Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 265: Side-by-side Comparison
By Naila Syifa
Updated October 2023
Garmin is a well-known brand when it comes to fitness watches. Its recently released model, the Vivoactive 5, offers numerous features that make it a great choice for fitness enthusiasts. However, how does the Vivoactive 5 compare to the Forerunner 265, another popular model from Garmin?
In this side-by-side comparison, we'll look at both watches in detail and compare their features, specs, and more.
| Specs | Garmin Vivoactive 5 | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Buy on Amazon | Buy on Amazon | |
| Price | $299.99 | $449.99 |
| Dimensions | 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm | 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm |
| Weight | 36 g | 47 g |
| Screen Resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 416 x 416 pixels |
| Battery Life | 11 days | 13 days |
| Memory | 4 GB | 8 GB |
| GPS | Yes | Yes, Multi-Band with SatIQ |
| Built-in Speaker and Microphone | No | No |
| Built-in Maps | No | No |
| Body Battery | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced Sleep Monitoring | Yes, with Nap Detection | Yes |
| Meditation | Yes | No |
| Wheelchair Mode | Yes | No |
| Advanced Running | No | Yes |
| Multisport Activities | No | Yes |
Key Takeaways
Vivoactive 5 stands out with its lifestyle-oriented features such as Meditation and Nap Detection, while Forerunner 265 is more focused on running, training, and advanced sports-related features. Vivoactive 5 also supports workouts for wheelchair users, while Forerunner 265 doesn't have this feature. However, Forerunner 265 has a longer-lasting battery life and a superior GPS tracking system.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Everything You Need
GPS smartwatch for daily fitness and health monitoring with all the essential features at a reasonable price.
Garmin Forerunner 265
Advanced Fitness Features
GPS smartwatch with advanced health monitoring and fitness tracking for serious runners and athletes with intensive trainings.
#1 Price
Garmin Forerunner 265
Forerunner series watches tend to be more on the expensive side. The Forerunner 265 is no exception, with a retail price of around US$449.99. Garmin Vivoactive 5, on the other hand, is priced at US$299.99, making it a more affordable option for those who want a high-quality fitness watch without breaking the bank.
#2 Design & Display
Garmin Vivoactive 5
Both watches have a similar design with a round face and silicone band, but the Forerunner 265 is slightly larger in size than the Vivoactive 5. It measures 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm and weighs 47 g, while the Vivoactive 5 measures 42.2 x 42.2 x 11.1 mm and weighs 36 g.
Both watches also share an AMOLED display with a Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lens, but the Forerunner 265 has a slightly higher resolution of 416 x 416 pixels and a larger display size of 1.3" compared to the Vivoactive 5's 390 x 390 pixels resolution and 1.2" display.
Garmin Forerunner 265 and Vivoactive 5 have a water rating of 5 ATM, meaning that they are water resistant to 50 meters, making them suitable for swimming and other water activities. You also don't have to worry about taking them off when you're in the shower or washing dishes.
#3 Health & Fitness Features
Garmin Forerunner 265
Both Garmin watches offer a wide range of features that allow you to monitor your health and track your fitness activities, including wrist-based heart rate, Pulse Ox blood oxygen saturation, Body Battery energy monitoring, activity tracking, built-in sports app, and more.
Forerunner 265 has some advanced features for runners and athletes who need more detailed analysis of their performance and training, such as such as Advanced Running Dynamics, Multisport Activities, Daily Suggested Workouts, Training Readiness, Race an Activity, and more. It also supports sports like trail running, rugby, basketball, volleyball, and some other sports profiles that are not available on the Vivoactive 5.
Forerunner 265 also offers an on-screen muscle maps feature, which helps you identify which muscles are working the hardest during your workout, and an on-screen workout animations feature that shows you how to do certain exercises correctly. Vivoactive 5, on the other hand, only features the on-screen workout animations.
Garmin Vivoactive 5
However, the Vivoactive 5 also has some unique features that the Forerunner 265 doesn't have, such as Meditation and workouts for wheelchair users.
Vivoactive 5 also has a more comprehensive sleep monitoring feature with Sleep Coach and Nap Detection. The Forerunner 265, on the other hand, only features sleep monitoring with sleep score and insights, both of which are also available on the Vivoactive 5.
#4 Smartwatch Features
Garmin Forerunner 265
Garmin Vivoactive 5 and Forerunner 265 also share some common smartwatch features to make your life easier, such as smart notifications, music storage and controls, Garmin Pay, Morning Report, weather forecasts, calendar, and more. With an Android phone, you can even respond to texts or reject a phone call with a text.
One advantage that the Forerunner 265 has over the Vivoactive 5 is its SatIQ and Multi-Band GPS, which provides more accurate location tracking and mapping even in challenging environments. This is especially useful for hikers, mountaineers, and other adventurers who need reliable GPS tracking in remote areas.
Forerunner 265 also has Safety and Tracking Features, which include Incident Detection, Assistance, Livetrack, and Live Event Sharing (Android only), which allow you to share your location and activity with your friends and family in real-time, and alert them in case of an emergency. The Vivoactive 5 also offers the same Safety and Tracking Features but not the Live Event Sharing.
#5 Battery Life
Garmin Vivoactive 5
The battery life of both watches is impressive, with the Forerunner 265 offering up to 13 days in smartwatch mode and the Vivoactive 5 offering up to 11 days in smartwatch mode. Both models also have battery-saver mode, so you can extend their battery life even further.
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Forerunner 265
Final Thoughts
Garmin Forerunner 265
Vivoactive 5 is the more affordable option, and it provides distinct features such as Meditation, Nap Detection, and workouts for wheelchair users that are not available on the Forerunner 265.
However, the Forerunner 265 also has some extra features that make it a more suitable option for serious runners and athletes who want a more detailed analysis of their performance and training.
Ultimately, the choice between the two depends on your needs and budget.
If you like to read more on Garmin smartwatches, check out our other relevant guides here:
Best Garmin Smartwatches in Singapore
Garmin Venu 3 vs Venu 2
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 265
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 965
Garmin Venu 3 vs Forerunner 955
Garmin Venu 3 vs Fenix 7
Garmin Venu 3 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch 6
Garmin Venu 3 vs Apple Watch Series 8
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Vivoactive 4
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu 3
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu 2
Garmin Vivoactive 5 vs Venu Sq 2
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