At a Glance: The Verdict
| Polar Pacer | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|
|
Best For: Budget runners who want multi-band GPS accuracy A no-frills training watch with sunlight-readable MIP display and the more accurate dual-frequency GPS. Skip if you want a sharp screen or contactless payments. |
Best For: Most runners who want an AMOLED smartwatch that also trains Brighter display, longer everyday battery, NFC payments, and Garmin’s bigger ecosystem. The pick for nearly everyone unless you specifically need multi-band GPS. |
Quick Buy Path
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Both watches sit in the entry-level running category around $220–$250, but they make very different trade-offs. The Pacer leans old-school and budget-minded; the Forerunner 165 leans modern and consumer-friendly.
Key Differences
- Display tech: Polar Pacer uses a MIP (memory-in-pixel) reflective screen at 240 x 240. The Forerunner 165 uses a vibrant AMOLED at 390 x 390.
- GPS: Pacer has multi-band (dual-frequency) GPS. Forerunner 165 is single-band only.
- Battery life (smartwatch mode): Forerunner 165 lasts 11 days. Pacer lasts 6.5 days.
- Battery life (GPS mode): Pacer lasts 32 hours. Forerunner 165 lasts 19 hours.
- Contactless payments: Forerunner 165 has NFC (Garmin Pay). Pacer does not.
- Sensors: Forerunner 165 adds SpO2, a barometric altimeter, compass, thermometer, and ambient light sensor. Pacer sticks to optical HR and GNSS.
- Release date: Pacer launched in 2022. Forerunner 165 launched in 2024.
Deep Dive Comparison
Design & Comfort
The Forerunner 165 is the more comfortable wear day to day. It’s 43mm and 39g; the Pacer is 45mm and 40g. Both use lightweight polymer cases, but Garmin’s smaller diameter sits better on average and small wrists. Polar’s case is plastic with Gorilla Glass 3.0, which is durable but feels distinctly budget. Neither watch has a metal bezel, and both rely on physical buttons for sweat-friendly running input.
Battery Life
This is where the two watches split clearly. In normal smartwatch use, the Forerunner 165 wins by a wide margin: 264 hours (11 days) versus 156 hours (6.5 days) for the Pacer. Flip on continuous GPS and the order reverses — the Pacer holds 32 hours while the Forerunner 165 manages 19 hours. If you do a single weekly long run, both are fine. If you’re training for an ultra or a 100k that takes more than 19 hours, the Pacer is the only option here.
Health & Fitness Features
The Forerunner 165 has the deeper sensor stack: optical HR, SpO2, a barometric altimeter, compass, thermometer, and ambient light sensor. That altimeter matters — it gives you accurate elevation gain on hills without relying on GPS estimation. The Pacer has Polar’s Precision Prime Gen 3.5 optical HR, an accelerometer, and GNSS. No SpO2, no barometer.
The flip side: Pacer’s multi-band GPS is meaningfully more accurate in cities, dense forest, and canyons than the Forerunner 165’s single-band GPS. If your training is mostly open road or track, you won’t notice. If you run trails or downtown Chicago, the Pacer holds tracks tighter.
Both watches deliver Polar’s and Garmin’s respective training analytics platforms — Polar Flow versus Garmin Connect. Garmin’s app and ecosystem are larger and more polished for most users.
Smart Features
The Forerunner 165 adds NFC contactless payments via Garmin Pay. The Pacer does not have NFC. Neither watch has a microphone or speaker, so no on-wrist calls or voice assistant. Both handle phone notifications over Bluetooth. The Forerunner 165 also supports music storage on its 4GB of onboard space (offline Spotify, Amazon Music, Deezer with Premium accounts); the Pacer has only 32MB of storage and no music playback.
Price & Value
The Pacer launched at $220 and now routinely shows up around $150 in sales. The Forerunner 165 launched at $250 and frequently dips to $200–$220. At MSRP, you’re paying $30 more for the Forerunner 165 and getting an AMOLED screen, more sensors, NFC payments, music storage, and longer everyday battery. That’s a strong value swing in Garmin’s favor unless you find the Pacer steeply discounted.
Technical Specs
| Spec | Polar Pacer | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Released | April 2022 | February 2024 |
| Launch Price | $220 | $249.99 |
| Case Size | 45mm | 43mm |
| Weight | 40g | 39g |
| Case Material | Plastic with Gorilla Glass 3.0 | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Display | 1.2-inch MIP, 240 x 240 | 1.2-inch AMOLED, 390 x 390 |
| Water Rating | WR50 | 5 ATM |
| Battery (Smartwatch) | 156 hours (6.5 days) | 264 hours (11 days) |
| Battery (GPS) | 32 hours | 19 hours |
| GPS | Multi-band | Single-band |
| Sensors | Optical HR, accelerometer, GNSS | HR, SpO2, accelerometer, barometric altimeter, compass, thermometer, ambient light |
| NFC Payments | No | Yes |
| Storage | 32MB | 4GB |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth LE | Bluetooth, ANT+ |
The Verdict
The Garmin Forerunner 165 wins this comparison for most people. It’s newer, has a sharper AMOLED display, lasts almost twice as long in everyday use, adds NFC payments and music, and brings a more complete sensor stack — for only about $30 more at MSRP. It’s a more modern, more useful smartwatch that happens to also be a capable running watch.
Buy the Garmin Forerunner 165 if you want a do-it-all entry-level GPS watch with a great screen, contactless payments, and Garmin’s training ecosystem. This is the right pick for nearly every runner reading this.
Buy the Polar Pacer if you specifically need multi-band GPS accuracy on a strict budget, you run ultras longer than 19 hours, or you prefer Polar Flow’s coaching tools. Otherwise, the Forerunner 165 is the better watch.
Frequently Asked Questions
Which watch is better for a new runner training for their first 5K or half marathon?
The Garmin Forerunner 165. It has built-in training plans through Garmin Coach, daily suggested workouts, and a much more intuitive AMOLED interface. The Pacer’s training tools are solid, but Garmin’s beginner-runner experience is hard to beat at this price.
Does the Polar Pacer’s multi-band GPS actually matter for most runners?
Probably not. If you mostly run roads, parks, or tracks in open sky, single-band GPS on the Forerunner 165 is plenty accurate. Multi-band only shows a meaningful advantage in dense cities with tall buildings, heavily wooded trails, or steep canyons — that’s where the Pacer earns its keep.
Is the $30 price difference between the Pacer and Forerunner 165 worth it?
Yes, comfortably. The Forerunner 165 gives you AMOLED instead of MIP, longer everyday battery, NFC payments, music storage, more sensors, and access to Garmin’s larger ecosystem. That’s a lot of upgrade per dollar. Only skip it if you find the Pacer at a deep discount under $150.
Do both watches work with iPhone and Android?
Yes. Both pair with iOS and Android via Bluetooth and sync to their respective apps — Polar Flow for the Pacer, Garmin Connect for the Forerunner 165. Notification handling is comparable on both platforms; you’ll get full text on Android and shorter previews on iOS, which is normal for any non-Apple watch.
Can I use either watch for swimming or triathlon training?
For pool swimming and casual open water, both are fine — the Pacer is rated WR50 and the Forerunner 165 is rated 5 ATM, which is the same depth rating. Neither is a true triathlon watch; they don’t support multisport mode with seamless transitions. If you’re racing tris regularly, look at the Forerunner 265 or Polar Vantage M3 instead.
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Specs and features may change. Always verify details on the manufacturer’s official site before purchasing.
