Honestly, the running watch market is a mess right now. You’ve got watches that cost as much as a used car and others that basically just tell you your heart is beating and not much else. Then there’s the Garmin Forerunner 165. It sits in that weird, perfect middle ground where it’s actually affordable but doesn't feel like a cheap plastic toy. If you’re hunting for a Garmin Forerunner 165 sale, you’re probably trying to figure out if that $250 price tag—or hopefully something closer to $200—is actually worth your hard-earned cash or if you should just bite the bullet and buy a 265.
It’s a fair question.
Most people see the AMOLED screen and think, "Oh, it’s just a cheaper version of the fancy ones." It is, but it’s also not. Garmin launched this thing specifically to kill off the older Forerunner 55 and give the Apple Watch SE a run for its money. It’s got that punchy, bright display that makes it readable even when the sun is trying its best to blind you on a Tuesday morning track session. But finding a genuine discount requires knowing when Garmin usually blinks and lowers the price.
The Reality of Scoring a Garmin Forerunner 165 Sale
Let's talk timing. Garmin is notoriously stingy with discounts on their newest gear. Since the 165 is still relatively fresh in the lineup, you won't see 50% off deals—anyone claiming that is probably trying to sell you a brick in a box. However, during major retail holidays like Black Friday, Cyber Monday, or even the weirdly specific "Garmin Birthday" sales in the spring, we usually see $30 to $50 knocked off the MSRP.
That might not sound like a life-changing amount of money. But for a watch that starts at $249.99 for the standard version and $299.99 for the Music edition, a 15% or 20% discount is actually pretty massive in the wearables world.
The "Music" version is the one most people want. Why? Because carrying a massive smartphone on a run sucks. It bounces. It’s heavy. If you find a Garmin Forerunner 165 sale that puts the Music model at the price of the standard model, you should probably just buy it. You get Wi-Fi, you get Spotify/Deezer/Amazon Music storage, and you get to leave your phone on the kitchen counter where it belongs.
Ray Maker over at DC Rainmaker—who literally knows more about these sensors than the people who build them—noted that the 165 uses the Elevate V4 heart rate sensor. It’s not the V5 found on the Fenix 7 Pro, so it lacks ECG capabilities and skin temperature sensing. Do you need those? Probably not. You need to know if your heart rate is spiking during a hill repeat, and the V4 is still incredibly accurate for that.
What You’re Actually Getting (And What You Aren't)
Sometimes a lower price means a worse experience. Not really the case here. You get the "Morning Report," which is basically a little "good morning" summary that tells you how you slept and what your training looks like for the day. It’s weirdly addictive. You also get Nap Detection, which was a huge omission on Garmin watches for years.
But here is the catch.
If you’re a data nerd who wants "Training Readiness," you’re going to be disappointed. Garmin gated that feature. It’s only on the more expensive models. The 165 will tell you your "Body Battery"—basically how much gas you have left in the tank—and your "Recovery Time," but it won't give you that single "Readiness" score that tells you if today is a PR day or a couch day.
Is that worth an extra $150 for the Forerunner 255 or 265?
For most casual runners, no. If you’re training for your first 5K or even a half-marathon, the 165 has everything you need, including the Breadcrumb Navigation. You can’t see full topographical maps of the mountains, but you can follow a little line so you don't get lost in the suburbs.
Why the 165 Beats the Apple Watch SE
Let’s be real for a second. If you're looking for a Garmin Forerunner 165 sale, you've probably looked at the Apple Watch SE too. They cost about the same. But the battery life on the Garmin kills the Apple Watch. We’re talking 11 days in smartwatch mode versus... maybe a day and a half?
If you hate charging things every night, the Garmin is the winner.
Also, Garmin’s GPS is just better for actual sports. It supports All-Systems GNSS. While it doesn't have the "Dual-Band" (L1+L5) frequency that the ultra-expensive watches have for city marathons with tall buildings, it’s still remarkably stable. I've seen it track accurately even under heavy tree cover where older watches would just give up and draw a straight line through the woods.
Where to Look for the Best Prices
Don't just stick to Amazon. Seriously.
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- REI: If you’re a member, you get 10% back in dividends. Sometimes they have "Member-only" coupons that apply to Garmin. This is often the "hidden" Garmin Forerunner 165 sale that people miss.
- Adorama and B&H: These photo-centric shops often have better stock and more frequent "instant rebates" than the big box stores.
- Refurbished Stores: Keep an eye on the Garmin official "Renewed" section on Amazon. You can sometimes find a 165 for significantly less, and it still comes with a warranty.
Buying a watch because it's cheap is a bad idea. Buying a watch because it fits your training and just happens to be on sale is a pro move. The 165 is the first "entry-level" Garmin that doesn't feel like you're compromising on the screen. That AMOLED panel is gorgeous. It makes the old memory-in-pixel (MIP) screens look like a calculator from 1994.
Actionable Tips for Your Purchase
If you've decided to pull the trigger on a Garmin Forerunner 165 sale, do these three things immediately after it arrives:
- Skip the stock watch faces. They're okay, but the Garmin Connect IQ store has thousands of custom faces that can show you more data—like your weekly mileage or weather—without killing the battery.
- Adjust the "Data Recording" setting. By default, Garmins often use "Smart Recording." Switch that to "Every Second." It uses a tiny bit more battery but gives you a much more accurate GPS map of your runs.
- Sync your local races. Use the Garmin Connect app to find your upcoming race on their calendar. The watch will actually create a "suggested workout" plan specifically tailored to that race date and your current fitness level. It’s like having a coach for free.
Checking the price history on sites like CamelCamelCamel is also a smart move. If the watch is currently sitting at $249, check the 3-month average. If it hasn't budged, a sale might be right around the corner. If it just came off a sale, you might be waiting a while. Either way, the Forerunner 165 is arguably the best value-for-money watch Garmin has released in a decade. It does the basics perfectly and the fancy stuff well enough for 90% of athletes.
Don't overthink the "Training Readiness" stuff unless you're an elite athlete or someone who obsesses over spreadsheets. Get the watch, get out the door, and start moving. That’s the whole point of the thing anyway.