Garmin Forerunner 965 Review After A Month 

Best place to buy the 965: Dialed Cycling Lab: dialedcyclinglab.com/product/... Try discount code: "matt_legrand" or Amazon: amzn.to/3pvKRfh

Mr. LeGrand, the quality of this video, the way you film things, the way you put them together in the final production process, the b-rolls, the close-ups, the slowmos....it is pure art. I admire your skills. Thx for what you do.

I upgraded to the 965 from the 955. I think the screen is a huge QOL improvement especially if you wear the watch all day and use it as a smartwatch and not just for workouts, it looks brilliant indoors. I also mainly train in the early mornings and evenings as it is freaking hot here in south east asia, and the AMOLED pops better than the backlight of the 955 in low light. However biggest downside is the curve screen, which makes it more susceptible to scratches and hunting for a screen protector (TPU) is a pain. The thinner watch compared to 955 is very noticeable though, it feels alot more nimble on the wrist. My previous 955 was the white version with the black plastic bezel, visually it looks more bulky and larger compared to a black 965 and slimmer titanium bezel, which is a plus too. Overall the battery tradeoff is worth it as a week of AOD with Amoled is crazy by industry standards, and a week is more than enough time to not annoy me to charge.

Amazing video, review and video quality. I really appreciate the efforts you put in making these reviews.

Good lord - you videos are so good! You are a true artist in this realm! No idea how you do it all. Well done!

Just started running again after long medical recovery…first marathon at Big Sur last weekend woo! I used my Apple Watch Ultra with the working outdoors app, but now thinking of going into short distance ultras and getting a Garmin. Thx for making your videos more relatable to new runners and sport enthusiasts! Love your vibe on relating pertinent information on your reviews! Other videos throw so many specs quickly in rapid progression, and I’m sure they do fine, but it makes me feel like I’m cramming for a test lol 😂 Your presentation is excellent 👍

I have been a happy owner of FR965 since it became available in April. Sleep and activity tracking work wonderfully. Optical heart rate is reliable and works well in the water as well if I tighten the wristband enough. The oxygen saturation measurement seems unreliable but it doesn't bother me since I don't use it. The watch is pleasantly light to wear and being thinner than the 955 is a really nice feature. I get about 13-14 days of battery life in gesture mode with no GPS or music, but with about an hour of some kind of workout every day.

I watched this video and I dont think I have any questions left about this watch and overall quality of video is good too, keep doing good work man

Hi. I finaly update from 235 to 965...Ordered it yesterday. I'm kind of exited what is becoming with that new Garmin. I have watched all your Garmin vids for many times and liked those a much, thanks! Greetings from Finland!

I gave my 955 to a young runner I’m mentoring. I ordered the 965 this weekend. I should have by Tuesday! The screen is amazing for my 50 year old eyes.

Had the watch for 3 weeks now. Previous was a Garmin 6pro. At first it felt cheap because of the build vs the 6pro but after multiple runs and hikes in really enjoying the watch. Using maps under the dark canopy of trees has been great with bright screen.

I know I've said this before, but your work here is really amazing man. Congrats again.

Wow. How good are your videos 😍 A visual experience. Thanks. Subscribed.

Nice camera work. This vid is well done and I am sure took time to produce. Nice work!

Great job, Matt!

The channel is so underrated ,, The video quality and editing are all amazing 😅😅😅 keep it up

Love the edit!!

Top notch review trust your expertise on these things. Thank you

Had the 965 for a few weeks now, coming from a Coros Apex that I had for 3yrs. I purchased this instead of the Apex2 and in hindsight I am glad I made the change. I was concerned about battery life since the Apex was amazing in that regard but the 965 screen is just *beauuutiful as well as the other features. I can get about 10 days before I get down to under 20% with the 965 with ~10+hrs of training a week and "raise to wake" mode. Pretty high learning curve going from Coros to Garmin (first Garmin device) but after a few days I was able to navigate with ease. Nested options with Garmin were not that intuitive and I had to keep going back to documentation/RU-vid a few times to figure things out. One noticeable difference was the running power measurement between Coros Apex and the 965. They were both stable readings but the 965 reads about 40W higher than the Coros. I don't have a running pod so I'm not sure which one is "correct" but not sure if it matters if it is adjusted to yourself and takes stable readings. It took a week or so of running daily to figure out my new power zones for training and comparing previous Apex workouts to current 965 workouts to determine the correct translation so I could update TrainingPeaks. Big pluses for me are the built in HRV (previously I would do a single morning reading), maps!, high res screen, more accurate wrist HR (before I would ALWAYS have to wear a strap as the Apex would pick up my cadence 75% of the time instead of HR), and touch screen! Also, the 965 estimated my first treadmill run today within 0.1 miles (over a 5mi run) with fairly accurate pace changes from warmup to steady to cooldown - I would have to change these manually on the Apex while doing dreadmill workouts. Happy so far with no regrets.

