Smartwatches can do so much more than they used to, so trying to pick one that best suits your needs can be difficult. Obviously, many of them can do the basic things like give you the time, tell you the temperature and weather, and provide you with some health data. But many of them have advanced features that merit their high price tags, which include heart rate monitoring,solar charging, topography map displays, and more.
If you’re an Apple loyalist, you’d probably focus solely on pairing your iPhone or MacBook with an Apple Watch. It’s a natural progression and makes sense because of the many features that work across devices, especially if you have the newest iteration, theApple Watch Ultra 2. But even if you are an Apple fan, there are other smartwatches that will work well in your life. Not saying that you need to use them, but Apple doesn’t hold a monopoly on smartwatches – that’s why I think theGarmin Forerunner 965is worth considering.
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I’m an avid runner and have been training for half-marathons, so I want a smartwatch that will help me get to that 13.1 mark and also last a very long time beyond it. That’s why I err more on the side of the Garmin Forerunner 965 than the Apple Watch Ultra 2, and it’s not just because of the price. Here’s more on why I think you (and I) should consider the Garmin Forerunner 965 over the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
Garmin Forerunner 965
The Garmin Forerunner 965 is a smartwatch that is made for sport training and running. This features a large AMOLED screen and an impressive battery life.
The Forerunner 965 is less expensive
You’re still getting so much for this price-point
Many people will point to price as the first thing that they look at when narrowing down which product to buy. In terms of which smartwatch is more affordable, the Forerunner 965 takes the gold. It retails for $600 but is currently discounted at Amazon for $550. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 retails for $800. While it’s also currently discounted at $50 on Amazon, that still puts it at $200 more than the 965. This may not be a massive undertaking for some people. But for many, $800 is a steep price to pay for a smartwatch.
Apple Watch Ultra 2
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is a premium smartwatch focused on offering in-depth fitness tracking and a much longer battery life than a normal Apple Watch. As of 2024 it also comes in a black titanium finish.
The battery life far exceeds that of the Apple Watch Ultra 2
It’s impressive how long the battery lasts
If you’re like me, you’ll often forget to charge something before it is too late and end up walking around with a dead phone or a completely useless dead watch – which is exactly why I want a watch that is going to last a long time. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 lasts for 36 hours of mixed usage or 72 hours in low power mode, which isn’t totally horrible and is, granted, better than previous versions of the Apple Watch.
For as active as this watch can be, the battery life is one of the best features that the Garmin Forerunner 965 offers.
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The Garmin Forerunner 965’s battery lasts for up to 23 days in smartwatch mode, 31 hours of straight GPS battery life, and seven days if the watch is turned to always-on mode. For as active as this watch can be, the battery life is one of the best features that the Garmin Forerunner 965 offers. Having to remember what mode you want to be in to keep the battery going can be hard, but if you’re working your way through a normal day, or week, you’re probably going to be switching up modes as it is, so knowing that your watch is going to last that entire time is comforting.
The Forerunner 965 divulges better sleep tracking
Which is especially important for athletes
If you have a big marathon coming up or a race that you’re training for, you’ll definitely be planning ahead for the training weeks and even months ahead of time. As you progress, you’re going to want to know more about how you’re recovering, which is where sleep tracking comes in handy. While the Apple Watch Ultra 2 does provide you with sleep tracking data, such as how deep your sleep was, it does also drain the battery more, so you’ll need to put your watch on the charger during the day if you’re wearing it at night. As the cherry on top of the better battery life here, the Garmin Forerunner 965 provides you with more in-depth information about your night’s rest.
The best heart rate monitors for every type of activity and athlete
No matter what type of activity you participate in, these heart rate monitors will provide accurate data to guide your training.
Features such as Body Battery show you how your recovery is doing and where your physical “battery” stands after a night of sleep. If you have a bad night’s rest, it will show your body’s battery as depleted. Your watch will also tell you how poorly you slept, how much REM sleep you got, and suggest what kind of recovery you need to be fresher. It’s a crucial feature for those taking their training seriously and want to improve their overall health starting at the very foundation: rest. The sleep score that you’re provided will also automatically be considered for other health metrics in the watch.
The health data tracking of the Forerunner 965 is more extensive
It isn’t just the sleep tracking that’s better
Anybody that has used the Apple Health app knows it isn’t quite up to the professional standards that many want. It’s a convoluted app that makes finding the data you might be interested in more difficult than it should be. Even just being able to track your measurements after you weigh yourself takes clicking into three sub menus to do so. The Garmin Forerunner 965, on the other hand, tracks even more data than you probably need and makes it intuitive to find it all.
On top of the sleep and recovery stats, Garmin includes metrics such as acute load, stress, heart rate variability (HRV), and more to provide you with a Training Readiness score. If you take your training seriously and want as much information about your body as possible, Garmin has you covered. Even something as simple as the Morning Report helps you start the day by understanding how to potentially get the most activity out of a packed schedule.
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There are more workouts that it can track
The Forerunner 965 has all of your sports covered
The Apple Watch has come a long way in terms of what kind of workouts it would register. It does a great job of recognizing yoga, pilates, strength training, weight training, rowing, and more. The earliest iterations could figure out if you were running, which felt like a big boost. But Garmin has taken it all a step further and recognizes so many more activities immediately. If you’re someone who likes to switch up their workouts, this is going to be a huge advantage to choosing Garmin.If you focus on niche workouts like stand-up paddleboarding, fishing, or any of the other 80 workouts that are offered, you’ll have your pick. Plus, you can even choose a custom workout if you don’t find something that matches what you’re doing. It makes a lot of sense for people that don’t like to get stuck in the same workout routine to explore all that the 965 offers.
In the Workouts menu on the watch, you can select a specific muscle group that you want to exercise, and the Forerunner 965 will recommend a workout for you.
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The Garmin Forerunner 965 is lighter
It doesn’t feel as heavy on your wrist
If you think that a large watch is going to be cumbersome to wear, then neither of these watches are for you. They have distinct designs, as the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a more square face with rounded edges, while the Forerunner 965 is circular. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 has a 49mm face and the Forerunner 965 has a 47mm face. Both are large, and unfortunately, you won’t be able to avoid it.
But when it comes to which one weighs more, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 does weigh a little bit more. It is 2.1 ounces, while the Forerunner 965 weighs 1.8 ounces. This may not seem like a lot, but it can be noticeable during a long run where your arms are constantly swinging. It’s also noticeable at night if you’re tossing side to side. It’s even heavier if you have to consider acasefor either model, and while I’m not saying it should be the deciding factor in your choice, it is worth noting.
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