The Garmin Forerunner 265 is one of Garmin’s most popular watches. But if you’re unfamiliar with Garmin’s lineup, you may be wondering what the difference is between the 265 and the 265S.
The Forerunner 265 is the mid-tier option in Garmin’s Forerunner line. It has more features than the Forerunner 55/165, but it’s missing a few of the premium features of the Forerunner 965.
The key difference between the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 265S is the size. That size difference also has a few implications for other specs on the watch. But otherwise – in terms of software, features, and price – the watches are identical.
What’s the Size Difference Between the Watches?
Garmin watches tend to come in roughly four different sizes. Although there are slight variations, you can think of these as small, medium, large, and extra large.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is a medium sized watch. The watch face itself is 46.1mm in diameter and the display is 1.3″ (32.5mm) in diameter.
The Garmin Forerunner 265S, on the other hand, is a small sized watch – hence the “S”. The watch face itself is 41.7mm in diameter and the display is 1.1″ (28.1mm) in diameter.
Due to the different size displays, they are also advertised as having different display resolutions. But although the smaller Forerunner 265S shows less pixels, the pixel density (and display quality) is the same.
To some extent, this size is a personal choice. Some people like bigger watches, and some people like smaller ones. But it’s also a function of wrist size. Garmin suggests that the medium size is appropriate for someone with a wrist circumference of 135-205mm, while the smaller size is appropriate for someone with a wrist circumference of 115-178mm. Notice that there is quite a bit of overlap (135-178mm).
What Else Is Different Between the Two Watches?
The other major difference between the two watches is battery life.
This can vary between watches of different sizes for two key reasons – battery size and display. In some cases, the smaller watches have smaller batteries, which means less battery life. In other cases, the larger display means a greater drain on the battery – in which case the larger watch can have less battery life.
In the case of the Forerunner 265/265S, the issue is the AMOLED display – which is more of a drain on the battery than the MIP display.
The larger Forerunner 265 is advertised as having 13 days of battery life in smartwatch mode. The smaller 265S, on the other hand, is advertised as having 15 days – a little over 10% more.
If you compare the stats for GPS-only mode, it’s 20 hours for the 265 and 24 hours (20% more) for the 265S.
This is based on the default settings, which includes allowing the display to turn off. If you use the watch with the display always on, then both watches have about 5 days of battery life.
So it’s not a huge difference, but the smaller watch has marginally better battery life.
The other difference between them is weight. The 265 weighs 47g, while the 265 weighs 39g. In both cases, the watch is pretty light. But you may notice a difference.
Garmin Forerunner 265 vs 265S: Which Should You Get?
At the end of the day, the watches are almost identical. The differences amount to size, weight, and battery life.
In most cases, this will strictly be an issue of preference. Some people prefer the medium sized watch, while others prefer the smaller one.
If you’re concerned about battery life, that’s the one thing that might sway you towards the smaller watch. But with either watch, the battery life mediocre. It’s more than enough for basic usage, but if you run every day you’ll soon find yourself charging frequently.
If you’re really concerned about battery life, you’d be better off upgrading to the Garmin Forerunner 965 or considering one of the newer Garmin fenix 8 AMOLEDs.
If you’re on the fence about which Forerunner is right for you, take a read through these other comparisons: