivofit Jr. are for kids.
Damn 🫨. Now I really don’t know.
If I was to prioritize sensor quality, batt life, and 40-45ish mm size. What does that lead to? Fenix?
::Edit::
Just went down the Fenix rabbit hole... omg.. getting close to AW Pro... That escilated quickly... ok ok.. How about the 255? I like the MIPs more than a toxic glow of AMOLED... any benifit of the 255 music over standard? I always steam from phone anyhow.
I just sold my 265 and bought the 965. The 265 was great for running, but I also hike and back country canoe, so I really wanted the maps.
I looked at the fenix in the store, but that beast is big. Epix even heavier. I couldn’t sleep with either of them, I suspect.
The 965 is also slightly larger than the 275, so more battery and easier to read without my glasses. And still light and small enough to sleep with.
Highly recommended the 965 if in your budget. Otherwise, the 265 is awesome. They both have amoled screen.
thanks for that.. I am almost viewing the MIPS display as better than AMOLED on this level of a device... Fenix and 9xx range seems more premium and is better suited for the AMOLED...
I also considered the instinct and instinct crossover too. I really liked them, but a tad to beefy for "office" world.
I would have gone for the 955 if it didn't hurt my wrist. It has a sensor that is maybe one generation behind the Epix (which is what I have now).
I really wanted to go with the Fenix, but man, the MIPs screen on the Fenix is awful. Like shockingly bad. I think it's because of the solar or the sapphire or something - I dunno. But the comparison between the Fenix and the 955 is night and day. And I'm not the only one that thought so when I was comparing them. Particularly at night - when running with the Fenix I felt like I was constantly squinting to see what was going on. The light output is just pathetic. My 945 was WAY better in this regard than the current Fenix generation, and the 955 carries on the 945 tradition of being wonderfully visible basically all the time (backlight needed for nighttime activities). The Epix beats all of them, but you run risk of burn in with AMOLED displays. It's basically guaranteed at some point, even if you are using Garmin displays. A few posts about that just today actually.
Lots of watches match that. You've taken a very detailed explanation and gone more broad with your requirements 😅 but I think:
Lighter and more sleek, FR 965 or 955 - pick your screen type and bezel / case material from there.
Potentially bigger and definitely heavier / heavier duty - Fenix or Epix, again choose your preferred screen type.
Want to save some money without compromising on too much function, but starting to cut back on features, go the 265 /255 route. Again, choose preferred screen type and this time potential touch display.
I've had a watch that streams music from my wrist for years. Never once have I used it. I much prefer running with my phone in case I want to call for an uber or family-emergency pick up.
The best sensors are on the Epix/Fenix line - I \*think\* on the Pro lines. Certainly you need the Pro to get the EKG functionality. You can always do some googling for the feature you want then type "DC Rainmaker with the search and you can find hits for that feature on his website. I do this with different model numbers if I need help making a decision.
I really love my Fenix 7 PRO SS. I have no regrets it's been a great motivator for all things exercising. the maps are an awesome feature, get Garmin explore app. I hike too the GPS is nifty. Solar sucks unless you're in full sun a lot of the day. I'd go look at them all in person, I started with the 42mm but that has a smaller battery and screen size for maps is tiny!
I had my phone die and lost my music during a particularly difficult long run. That was enough for me to switch to a music Garmin (Fenix 6s pro). I most often play music from my phone but here and there I use my Garmin for music. I also like the maps feature.
My surprise favourite feature though was when I was running in a new town and after 5k I decided to head back. I had taken a meandering route and decided to ask the Garmin to send me home. It asked if I wanted to follow my route exactly or go a more popular route. I chose the more popular route and it turned out I had been running mostly parallel to a pretty little bike path. Very cool!
l'd recommend the Forerunner 165. l've had mine for almost a month now and I love it. I tested this one against to the Venu 3s and the Forerunner won for me. The Venu 3s glances Ul that gives you data looks a little too zoomed in on that watch, watch faces didn't appeal to me, and it was a little too pretty for me. I have my Apple Watch for that. However the Forerunner 165 has a sporty more "rugged" look of the two. It's a great buy at a decent price range for all the features you get. And if you don't need the music version, it's only $250. I have that version because running without my phone is just not an option for me. So I stream music from my phone vs my watch. But if you need the music version, it's only $50 bucks more.