Just bought. I’ll let you know but the watch is really nice on the wrist and very well equipped from a tech standpoint. I think Garmin hit a home run with this FR965.

Wow! Awesome video, great review. Really one of the best I've seen in its kind. Congrats! Stumbled upon it unboxing my new FR965 today. Coming from a FR255 which I'm using for just a year now, but just couldn't resist a great deal (€454)... 🙋🏽‍♂️From The Netherlands

Super high quality video!

Another great video Matt LeGrand. I've been using the 965 for a month now having come from a 945. So far I like what I see with some things I don't think have improved. Sleep tracking still sucks and still doesn't record daytime naps like many other trackers that are 1/6th of the price. I'll wake up feeling great and the watch says I had a poor sleep rating. Also no ECG as you noted and it appears the hardware isn't included. Others have noted scratching on their lens so I have a protector however because of the curve it has to be flexible. So definitely not as protective as the ones I used for my 945. I also think it's a little conservative on the suggested workouts. I am doing the Multisport Mixer on Zwift and have done it several times over the last couple years. If I followed the 965's recommended workouts I would hardly get any intense workouts. Battery life has been great. I have 6 workouts on it this week and in 6 days am still at 42%. 4 indoor and 2 outdoor on GPS. Total of 6hrs. Still glad I bought it but hope that future updates improve some of the things that I think are lacking.

Wow! This is an amazing video. Impressive.

Great video, so professional, Thank you so much.

Helpful and informative 👌 video 😊 Thank you so much

Just changed to 965 from Enduro 2 for the screen and the battery life is plenty enough for me. Does exactly what I want from a Garmin and the screen is just amazing.

Thanks for the great review. And 1:10 that was a great transition!

Just got to know your channel over this video. Damn... I wish I knew it earlier. Love the quality of the videos and edit Keep it up 💪

I love the Forerunner 965 its way better than what Samsung, Google pixel and Apple watch as to offer especially battery life. I don't have to keep charging basically every day, I know we all look for different things in a watch. But I'm okay with Garmin not turning there watches into a full blown phone. Simple is better...and I'm enjoying my 965 since I got it!!!

Recently upgraded from the Fr 245music to Fr965 and couldn't be happier. I was afraid the size wohld be too big for my petite female wrists, but I love it. It has so many added metrics than the 245. I was tempted to get the Epix, but it didn't seem to add enough for thr steep price difference.

That's some professional looking production there!

I see what you did there. Nice shout out to Ryan C. at the 18:11 mark. Great video as always. I realy like those easter eggs.👍

I got mine and love it.

Beautiful video Matt. I don't need this watch but I enjoyed the video

Thanks Matt, great review 👍 Next suunto vertical?

One Good thing about NEW 965 is give you alot of option for good (Used) Garmin 955 deal on market.

Man, your videos are so professional. Awesome work dude 👏 keep it up.

I have been a very satisfied owner of the FR965. Everything about it is superior on this new watch. Multi band GPS, better Optical HR, AMOLED display, battery life is still great (I get 2-3 weeks battery life with 30+ miles of running per week and 5 days/week strength training). I really like it.

Great video, and super cool editing and shots!! Just subscribed :) In the future, would be great if you could time stamp, so people can jump around the video. As someone who studies specs and watches quite a few videos before buying, there's often certain sections of the vid I'm more interested in and it would help to skip to them!

