Garmin vivoactive 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 165
The real choice is the kind of watch: the vivoactive 5 is a smartwatch and the Forerunner 165 is a sports watch. On the specs, the vivoactive 5 has the edge: it is lighter and tracks sleep in more depth.
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Key differences
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Battery life
Evenly matched
Similar battery life: up to 11 days and 11 days.
-
GPS
Evenly matched
Both have built-in GPS with similar features.
-
Display
Evenly matched
Both have AMOLED screens of a similar size.
-
Health
Evenly matched
Much the same health sensors.
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Weight
vivoactive 5 wins
The Garmin vivoactive 5 is lighter: 23 g against 39 g.
Other differences
- Type Depends on you
They're built for different jobs: the vivoactive 5 is a smartwatch and the Forerunner 165 is a sports watch.
- Sleep vivoactive 5 wins
The vivoactive 5 goes further on sleep, with sleep coaching.
Which one should you choose?
Choose the vivoactive 5 if…
- You want apps, messages and a bright screen first: it is a full smartwatch.
- You wear it to bed or have small wrists: it weighs 23 g.
- You want to sleep better: it scores each night and tells you what to change.
Choose the Forerunner 165 if…
- Training comes first: it is a sports watch built around GPS, battery and workout data.
- You follow your training closely: it adds training effect and race predictor.
Full spec comparison
The vivoactive 5 leads on size and durability; elsewhere the two are closely matched.
Green cells with a ✓ mark the better spec in that row. Tick "Show differences only" to hide the rows where they match.
Overview
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Brand | Garmin | Garmin |
| Series | vívoactive | Forerunner |
Platform & apps
They are different kinds of watch, so start with how you will use it.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Garmin | Garmin |
| Works with | iPhone and Android | iPhone and Android |
| Storage | 4 GB | 4 GB |
| App store | Yes | Yes |
Display
The screens are closely matched.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Display type | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Screen size | 1.2 in | 1.2 in |
| Resolution | 390 x 390 | 390 x 390 |
| Pixel density | 460 ppi | 325 ppi |
| Colour display | Yes | Yes |
| Always-on display | Yes | Yes |
| Touchscreen | Yes | Yes |
| Controls | touchscreen, buttons | touchscreen |
Design & durability
The vivoactive 5 is ahead on size and durability.
It is lighter, and the Forerunner 165 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Case sizes | 42.2 mm | 43 mm |
| Case shape | Round | Round |
| Dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 43 x 43 x 11.6 mm |
| Thickness | 11.1 mm | 11.6 mm |
| Weight (case) | 23 g | 39 g |
| Weight with band | 36 g | — |
| Case material | fiber-reinforced polymer | — |
| Bezel material | anodized aluminum | fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Lens | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 | chemically strengthened glass |
| Band material | silicone | silicone |
| Band width | 20 mm | 20 mm |
| Band fitting | 20 mm, Industry standard | 20 mm |
| Fits wrists | 125-190 mm | 126-203 mm |
| Water resistance | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
Battery
Battery life is close on both.
How you use the screen, GPS and notifications will matter more than the difference between them.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Battery (smartwatch mode) | 11 days | 11 days |
| Battery (GPS) | 21 hours | 19 hours |
| All battery modes | Smartwatch: 11 days; Always-on display: 5 days; Battery saver: 21 days; GPS: 21 hours; All satellite systems: 17 hours; All satellite systems: 8 hours | Smartwatch: 11 days; Battery saver: 20 days; GPS: 19 hours; All satellite systems: 17 hours |
| Battery type | Lithium ion | Lithium ion |
| Charging | proprietary-plug | proprietary-plug |
GPS & navigation
Both have built-in GPS with similar capabilities.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| GPS | Built-in | Built-in |
| Satellite systems | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo |
| Maps | — | Breadcrumb trail |
| Navigation features | back-to-start | point-to-point navigation, bread crumb trail, back-to-start, TracBack, course guidance |
Health & sensors
The vivoactive 5 is ahead on health tracking.
It tracks sleep in more depth, and the Forerunner 165 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Sensors | optical HR, SpO2, accelerometer, compass, ambient light | optical HR, SpO2, accelerometer, barometer, compass, thermometer, ambient light |
| Heart-rate sensor | Garmin Elevate | Garmin Elevate |
| Heart-rate tracking | 24/7 | 24/7 |
| High/low heart-rate alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Heart-rate variability | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen (SpO2) | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Sleep coaching | Sleep score |
| Stress tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Energy score | Body Battery | Body Battery |
| Cycle tracking | Yes | Yes |
Safety
Both offer much the same safety features.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency SOS | — | Via phone |
| Incident detection | Yes | Yes |
| Live tracking | — | Yes |
Training
The Forerunner 165 is ahead on training features.
It has more training metrics, and the vivoactive 5 doesn't beat it on anything here.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Auto activity detection | Yes | Yes |
| Swim tracking | Pool and open water | Pool and open water |
| Underwater heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Training metrics | VO2 max, recovery time, HRV status | VO2 max, training effect, recovery time, race predictor, HRV status |
| Adaptive coaching | — | Yes |
| Running dynamics | — | Yes |
| Wrist running power | — | Yes |
| Strength rep counting | Yes | Yes |
| Heart-rate broadcast | Yes | Yes |
| External sensors | ANT+, foot pod, speed/cadence, bike radar/lights, golf club tags | ANT+, foot pod, speed/cadence, bike radar/lights |
Smart features
Both offer much the same smart features.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Message replies | Android | Android |
| Contactless payments | Yes | Yes |
| Payment service | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Cellular | None | — |
| Music storage | Yes | — |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Find my watch | Yes | Yes |
Diving, golf & more
Neither has a specialist edge here.
| Spec | Garmin vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 165 |
|---|---|---|
| Specialist modes | golf, ski | — |