Why We Like The Garmin Forerunner 265S Watch
The Garmin Forerunner 265S Watch is like our own personal coach guiding us to a new personal best. In addition to GPS, weather, and music, this sport watch gives us complete health snapshots, training analyses, and personalized plans to make sure we keep progressing toward our goal. Plus, everything is easy to read and scroll through on the AMOLED touchscreen face that uses less battery power to deliver a more colorful and crisp display.
Details
- Versatile, hardwearing sport watch for breaking through plateaus
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3 is strong and scratch-resistant
- AMOLED touchscreen display is vivid and clear
- Syncs wirelessly to the Garmin Connect application
- Battery lasts up to 24 hours in GPS-only GNSS mode
- Able to withstand submersions up to 50 meters
- Multi-activity tracking with reliable GNSS and Multi-Band systems
- Small size fits wrists 4.5 - 7in in circumference
- Item #GRMF068
- Housing Material
- fiber-reinforced polymer
- Strap Material
- silicone
- Face Material
- Corning Gorilla Glass 3
- Movement
- digital, AMOLED Optional Always-On Mode, 360 x 360 pixels
- Pedometer
- yes
- Odometer
- yes
- Altimeter
- yes
- Barometer
- yes
- Heart Rate Monitor
- yes, wrist-based
- Technical Features
- Please see size chart for complete list of technical features.
- Wireless
- Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-Fi
- Operating System
- Connect IQ, Garmin Connect
- Date Indicator
- yes
- Weekday Indicator
- yes
- Alarms
- alarm clock, goal achieved alerts
- Backlight
- yes
- Battery Type
- rechargeable lithium-ion
- Battery Life
- [smartwatch mode] 15 days, [GPS-only GNSS] 24hr, [SatIQ AutoSelect GNSS] 18hr, [all-systems GNSS + Multi-Band] 15hr, [GPS-only GNSS + music] 7.5hr, [SatIQ AutoSelect GNSS + music] 7hr, [All-Systems GNSS + Multi-Band + music] 6hr
- Low Battery Indicator
- yes
- Includes
- Forerunner 265S GPS watch, USB-C charging/data cable, documentation
- Claimed Weight
- 1.38oz
- Submersible
- 5ATM (up to 50m)
- Face Size
- [diameter] 28.1mm (1.1in)
- Manufacturer Warranty
- 1 year
- Activity
- running, cycling, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, nordic skiing, stand-up paddleboarding, rowing, training, yoga, ebiking, mountain biking, hiking, casual
Reviews
Q&A
What do you think about this product?
Overall Rating
4.5 based on 186 ratings
Review Summary
Customer Images
Here's what customers have to say
The product is a well-received multi-sport watch that offers a range of features and functionality. Users praise its great performance, exceptional battery life, and user-friendly design. Key features like heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, and music playback are highly valued. The watch is described as a significant upgrade from previous models, with customizability and seamless integration with fitness apps as additional benefits. While a few minor issues were noted, the overall consensus is that the watch delivers on its promises and is highly recommended for runners and athletes.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews.
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Selecting an option will reload the available reviews on the pageOctober 6, 2025
Great Feature
I bought this a month ago. Very nice watch qnd feature. The measurements are accurate. Also the garmin coach very nice.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
September 14, 2025
Love it
Great addition to my MTB kit. I have always shied away from wearing a watch, but the janky GPS signal from my phone when recording Strava made me consider a Garmin. Since I've gotten it, I've completely adopted it's functions into my life, and find great benefit from tracking my sleep quality, fitness metrics, HR, and more. It also serves as a great link to my phone, saving me the trouble of pulling out my phone every time I get a notification. Excellent product.
Originally reviewed on ExpertVoice.com
September 13, 2025
Great watch for running
The 265s has been extremely helpful and motivational in getting into a regular workout routine (from 0 to 3 workouts per week). The charts and metrics are helpful. Before I was always running race pace and not sticking with a set running plan. Now I use the running zones and try to stay in zone 2 or 1 for 80% of weekly workout plan so I get more running in and build up my endurance. Also, the watch allows you to setup interval runs and setup custom pace target ranges for your workout. For example on my easy run, I setup pace for 10 to 11 min per mile and it gives audible alerts in real time to you when going outside of target pace range while listening to offline music at same time. It also features a trainer program that builds a custom training plan for you based on an upcoming marathon, etc. The features I am using are barely breaking the surface of what is available on the watch. I rarely take time to write reviews but have been thoroughly impressed with this watch.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
September 11, 2025
Unreliable heart rate readings
I bought this as an upgrade to my FR45 and was excited for the brilliant screen and advanced features. Unfortunately, that excitement has been replaced with disappointment and annoyance. Two of the key features are complete fails: The optical heart rate and the Bluetooth headphone connection. Allow me to elaborate. The OHR is completely unreliable. During activities, it often displays a heart rate I know is grossly incorrect just from feel. Sometimes I'll take the watch off and immediately put it back on and the HR will jump up 10-20 beats in a matter of seconds. If I want HR with any degree of accuracy, I have to wear a chest strap, which is unfortunate. If you read the Garmin forums, there are many other users plagued by the inaccuracy of the OHR on this watch, and everyone is frustrated by it. Second issue is the Bluetooth connection to headphones randomly and repeatedly dropping. The main reason I bought this watch was for the music functionality (so I could leave my phone behind during runs), but it's so bad, it's useless. I have to run with either my phone or a separate MP3 player if I want to listen to music. If I had to do it all over, I would not have bought this watch.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
September 11, 2025
Wear it everyday
I have used this watch for triathalon, running, biking, paddling (the sup feature), pool and open water swimming and I love it! I think it’s a lot cuter/fits better as a “S” than the normal sized garmins. I like the white and teal too. Activity tracking seems accurate and it has way more metrics than I could ever want. I also like that it has tap to pay. I’ve never been able to set up the Spotify features, but I think that’s user error. The heart rate monitor is nice and it does a great job projecting heart rate to my bike computer (Garmin) and to my bike trainer (wahoo).
Originally reviewed on ExpertVoice.com
September 7, 2025
Perfect running watch (and everyday watch)
The battery life is amazing. The OS is very intuitive and the app it connects to is great. I use this for running & everyday wear. The gps & all health metrics are extremely accurate. Could not ask for a better watch.
Originally reviewed on ExpertVoice.com
September 6, 2025
Not Sure Yet
The battery doesn't last a week. I like many of the features so far. Some of the running lap features are irritating because the watch gets stuck, and it is too hard to get it off the loop. The instructions are complicated. I find the watch difficult to use. I don't care about the watch color. Far cry from advertised. I don't know.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
August 30, 2025
Very different from my other Forerunner
I'm still learning how to use this watch and the features of it. Change is hard and there is so much more to this one than the 235 I had. I really like that I can see my heartrate when I run, along with my pace and overall time. I don't like the charging cable. It is not USB compatible. Thankfully we have a portable battery pack that accepts the cord. Garmin could do better with that.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
August 9, 2025
Easy to use and good features
Not sure why I took so long to get a Forerunner. Love everything about it. The features have helped me work on my running in new consistent ways the past couple of weeks! Also, I love that I can connect so easily to apps like Strava and runna.
Originally reviewed on Garmin
July 29, 2025
Amazing watch
Amazing watch with great battery life, amazing tracking from running to swimming
Originally reviewed on Garmin
Do you have a question about this product?
This product can expose you to chemicals including Lead which is known to the State of California to cause cancer and birth defects or other reproductive harm. For more information go to www.P65Warnings.ca.gov.
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