Apex 2 vs Forerunner 165
How these two compare on everything we measure — where the AIs rank them, what reviewers and buyers say, and how they price. We don’t crown a winner — the differences are the point.
Forerunner 165 leads on the AI ranking, reviewer scores, buyer ratings and a lower price; Apex 2 doesn't take any single point outright — pick it only if those don't matter to you.
Built from what 3 AI models (Claude · ChatGPT · Perplexity) recommend for real buyer questions, layered with reviewer test summaries, Google buyer ratings, street prices and press. The short answer and verdict are derived from where those signals diverge — not written by hand for either product.
Independent — not a vendor, not advertising, not a paid review. How we score →
The numbers
Side by side, how the AI models rank them, and which wins each buyer-question.
Side by side
Every signal we hold, on one shared scale. The leading side is lit — but the tally below doesn’t crown a winner.?
How the AIs rank them
Four models rank both products. Here’s each model’s pick (lower rank = higher).?
Which is better for what
Across the buyer-questions both appear in, who the AI panel ranks higher — and the widest gaps.?
What people say
Where the AI panel and reviewers line up, and what reviewers and buyers think.
Do AI and reviewers agree
The model panel’s rank next to the video reviewers’ score — where they line up, and where they don’t.?
What reviewers say
Distilled from the video reviewers — the score, what they praise, where they push back.?
Reviewers praise
- Bright, high-contrast 1.2-inch AMOLED display that remains readable in direct sunlight and looks sharp at 390x390 pixels
- Five physical buttons plus touchscreen allow reliable input during exercise, in cold weather, or with gloves on
- Battery life holds up well in real-world use — always-on display yields around four to five days with daily GPS activity recording
Reviewers push back
- Single-band GPS only — no multi-band or dual-frequency option, which the next model up in the line provides
- No triathlon multi-sport mode, an odd omission given the watch targets active athletes including swimmers and cyclists
- Fourth-generation optical heart rate sensor can lag slightly when heart rate drops quickly after intense efforts, and lacks ECG capability
Reviewers broadly agree the Forerunner 165 is a capable, well-rounded running watch with a vivid AMOLED display, solid battery life, and deep training metrics that punch above its position in Garmin's lineup.
On Forerunner 165: GPS accuracy without multi-band: DC Rainmaker found single-band GPS 'working just great' and considered the omission minor; DesFit echoed this optimism, while PlayBetter flagged it as a clear step down from the higher models without testing it directly
The reviews behind this
The actual video reviews the “what reviewers say” summary above is distilled from — tap any to watch on YouTube.
What buyers say
Aggregated Google Shopping ratings — the score, the aspects owners rate, and a real quote.?
Price and the verdict
How they price, who each is for, whether you can trust the claims — and our read.
The verdict: which to buy
Our read of everything above — who leads each point, and who each is for.
Net: Apex 2 leads 0 of 4 · Forerunner 165 4.
Forerunner 165 leads more points — but check where it loses.
Take Apex 2 if…
…you weigh the rest of the picture — it doesn’t lead any single point outright.
Take Forerunner 165 if…
…you weight ai panel rank, reviewer score, buyer rating and lower price.
We don’t crown a winner. Both are strong; the differences above decide it for your use. Where a signal is missing, we leave it blank rather than guess.
as of June 22 · 1 shared buyer questions?
Common questions
The questions people ask comparing these two — answered from the data above.
The AI panel ranks Forerunner 165 higher (avg #7.5 vs #29.0), but it’s close — reviewers and buyers split differently.
Forerunner 165 — $200–$250 vs $349 across retailers.
Google buyers give Apex 2 4.6 and Forerunner 165 4.8 out of 5.