I sold my 955. I purchased the 265s. I was nervous about the AMOLED screen and battery life. I'm loving the bright screen. I'm getting 6 days of battery with heavy GPS use. I wanted the 965, but didn't really use my 955 maps. So I decided to save a little money. The bright screen is like a completely different watch. I'm enjoying the screen change. Great video.

Other than DC Rainmaker and DesFit, you’re the only watch reviewer I trust.

Coming from a Fenix 6X pro, I got this one couple of weeks ago and it is fantastic. Almost 50g less make it really lightweight and screen is amazing especially under water. In two weeks I just recharged once, meaning AMOLED display does not drain battery at all.

Great video! I really like content creators like you, the style, visuals, the talk.. Do you know if I could import a route to the watch and have it displayed on the map? This would be a great benefit if I could use that while cycling and knowing where to turn

One big thing that different from your channel in compared to the other sports channel, is the quality of your videos. Keep it going, pls! Great job!

Great video! super qualitative! I had the 945 lte and upgraded to the 965 (I wanted touch and managed to get it cheaper than a 955) and I agree with you, regarding graphics, sometimes I feel it is too much. But other than that, it very nice to read outdoors. Also super confortable and stable, very pleased with it.

Considering getting the 965; some appealing things include bigger AMOLED screen with higher resolution and easier to read fonts, battery life, maps, indoor and outdoor rowing and biking, hiking, stairs, HR, pO2, thinner case, morning report, and the many features which have been well reviewed. Am not a runner, rarely have access to a pool. I have zero desire to do emails on my watch, nor do I need a phone on my watch. Having weather and calendar is useful, though.

AHAHAHHA, I love the Dr. Seuss type start to the story! The spinny bit is really nice! AND scene build up bit around 1:15 is NUTSO cool THREE TIMES THE PIXELS!???? WHAaaaa???? i love your assessment of the graphics going too far. I agree! Oh man, the lens placement is QUESTIONABLE. Really good points and catch on your part. The thickness framing is really sharp! DID YOU MAKE YOUR POOR PARTNER RUN IN THE RAIN!? We're learning about the Space Race in class... my kids are not the type use fitness watches, but GPS is so cool and perhaps the best outcome from the space race for the average human. This is a random question...do you notice a difference between HR between left and right wrist? Is that even a thing? LASTLY - you use Sony camera, yeah? I'm entertaining the thought of switching system and curious what your experience has been. XOXO

Please make a comparison between Garmin 965 v Apple Watch Ultra 🙏 your video is on fire as always 🔥🔥🔥

I'm a Big Boy and I Love this is a Big man's Watch❤

Great quality review as always. I am really undecided on a garmin watchand overwhelmed by the options, they all seem to be multisport and I would be mainly using it for biking. Any suggestions on the best one? Happy to go with or without maps.

I'd love to see Garmin integrate it all in a 975. ECG. Voice Assistant. The LTE paging and tracking feature from the 945 LTE, though not necessarily actual Apple-style voice calling. Maybe a bit more bezel reduction. The idea is a sport watch that dispenses with the need for Apple, Samsung and Google's polished but very proprietary and platform-specific smartwatches.

What a watch ot is! I had the 955 solar and was fearing the battery life wouldn't be as good but how wrong I was! The screen is beautiful, and I've used the watch for 1 week with multiple runs and still on 43 per cent 👌

Geat video thanks. I have been looking at the 965 and also feel more like a 955 PRO. Like you also said they could have waited a bit and add some of those new features to make it really a version bump. I have seen rumours of possibly a new version of the EPIC with a new OHRM. If they are true , wondering why they did not wait for it. Any way looks like the display and smaller bezel are a welcom feature.On the good side, using the same hardware as the 955 make iit benefit from all the bug fix already done.

Great review.... I am looking at this watch as an upgrade to the Vivoactive 4. I do use music and my running is now getting to the shorter ultra run stage! So longer battery life is really the issue but also love the maps and routes which would help in the trails. Does the watch stop and save an activity if you try to charge it while in activity mode? The V4 does that which is a little annoying to have to splice the runs together later.

Am really interested in the map feature on the 9 series but such a turn off for the unfriendly watch band changing..😆 Now I would really like this kind of cinematic video for 265 review too..🤩😅

Been thinking about getting this just recently, but I think I'm going to hold out till the new version comes out with some of the last possible QOL changes you mentioned.