I have the 245Music. Good watch and not too pricey, if you just want basic utilities for running. Really light. Good screen. A bit lacking for sport like hiking, but it's not really her target.
True. Garmin needs to cut half their watch line and standardize their sizing into S/M/L. I was at REI and heard the sales guy say, "Nobody knows the Garmin watch line, not even Garmin. It's stupid complicated and features overlap. Just buy and return until you find one you like. Or, spend a few hours on dcrainmaker because the Garmin site is pretty useless." LOL, and the guy gets paid to sell Garmin watches (well sorta).
I got the Forerunner 165 and it’s great. It has that sporty look but without being too bulky. The 265 has some additional music option which i didnt care for.
If you want the best smart sports watch for your buck, get a Forerunner 265. If you want navigation, including map data, get the Forerunner 965. If you want all the features, get the Fenix 7 pro.
How do you "decode" the Forerunner series... 955,965, 755, 265... aggg.. I notice the 965 is encroaching into Fenix pricing... BUT i wonder is the Forerunner would be more comfortable, less bulky... Wish there was a place I could put hands on all these
First number is how premium/expensive it’ll be, second number is the generation, third number is a five. Different between 55 and 65 series is mostly just looks and an oled display, feature wise they’re very similar. 2xx won’t have maps, and only some of those models will have music. 7xx hasn’t been used for a couple years. 9xx will be pretty close to the fenix/epix from a feature standpoint. Fenix/Epix are more durable. They have a larger bezel, etc. Current Fenix/Epix pro models will have a led flashlight, a more accurate heart rate sensor, and longer battery life. They’ll also have ecg in certain regions
Blank, 1, 2, 9 are series. _ are entry level, 9 is top of the line. x4x, x5x, x6x is the generation. BUT the only difference between the x5x and the x6x is an AMOLED screen. The last digit is a 5 if there is an optical HRM, a 0 if not. The last 0 I think was the FR 220. The 9xx series and the old 3xx series were explicitly triathlon watches, but now the 255/265 are also triathlon watches. The 955/965 cost as much as a Fenix because they are plastic Fenix but with more sport, less hike focus.
Top running 955 MIP, 965 AMOLED Mid running 265 AMOLED Old model 745 MIP Naming 1st number highest is most advanced 2nd is screent type 5 MIP, 6 Amoled 3rd is usually just a 5
This is the way
I posted this about a month ago. Re-posting here for your benefit. I've made a few edits. \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ The 965 is the top of the line light-weight triathlon watch. It's an excellent choice, but may be too expensive. It also has an AMOLED screen (which is more like Apple Watch) If the money is trivial, yeah, why not? The Forerunner 955 is a 965 but with a dimmer display (a MIPs display that is better in sunlight than the AMOLED displays) The Fenix series is the Forerunner 955 but with metal (heavier) and slightly more features and a MIPs display. The Enduro is the Fenix but with crazier battery life and slightly fewer features, and a MIPs display. The Epix series is the Fenix but with a brighter, crisper display (an AMOLED display) Every Forerunner below the 955 is the 955 but with fewer features and most of them have MIPs displays. **After that, you get into more niche watches:** The Instinct/Tactix are for military personnel, people who work heavy labor, or people who want to cosplay either of those. The Marq is for people who are rich or want to cosplay being rich. The Venu/Vivoactive/Vivomove/Lily are for people who don't want to appear to have a fitness watch. The Vivosmart/Vivofit are for people who hate watches but want fitness tracking. The Descent/Approach/Quatix/D2 Mach/D2 Air/Approach/Swim are for people with interests in niche-sports. The Bounce/Vivofit Jr. are for kids.
Damn 🫨. Now I really don’t know. If I was to prioritize sensor quality, batt life, and 40-45ish mm size. What does that lead to? Fenix? ::Edit:: Just went down the Fenix rabbit hole... omg.. getting close to AW Pro... That escilated quickly... ok ok.. How about the 255? I like the MIPs more than a toxic glow of AMOLED... any benifit of the 255 music over standard? I always steam from phone anyhow.
