Okay, so I’ve been rocking a Garmin Forerunner 55 for a while now, and it’s been a solid buddy for tracking my runs. But then, the Forerunner 165 came out, and I got curious. Was it worth the upgrade? I decided to take the plunge and find out, and man, it’s been a journey!
The Initial Decision
First, I spent hours just staring at specs online. You know, the usual – comparing battery life, GPS accuracy, all that nerdy stuff. The 165 promised a brighter AMOLED screen, which sounded pretty sweet compared to the 55’s more basic display. Plus, it had some extra features like wrist-based running power and training effect labels. These sounded fancy, so I wanted that.
Getting My Hands on It
So, I ordered the 165. When it finally arrived, unboxing it was pretty exciting. It definitely looked sleeker than my old 55. The screen was the first thing that jumped out – way more vibrant and colorful. My old 55 looks like decades old in this comparison.
The First Run
- I charged it up, strapped it on, and headed out for my usual 5k loop.
- Right away, I noticed how much easier it was to read the screen, even in bright sunlight. The 55 was okay, but this was a definite improvement.
- I played around with the different data screens, and found the running power metric interesting. I’m still not entirely sure how to use it to improve my training, but it’s cool to see the numbers.
Sync Up
Back to home, I paired the watch to my phone and fired up the Garmin Connect app. All the data synced seamlessly, and it was cool that all my information is just there.
Daily Driver Test
I’ve been using the 165 as my daily watch for a couple of weeks now. I like that it tracks my sleep and steps, and it helps me to keep a healthy life.
My Thoughts
So, is the Forerunner 165 a worthy upgrade from the 55? For me, absolutely. The improved screen alone is worth it, and the extra features are a nice bonus. If you’re happy with your 55, there’s no need to rush out and upgrade. But if you’re looking for a more vibrant display and some added running metrics, the 165 is definitely worth considering. I will keep using it.