The Garmin Forerunner 255 is Garmin’s entry-level mid-range flagship of last season, but don’t let that put you off. It features multi-sport modes, 14-day battery life, Garmin Pay functionality, Garmin’s latest Elevate V4 sensor, and comes in two different sizes.
to
- Two sizes are available
- Multisport/Triathlon modes
- Improved battery life
- Garmin Elevate V4 sensor
against
- No touch screen
- It lacks Garmin’s training readiness score
The Forerunner 265 is Garmin’s latest mid-level running watch. It looks a lot like its predecessor, but features a beautiful AMOLED touchscreen, and has a Garmin Ready score for training. However, it is more expensive than the old watch.
to
- Two sizes are available
- Bright AMOLED screen
- GPS is accurate
- Advanced training metrics
against
- More expensive than 255
- Still quite a few smartwatch features
So you’re looking for a new running watch and trying to choose between 255 and the 265. Good. The Garmin Forerunner 265 was released in March 2023, replacing the Forerunner 255 as Garmin’s mid-range flagship. But should you upgrade to the newer watch, or save your money and buy last year’s version?
Both watches made it to our list of Garmin’s best watches Both have a host of features that make them a handy training tool, whether you’re training for your first triathlon or your fifth marathon. Below, we put the two clocks head to head to help you choose between the two. If you’re a complete beginner looking for a basic running watch, check this out 55which is the best entry-level running watch on our list.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Price and Availability
The Forerunner 265 is the newer of the two watches, released on March 2, 2023. The Forerunner watch costs $265 / £429 and comes in two versions, the Forerunner 265, which has a 1.3-inch screen, and the Forerunner 265S, which has a 1.1-inch screen . The watch is now available directly from Garmin and third-party retailers.
The Garmin Forerunner 255 also comes in two different sizes – 1.1 inches (Forerunner 255S) and 1.3 inches (Forerunner 255); They both cost the same. The Forerunner 255 also comes with the option to store music or not. The Forerunner 255 without Music costs $349 / £299, while the Forerunner 255 Music costs $399 / £349. The Forerunner 255 is probably discounted now that the newer watch has been released.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 255 – If you’re on a tight budget, an older watch is probably more affordable for sure. Even when brand new, the Forerunner 265 retails for about $100 more than the Forerunner 255.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Specs at a Glance
| Header cell – column 0 | 255 | Raid 265 |
|---|---|---|
| case size: | 42 mm and 46 mm | 42 mm and 46 mm |
| Size Show: | 1.1 in / 1.3 in | 1.1 in / 1.3 in |
| Battery life (smart watch mode): | 12 days (pioneer 255s) / 14 days (pioneer 255s) | 15 days (pioneer 265s) / 13 days (pioneer 265s) |
| Battery life (GPS mode): | 26 hours without music / 5.5 hours with music (Forerunner 255S) or 30 hours without music / 6.5 hours with music (Forerunner 255) | 24 hours without music / 7.6 hours with music (Forerunner 265S) or 20 hours without music / 7 hours with music (Forerunner 265) |
| Built-in GPS: | Yes | Yes |
| heart rate: | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Pay: | Yes | Yes |
| maps: | Yes | Yes |
| music: | Yes (on 255 / 255S Music) | Yes |
| Multiple sports modes: | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced performance metrics: | Yes | Yes |
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Design and Presentation
When it’s not turned on, the Forerunner 265 looks a lot like the Forerunner 255. It’s still the same, circular screen, with five different buttons for navigating around the watch — three on the left and two on the right. However, there is one small change to these buttons — the top on/off button on the right side now says “RUN,” and it’s a bit bigger. This is a small change, but a useful reminder of which button to press when you want to pause your watch while it’s running.
Once the screen is on, the changes become more noticeable. The Forerunner 265 has a beautiful, bright AMOLED display, similar to the one used on the Garmin Epix 2. It’s the same AMOLED display you’ll also see on the all-new Garmin Forerunner 965. Forerunner 265’s resolution is 416 x 416 pixels, and 360 x 360 on the 265S. When we compare this to the Forerunner 255, which has a color MIP display, the difference is massive — the 255 has a 260 x 260 resolution, and the 255S has a 218 x 218 resolution.
The screen on the Forerunner 265 looks different, too—the font has changed, as there are few design features like the screen you see when you’re waiting for the watch to connect to GPS. It also has a touch screen, which the Forerunner 255 doesn’t have. This automatically turns off when the watch is in active mode, but it makes the watch look more premium. During testing, we found it to be very responsive, even with sweaty fingers.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 265 Really nice AMOLED screen. It is incredibly bright, even in direct sunlight, and gives the watch a real sense of distinction.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Battery Life
Of course, the brighter the screen, the greater the drain on battery life. However, battery life isn’t significantly different between the two watches: The 265S has 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, and 24 hours of battery life in GPS mode. The 265 has 13 days in smartwatch mode and 20 hours in GPS mode. The larger two clocks usually have longer battery life, but it seems that with the bigger and brighter screen the larger 265 will need to charge a little sooner.
On the other hand, the Forerunner 255 lasts 14 days in smartwatch mode, and 30 hours in GPS mode without music (or 6.5 hours with music). Forerunner 255S lasts 12 days in smartwatch mode, 26 hours in GPS mode without music, and 5.5 hours in GPS mode with music.
It seems that when the newer, brighter watch is in GPS mode, the battery life runs out faster than the older watch. Of course, 13-15 days is still much longer than some other days The best smart watches In the market (Apple Watch Series 8 We’re looking at you), but if you’re looking for a watch you won’t need to charge, inevitably, the Forerunner 255 is a better choice.
Winner: Pioneer 255 — since it doesn’t have the bright AMOLED screen, the battery life of the older watch is a bit more impressive.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Fitness and Tracking Features
Display aside, Garmin hasn’t changed much when it comes to fitness tracking features on the watches. The Garmin Forerunner 255 received a huge update that, for the first time, included multisport modes—a feature usually reserved for more expensive running watches in the line. Both watches can track just about everything, and you can customize the data screens from the watch itself or from the Garmin Connect app.
From a training perspective, the main difference between the two watches is that the Forerunner 265 has a Garmin Training Readiness score. The score shows you at a glance how prepared you are for a tough training day based on sleep, recovery time, HRV status, acute load, and stress. Each class carries a different weight, so your preparation for training during the day may go up as the recovery time required goes down.
Winner: Garmin Forerunner 265 It’s a small update, but Training Readiness Points are, until now, reserved for more expensive Garmin running watches like the Fenix 7 and Epix 2. If you’re serious about your training, features like this help you get a better understanding of your overall health and fitness.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Smartwatch Features
Compared to the likes of the Apple Watch, Garmin has always been one step behind from a smartwatch perspective. Although they are designed to be worn 24/7, they are not all high spec. However, I would argue that you are not buying a flagship to check your WhatsApp from your wrist, you are buying it to improve your training.
Forerunner 255 Music and Forerunner 265 both have the ability to store and play music from your wrist, without having your phone near you. Forerunner 265 allows you to download songs from Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music. Both watches also have Garmin Pay, which comes in handy when you’re commuting or paying for things from your wrist.
However, I’d argue that the touchscreen on the Forerunner 265 improves it from a smartwatch perspective — it looks more premium, and allows you to swipe around the watch with ease.
Winner: Pioneer 265 The brighter touch screen gives the newer watch an edge here, putting it in a similar league to the likes of the Apple Watch.
Forerunner 255 vs. Forerunner 265: Which Should You Buy?
The answer to this question depends on how important the AMOLED touch screen is to you. If you’re not bothered by the brighter screen, it’s worth saving your money and buying the Forerunner 255, as the two watches are pretty much identical otherwise.
However, having both on my wrist, the AMOLED screen makes the Forerunner 265 feel like a huge upgrade. If you still have a Forerunner 235 or Forerunner 245 on your wrist, the difference will be even more noticeable. When working with both the Forerunner 265 and the Fenix 7, the smaller clock was brighter and easier to read in direct sunlight. Both are excellent watches, but if you can afford them, go for the brighter display.
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