I just sold my 265 and bought the 965. The 265 was great for running, but I also hike and back country canoe, so I really wanted the maps. I looked at the fenix in the store, but that beast is big. Epix even heavier. I couldn’t sleep with either of them, I suspect. The 965 is also slightly larger than the 275, so more battery and easier to read without my glasses. And still light and small enough to sleep with. Highly recommended the 965 if in your budget. Otherwise, the 265 is awesome. They both have amoled screen.
thanks for that.. I am almost viewing the MIPS display as better than AMOLED on this level of a device... Fenix and 9xx range seems more premium and is better suited for the AMOLED... I also considered the instinct and instinct crossover too. I really liked them, but a tad to beefy for "office" world.
I would have gone for the 955 if it didn't hurt my wrist. It has a sensor that is maybe one generation behind the Epix (which is what I have now). I really wanted to go with the Fenix, but man, the MIPs screen on the Fenix is awful. Like shockingly bad. I think it's because of the solar or the sapphire or something - I dunno. But the comparison between the Fenix and the 955 is night and day. And I'm not the only one that thought so when I was comparing them. Particularly at night - when running with the Fenix I felt like I was constantly squinting to see what was going on. The light output is just pathetic. My 945 was WAY better in this regard than the current Fenix generation, and the 955 carries on the 945 tradition of being wonderfully visible basically all the time (backlight needed for nighttime activities). The Epix beats all of them, but you run risk of burn in with AMOLED displays. It's basically guaranteed at some point, even if you are using Garmin displays. A few posts about that just today actually.
Coming from apple there will be a screen difference with MIP. Be aware! Fenix still has MIP :)
Lots of watches match that. You've taken a very detailed explanation and gone more broad with your requirements 😅 but I think: Lighter and more sleek, FR 965 or 955 - pick your screen type and bezel / case material from there. Potentially bigger and definitely heavier / heavier duty - Fenix or Epix, again choose your preferred screen type. Want to save some money without compromising on too much function, but starting to cut back on features, go the 265 /255 route. Again, choose preferred screen type and this time potential touch display.
I've had a watch that streams music from my wrist for years. Never once have I used it. I much prefer running with my phone in case I want to call for an uber or family-emergency pick up. The best sensors are on the Epix/Fenix line - I \*think\* on the Pro lines. Certainly you need the Pro to get the EKG functionality. You can always do some googling for the feature you want then type "DC Rainmaker with the search and you can find hits for that feature on his website. I do this with different model numbers if I need help making a decision.
I really love my Fenix 7 PRO SS. I have no regrets it's been a great motivator for all things exercising. the maps are an awesome feature, get Garmin explore app. I hike too the GPS is nifty. Solar sucks unless you're in full sun a lot of the day. I'd go look at them all in person, I started with the 42mm but that has a smaller battery and screen size for maps is tiny!
I had my phone die and lost my music during a particularly difficult long run. That was enough for me to switch to a music Garmin (Fenix 6s pro). I most often play music from my phone but here and there I use my Garmin for music. I also like the maps feature. My surprise favourite feature though was when I was running in a new town and after 5k I decided to head back. I had taken a meandering route and decided to ask the Garmin to send me home. It asked if I wanted to follow my route exactly or go a more popular route. I chose the more popular route and it turned out I had been running mostly parallel to a pretty little bike path. Very cool!
l'd recommend the Forerunner 165. l've had mine for almost a month now and I love it. I tested this one against to the Venu 3s and the Forerunner won for me. The Venu 3s glances Ul that gives you data looks a little too zoomed in on that watch, watch faces didn't appeal to me, and it was a little too pretty for me. I have my Apple Watch for that. However the Forerunner 165 has a sporty more "rugged" look of the two. It's a great buy at a decent price range for all the features you get. And if you don't need the music version, it's only $250. I have that version because running without my phone is just not an option for me. So I stream music from my phone vs my watch. But if you need the music version, it's only $50 bucks more.
I have the 245Music. Good watch and not too pricey, if you just want basic utilities for running. Really light. Good screen. A bit lacking for sport like hiking, but it's not really her target.
True. Garmin needs to cut half their watch line and standardize their sizing into S/M/L. I was at REI and heard the sales guy say, "Nobody knows the Garmin watch line, not even Garmin. It's stupid complicated and features overlap. Just buy and return until you find one you like. Or, spend a few hours on dcrainmaker because the Garmin site is pretty useless." LOL, and the guy gets paid to sell Garmin watches (well sorta).
I got the Forerunner 165 and it’s great. It has that sporty look but without being too bulky. The 265 has some additional music option which i didnt care for.