Garmin Forerunner 255
The Forerunner 255 is an older gadget however nonetheless top-of-the-line sports activities watches for triathletes. It’s costlier than the Forerunner 165 on listing worth nevertheless it’s typically diminished and has extra options—if not the colourful AMOLED display of the 165.
For
- Multi-band GPS
- Triathlon mode
- Two sizes
- Lengthy battery life
In opposition to
- LCD display
- Costlier listing worth
The Forerunner 165 is Garmin’s entry-level AMOLED sports activities watches, and is aimed toward runners. It seems nice and tracks precisely, although it lacks a number of options you get on non-AMOLED gadgets at its worth.
For
- AMOLED display
- Cheaper listing worth
- Identical good options
In opposition to
- Not a multisport watch
- Restricted coaching evaluation
- No dual-band GPS
The Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 165 are among the many greatest sports activities watches and provide higher worth than most gadgets in Garmin’s vary. The Forerunner 255 is a full multisport watch with extra coaching evaluation options than the Forerunner 165, which is cheaper and has a vibrant AMOLED show as its star characteristic.
Forerunner 255 vs Forerunner 165: Worth And Availability
The Forerunner 165 launched in February 2024 and there are two fashions: the 165 Music and normal 165. The Forerunner 165 is $249.99 within the US and £249.99 within the UK, and the Forerunner 165 Music is $299.99/£289.99.
There are additionally music and non-music fashions of the Forerunner 255, which launched in June 2022, and so they are available two sizes. The Forerunner 255 is $349.99/£299.99 and the Forerunner 255 Music is $399.99/£349.99, with the smaller 255S variant accessible on the identical worth with each fashions. As an older watch, nonetheless, the Forerunner 255 is normally accessible for a lot lower than its listing worth.
How I Examined These Watches
I examined the Forerunner 165 Music and Forerunner 255S Music for my critiques on Coach, utilizing them for a number of weeks to trace my exercises, normal exercise and sleep. I normally run 50-80 miles every week, in addition to doing common yoga and a few energy periods and bike rides. I examined the watches for coronary heart fee accuracy towards a Polar H10 chest strap and for GPS accuracy towards the Garmin Epix 2 or Garmin Epix Professional, each of which I’ve discovered correct for GPS distance and pacing.
Design
The primary distinction in design is apparent as quickly as you have a look at the 2 watches. The Forerunner 165 has a 1.2in AMOLED show whereas the Forerunner 255 has Garmin’s conventional memory-in-pixel LCD (1.1in on the Forerunner 255S and 1.3in on the Forerunner 255).
I choose the AMOLED show, which is extra vivid and simpler to learn inside and when underneath tree or cloud cowl. In vibrant daylight the screens provide equal visibility, although total the AMOLED is superior—making the Forerunner extra partaking and fulfilling to make use of as a normal watch, outdoors of coaching.
The Forerunner 165 is available in just one measurement, with a 43mm case. The Forerunner 255S has a 41mm case, and the Forerunner 255 a 46mm case. Each watches have a plastic construct, however the display is stronger on the Forerunner 255, utilizing Gorilla glass, whereas the Forerunner 165 options chemically strengthened glass.
The watches have the identical sensors, together with a barometric altimeter, and use Garmin’s Elevate V4 coronary heart fee sensors. They will connect with exterior sensors utilizing Bluetooth and ANT+, however the Forerunner 255 can connect with biking energy sensors, one thing that isn’t accessible on the extra running-focused Forerunner 165. The Forerunner 255 additionally gives extra correct dual-band GPS monitoring, which isn’t accessible on the Forerunner 165.
Sports activities Monitoring And Coaching Evaluation
The Forerunner 165 tracks a spread of sports activities, together with open-water swimming and the opposite components of a triathlon individually, nevertheless it doesn’t have a multisport mode the place you’ll be able to file a full triathlon, together with your transition. It’s extra of a working watch, whereas the Forerunner 255 is a full triathlon watch.
You can too show extra info throughout actions on the Forerunner 255, which permits as much as six information fields without delay on display, whereas the max you’ll be able to present on the Forerunner 165 is 4. The Forerunner 255 presents extra evaluation, together with Garmin’s coaching standing, which gives perception into whether or not your coaching is balanced and productive. Each watches lack the Forerunner 265’s coaching readiness characteristic.
You do nonetheless get some helpful coaching insights from the Forerunner 165, which can inform you how your exercises benefitted your cardio or anaerobic health and provides a VO2 max estimate, plus estimated race occasions for 5K, 10K, half marathon and marathon occasions.
GPS And HR Accuracy
One huge distinction between the watches is that the Forerunner 255 presents dual-band GPS monitoring, whereas essentially the most correct mode on the Forerunner 165 is all-systems-on, which makes use of a number of satellite tv for pc programs without delay. In my testing the GPS accuracy of the Forerunner 165 was good and largely akin to that of the Garmin Epix Professional. Nonetheless, dual-band monitoring on the Forerunner 255 is extra dependable when in powerful GPS situations, comparable to when working underneath tall buildings or tree cowl. It reduces battery life, although, and the accuracy of the Forerunner 165 is sweet sufficient to guage your runs.
The optical coronary heart fee accuracy was comparable throughout the watches, which is to say it’s not one thing I’d depend on totally. It was largely OK, particularly in heat situations, however I typically noticed coronary heart fee readings that have been incorrect when in comparison with a chest strap. Should you’re intending to make use of coronary heart fee in exercises, or to make use of the coaching evaluation on the watches to form your coaching plans, I’d hyperlink one of many greatest coronary heart fee displays to the watches for peace of thoughts.
Battery Life
The distinction in battery life isn’t large, particularly when you set the 165’s display to raise-to-wake fairly than always-on, although the usual Forerunner 255 is the longest-lasting watch in watch mode and through actions. The smaller Forerunner 255S nonetheless barely outlasts the Forerunner 165.
With the display always-on I discovered the Forerunner 165 lasted 4 or 5 days when working day by day, whereas the smaller Forerunner 255S lasted six days on a cost.
| Header Cell – Column 0 | Forerunner 165 | Forerunner 255 | Forerunner 255S |
|---|---|---|---|
| Watch mode | As much as 11 days | As much as 14 days | As much as 12 days |
| GPS Battery Life (all-systems-on) | 19 hours | 25 hours | 20 hours |
| GPS Battery Life (multi-band) | N/A | 16 hours | 13 hours |