I went from the FR 910XT to the FR 965, suffice to say I'm very happy with the 12 years of improvements! It even tracks open water butterfly correctly! 😄 (The FR 910XT was a really good watch though!)

That "RUN" on the 265 is what really drags down the looks of that watch compared to the previous gen or the 965. It would be fine if it was just engraved in the button, but its a bright neon color in nearly all 265 colorways.

Nice macro shots on the watch.

Hello, There is one thing which is crucial for me. In Venu 2 you can set up backlight to work during the activity with no limit. That option is not available in FR265 and FR965. So if you like to control the time of your exercises without moving your wrist or touching the watch it is more difficult in FR.

Great video Matt. I thinking is nice to have. Too bad no solar yet. With this screen

Love the video! Off topic question… what camera do you use to film these?

A solid video as always. I’ve been a 6pro user since 2021 and I’m looking to upgrade. I also hike but like the look / weight of the 965. I’m a day hiker and also do indoor cycling and running. The upcoming Epix pro 51 mm also looks intriguing but I know cost will be an issue.

Hi Matt. Last time I commented here was on Grit X review. Nice video and effects. Can you provide some battery comparison between FR955 vs 965 with display turned on on gesture...with your usual activites. What is the difference in days for your normal usage, if you haven't used it only with always on display? BTW, FR265 button...after all it is ForeRUNner series:)

Good Lord this is an amazingly well made video 😮 I have been using mine for over a month now coming from an Epix 2 and I have to say it is light and less bulky but with 1 hour GPS activity per day and gesture mode I get around 4-5 days… not impressed with the quality either, the button feel changes from stuck to loose all the time and makes me really worried about how long it will last…

Hi .. nice review 👍 Just quick question.. Can we have 7 days training load on the watchface ? I get used to have it ;)

So beautiful video. I got my 965 yesterday, and mine is not as fast as the one on the video at all. Especially with maps... it takes up to 7 sec to load a new map area after zooming/panning😢

Hi Matt you make some of the amazing videos. Would your recommend sticking with an AW or getting a 965. I am on the fence on getting a 965. I really like the performance metrics that garmin gives that i cannot find in the AW. Please let me know your thoughts. If I was stick with the AW what Apps would you recommend or just get the Garmin ;-)

I plan to get a 965 myself, but a hi-res and bigger MIP screen on the 955 would have been more than enough of an upgrade

Upgrading from a 255 to the 965 to get a touch screen. My other watch is an Apple Watch Ultra. I use the Ultra when I want the cellular function.

My Garmin Forerunner 210 band snapped in the cold while in my gym bag and in my car a couple of days ago. Had it 10 years so I figure it's time to retire it. My work's union gives me 20% off Garmin and I have a wellness account for another $100 plus some bday money which will help with this expensive watch. Otherwise I would have looked at something cheaper. I have a Venu which I think I can sell for $50 and then make the 965 my run/everyday watch. I've checked out a lot of reviews and I've only heard great things about it, so I'm really looking forward to getting it! I gotta say if I had just bought the 955 I would not be happy as the 965 looks much nicer for a bit more $.

Decided on the 955 because I’m in direct sunlight a lot. I don’t like the gesture mode either. It’s a choice and I’m used to my 935. Just needed newer tech for the mapping etc.

Im considering getting one of these when I'm ready for my next watch but I'm worried about banging it around, I'm always hitting my watch on something at work.

I just upgraded from the 945 to the 965. While I never minded MIP screen on the 945 and the older watches I've had, it would be very hard to go back to that type of screen after using the AMOLED screen on the 965.

My 945 has just broken so i've been looking at what watch to upgrade to the 955 or 965. This has been a great video! thanks for the insight although I'm not sure if it's helped me make a decision as they are both the same watch essentially but i am a sucker for getting the newest when i buy things.. XD i guess there is always the future proofing aspect if getting the 965 will last longer as far as software updates go..

