Design and Display
Forerunner 265 looks pretty much the same as its predecessor Forerunner 255, it has the same, round display, with five different buttons to navigate around the watch — three on the left, and two on the right. Only one small change is noticed regarding the buttons — the top start/stop button on the right-hand side now says ‘RUN’, and is slightly larger. Now coming onto display when the screen is on the change is far more obvious.
Health Features
The Forerunner 265 has Garmin’s latest Elevate V4 sensor, in this, the green light records heart rate, and the red light records blood oxygen levels. The Elevate V4 sensor is used to calculate breathing rate, stress, and HRV. The Forerunner 265 also has Garmin’s Morning Report feature, which gives you a snapshot of how well you slept, how hard you’ve been training, and a look at the weather for the day ahead.
Smartwatch Features
Garmin has some shortcomings when it comes to the smartwatch features as compared to its competitors. The touchscreen of Forerunner 265 is improved from a smartwatch perspective — it feels more premium, and it allows you to scroll around the watch with ease.
Battery Life
The Forerunner 265s has a 13-day battery life in smartwatch mode and a 20-hour battery life in GPS mode. The 265s has 15 days in smartwatch mode and 25 hours in GPS mode.
Verdict
The Forerunner 265 feels like a more premium running watch and it’s all thanks to its beautiful screen. It is slim and lightweight, and it looks so much brighter than its predecessors.
