At a Glance: The Verdict
| Garmin Forerunner 170 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|
|
Best For: New buyers who want the current model The 2026 refresh. Adds a gyroscope and a hair more GPS runtime, but the core running watch is nearly identical to the 165. Buy it new; don’t rush to upgrade. |
Best For: Value hunters and current 165 owners Two years older and now discounted. Same screen, same GPS chip, actually longer smartwatch battery. At its street price it’s the smarter buy for most runners. |
Quick Buy Path
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If these are already your two finalists, compare current pricing now, then keep reading for the full verdict.
The Short Version
These are two generations of the same running watch, so this isn’t a fair fight between rivals. The Forerunner 170 is the newer 2026 model and the default pick if you’re buying fresh at full price. But the real question is whether the changes over the 2024 Forerunner 165 are worth an extra $50, and whether the older 165 becomes the better deal once it’s discounted. Spoiler: the gap is thin.
Key Differences
- Gyroscope: The Forerunner 170 adds a gyroscope; the 165 does not. It’s a minor sensor upgrade, not a headline feature.
- GPS battery: The 170 runs 20 hours in GPS mode vs 19 hours on the 165. One extra hour.
- Smartwatch battery: The 165 actually lasts longer in daily watch mode: 11 days vs 10 days on the newer 170.
- Weight: The 170 is 41 g, the 165 is 39 g. You will not feel 2 grams.
- Price: The 170 launched at $299.99; the 165 launched at $249.99 and now sells below that used or on sale.
Deep Dive Comparison
Design & Comfort
Identical on paper where it counts. Both use a 43 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case, both carry a 1.2-inch AMOLED display at 390 x 390, and both hit a 5 ATM water rating. The 170 is 2 grams heavier at 41 g against the 165’s 39 g, which is inside the margin of “you’ll never notice on your wrist.” If you liked how the 165 fit, the 170 fits the same.
Battery Life
This is the surprise: the older watch wins the daily-use number. The Forerunner 165 rates 264 hours (11 days) in smartwatch mode versus 240 hours (10 days) on the 170. The 170 claws back a single hour in GPS mode, 20 hours to the 165’s 19. For most runners logging three to six hours of GPS a week, both easily go a week-plus between charges, and the 165’s longer standby is a real, if small, point in its favor.
Health & Fitness Features
Functionally the same watch. Both have wrist heart rate, SpO2 blood oxygen, a barometric altimeter, compass, thermometer, accelerometer, and ambient light sensor. Both use single-band GPS, so neither has the multi-band accuracy edge you’d get from a pricier Forerunner. The 170’s only addition is a gyroscope. It’s a legitimate sensor, but it does not change how the watch tracks your runs in any way you’ll notice day to day.
Smart Features
Both support NFC payments through Garmin Pay and push smartphone notifications. Neither has a built-in microphone or speaker, so there are no calls or voice assistant on either. Both carry 4 GB of storage. The 170 lists NFC explicitly in its radio stack alongside Bluetooth and ANT+; in practice both watches handle contactless payments. No music-focused buyer should pick between these two on smart features, because they’re matched.
Price & Value
The 170 sits at its $299.99 launch price. The 165 launched at $249.99 and, as the outgoing model, now shows up discounted below that at many retailers. When the street gap is $50 or more, you’re paying that premium for a gyroscope and one extra GPS hour while giving up a day of standby battery. That math favors the 165 hard for anyone who just wants a clean, accurate running watch.
Technical Specs
| Spec | Garmin Forerunner 170 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Released | May 2026 | February 2024 |
| Display | 1.2-inch AMOLED, 390 x 390 | 1.2-inch AMOLED, 390 x 390 |
| Weight | 41 g | 39 g |
| Water Rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 240 hours (10 days) | 264 hours (11 days) |
| Battery (GPS) | 20 hours | 19 hours |
| GPS | Single-band | Single-band |
| Sensors | HR, SpO2, Barometric Altimeter, Compass, Gyroscope, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Ambient Light | HR, SpO2, Barometric Altimeter, Compass, Accelerometer, Thermometer, Ambient Light |
| NFC Payments | Yes | Yes |
| Storage | 4GB | 4GB |
| Launch Price | $299.99 | $249.99 |
The Verdict
For new buyers, the Forerunner 170 is the default pick, and I won’t pretend otherwise: it’s the current model, it’ll be supported longer, and the gyroscope plus the extra GPS hour are small wins. But this is one of the weakest generational jumps Garmin has shipped in this line. If you already own a Forerunner 165, do not upgrade. You’d trade a day of standby battery for a sensor you won’t feel, and pay $50 for the privilege.
Buy the Forerunner 170 if you’re buying new, you want the latest hardware and longest support window, and the price gap to the 165 has shrunk to $20 or less.
Buy the Forerunner 165 if you want the best value in a Garmin running watch. It’s discounted, it lasts a day longer between charges, and it does everything the 170 does that most runners actually care about.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which Forerunner should a first-time buyer get?
If the price gap is small, get the Forerunner 170 as the newer, longer-supported model. But if the 165 is discounted $50 or more below it, the 165 is the smarter buy since the two are nearly identical in daily use.
Is it worth upgrading from the Forerunner 165 to the 170?
No. The only real gains are a gyroscope and one extra hour of GPS battery, and you’d actually lose a day of smartwatch standby. Keep your 165 and spend the money on shoes.
What does the Forerunner 170 add over the 165?
A gyroscope in the sensor stack and 20 hours of GPS battery versus 19. Everything else, from the 1.2-inch AMOLED screen to the single-band GPS to 5 ATM water resistance, is the same.
Which one has better battery life?
It splits. The older 165 lasts longer as a daily watch at 264 hours (11 days) versus 240 hours (10 days) on the 170, while the 170 edges it in GPS mode at 20 hours to 19. For most runners the 165’s longer standby matters more.
Do both watches work with iPhone and Android?
Yes. Both pair with the Garmin Connect app on iPhone and Android over Bluetooth, and both support NFC contactless payments through Garmin Pay. Your phone choice makes no difference between these two.
🏆 Ready to Decide?
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