I own this along with the epix(2). I agree the colors are a little oversaturated for me for regular use, but on runs it is really nice (especially if visually impaired)

Im getting my 965 tomorrow. Im pacing and crewing my friend at the moab 240 , so i need a watch with better battery life than the 245 that i have

I had a Garmin Forerunner back in 2004, 2005, 2006, and up until 2007 and then left Garmin for a while. I truly love wearing either my Garmin EPIX 2.0 or Fēnix 7X sapphire solar. Running with the EPIX 2.0 is excellent; however, it is not as "fun" to wear as the Garmin Venu 2 Plus. The animations on the Fēnix, EPIX, Enduro, Tactix, and several others, yeah, Garmin was lazy. I hope Garmin remembers the fun factor for their $1,299.00 wearables for future software updates in 2023. Nice review, Matt :)

I realy like my 965 😎

Considering the 965 as a lighter addition to my Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar. Is the 965 Ultra worthy? Is it worth the addition in your opinion? Thanks!

I have a question. I usually run outdoor, Swim indoor and bike indoor. I considering garmin 965 or instinct 2x. Which one u recomend? Thank u

Hi there! I also have a Garmin 245 and I’m thinking of changing for this 965. But I have a question that I think you can help: wile on hiking ou trail running can I see de elevation gain? When I start the watch can I see the elevation gain from zero on the screen? Or just in the final os the track when I connect to my phone? Thank you very much.

From all the Garmin watches .. which is the one that has the best gps accuracy? (Want to use it for cycling)

What would you choose between 955 and 965 for open water swimming? 🌊 Thanks you! 🙇‍♂️

Great video! With the drop in price on the fr955 @ 399, I’m struggling to choose it over the 965 which I can get for 489. But the slim and nicer screen seem like it might be worth it. I’m just now getting back into tris after a long 8 yr break but my vivo4 is dying and want an upgrade. So not sure what is the best option.

Are the bands quick release? If not what brand link quick release would you recommend ?

3:40 you are not alone 😂

Finally jumped back from polar to garmin for this watch. From Vantage v2 to the 965. Feels like a new generation of watch, I only wish the in built heart rate sensor was as good as the polar precision prime. Apart from that 👍

ordered a 965 today

I cycle over 8,000 miles per year and have been using my iwatch as my sport watch but the gps does not last long enough ( around 8 hours) on long bicycle rides and it does not have maps. So was looking to buy a Garmin Forerunner 965. I had afib but had an ablation a year ago and have not had any afib since then but it would have been nice if the 965 had the newer heart rate sensor and did ECG. Not sure if I should buy the 965 and take my old iwatch along to check for afib, buy a Garmin watch that has maps and does ECG or just buy the older Forerunner 955 for $200 less and upgrade it in a year or two with a nicer watch.

Yes I agree with your conclusion 965 is just 955 plus It do not have any difference function than previous version It better than previous version only look good but It do not have any new function better than before

The 965 looks stunning. I own an Apple Watch 7 and I really hesitate to go away from what I know since 2017. I found an amazing deal on a 955 solar that would save me over 300$ CAD but I still hesitate as the AMOLED display and few extra built-in features seems appealing. What are your thoughts? @Matt? Oh and great video by the way 👌🏻

Hi Matt, a lot of runners and triathletes are training and also pacing their races based on power now rate rather than pace min/mile. I guess it makes sense if you are running up and down hill what pace do you run up the hill if you want to average 5:00 mile pace and heart rate stays high when you back off so isn’t the best guide either. I was wondering how apple ultra, Stryd and Garmin compare if we want to do running intervals at a power level or pace a race at a power level. Hoping you can do a review on this. Please let me know if you have covered this already.

By the look of what’s on your wrist, please tell me we have a 2X review in the future!

I the Fenix 7 solar models. I will probably but the pro version

Nice review! Still a bug i am getting on my garmin forerunner 955... When I go cycling and watch the after report it shows altitude meters way more than i actually did when i compare it to my garmin cycling computer. Any advice or tips to get it fixed? For example garmin computer indicates 60m elevation and the watch shows it was 235m...

Is there a setting to stop the scroll of all the data screens during a run? Like why can’t you set it to stay on one data screen unless you want to tap left bottom or left middle button to see other screens?

Man you editing is off the wall. Wow.

ECG won't be happening with the 965/265 watches -- the extra electrical contact on the back of the watch to make it happen isn't there. 965 seems to me like a 955 2.0 release or even 945 3.0 rather than an all-new product.