As a lot because the Forerunner 265 appears to be like like a Venu because of its AMOLED facelift, it is nonetheless a watch rather more centered on critical sports activities instruments and battery life than on extra mainstream options like a mic and speaker. Still, it is a implausible watch, regardless of lacking some methods that Fitbit would give you — particularly for out of doors athletes that want skilled coaching steering.
ForCrushes Fitbit in battery lifeMuch extra correct GPS dataMore pixel-dense AMOLED displayBetter out of doors exercise guidanceAgainstMore expensiveFewer well being sensorsNo mic or speaker
So lengthy as you are comfy with spending cash on Premium, the Sense 2 has lots to supply anybody who desires a continuing, in-depth take a look at their private well being — in addition to loads of guided exercise applications to get into form. Despite being smarter than the Forerunner 265, the Sense 2 took a step again in smarts in comparison with its predecessor.
ForECG, cEDA, pores and skin temperature sensorsLighter, thinner designGoogle Maps and WalletVideo exercises and detailed well being reportsAgainstNo music storage or controlsRelatively quick battery lifeDependant upon Fitbit Premium
Athletes of all shapes and stripes have purchased loads of Garmin and Fitbit wearables during the last decade, however every revered model takes a really totally different strategy. Garmin sells cumbersome, costly watches with the promise that each one its software program will stay free indefinitely, with new watches’ options added later; you are paying upfront for high quality and assist. Fitbit sells cheaper watches and bands that lock most of their greatest options behind a paywall, however they monitor well being information that Garmin has but to supply.The Garmin Forerunner 265 is the perfect operating watch we have examined this 12 months, however the Fitbit Sense 2 sits additional down that very same record — and better on our different lists that put extra inventory in well being monitoring or good options. Each has its strengths and weaknesses, so let’s dive into these.Garmin Forerunner 265 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Design and specsWhy you’ll be able to belief Android Central
Our skilled reviewers spend hours testing and evaluating services so you’ll be able to select the perfect for you. Find out extra about how we check.(Image credit score: Android Central)Fitbit has adopted squircles as its design of selection with latest generations, and the Sense 2 is not any exception. Thinner than the unique Fitbit Sense, with the sorely-needed addition of a facet button to interchange the final gen’s terrible capacitive contact sensor, the Sense 2 is comfortably gentle, skinny, and decently fashionable with an aluminum end. Its 1.58-inch show offers you loads of area. The Garmin Forerunner 265 is available in two sizes (1.3- and 1.1-inch round shows), guaranteeing you’ll be able to choose one that most closely fits your wrist measurement. But whichever you select, you are getting a a lot thicker, much less smooth watch that appears cheaper because of its polymer supplies. Its measurement makes it much less comfy for, say, sleep monitoring; nonetheless, it is undoubtedly gentle sufficient to your sport of selection.Unlike the Forerunner 255 and most different Garmins, it makes use of a brilliant AMOLED show as an alternative of a dim, barely-readable memory-in-pixel show. MIPs had been designed to save lots of on battery life, however the Forerunner 265 and 265S nonetheless comfortably final 13 or 15 days — sure, the smaller mannequin lasts longer — regardless of the improve. Compared to the 6-day Sense 2, Garmin’s watch is considerably extra reliable for battery life.(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)That’s most clear relating to GPS-tracked exercises. Fitbit solely guarantees 5 hours of steady GPS on a full cost, that means a gradual marathoner could not rely on it lasting the complete race. The Forerunner 265 or 265S, in the meantime, will final 20 to 24 hours. Even with probably the most correct, battery-draining multi-band GPS monitoring and music streaming to wi-fi headphones, the Forerunner 265 nonetheless lasts a full 6 hours. On that very same word, regardless of Fitbit’s glorious well being monitoring instruments (which we’ll focus on within the subsequent part), enabling steady HRM, SpO2, and cEDA “will require more frequent charging” than each 6 days, Fitbit admits. That particularly applies to utilizing the mic and speaker for Bluetooth calls, an issue that the Forerunner 265 avoids by not having both. This is why, despite the fact that each the Forerunner 265 and Sense 2 are among the many greatest smartwatches to measure blood oxygen ranges, we ranked Garmin increased just because its battery can deal with the foremost energy drain that it entails.Swipe to scroll horizontallyCategoryGarmin Forerunner 265Fitbit Sense 2Launch worth$449$299 (+ optionally available subscription)Operating SystemGarmin OS; works with iOS/AndroidFitbit OS; works with iOS/AndroidStorage8GBN/ADisplay1.1-inch (360 x 360) or 1.3-inch (416 x 416) AMOLED1.58-inch AMOLED (336 x 336)ConnectivityBluetooth, Wi-Fi, ANT+, NFC, GPS, GLONASS, GALILEOBluetooth 5.0, NFC, GPS + GLONASS, Wi-Fi (disabled)Mic & speaker🚫✔️BatteryUp to 15 days; as much as 24 hours (GPS)Up to 6 days; as much as 5 hours (GPS)ChargingUSB-C (proprietary plug), about 2 hours to 100%USB (proprietary plug), about 2 hours to 100%SensorsAccelerometer, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, coronary heart price monitor, SpO2, thermometerECG, cEDA, pores and skin temperature, optical coronary heart price sensor, gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, altimeter, ambient gentle sensorProtection5ATM, Gorilla Glass 35ATM, Gorilla Glass 3Navigation5 buttons, touchscreen1 button, touchscreenMaterialsFiber-reinforced polymerAluminumColorsWhitestone, Black, Aqua, Light PinkGraphite, Platinum, Soft GoldBand measurement22mm or 18mm (quick-swap)ProprietaryMeasurements46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9mm; 41.7 x 41.7 x 12.9mm40.5 x 40.5 x 11.2mmWeight49g or 39g37.64gPivoting again to their design variations, despite the fact that each watches have a touchscreen, the Fitbit Sense 2 is rather more touch-dependent, with only one button in comparison with 5 on the Forerunner 265. You can maintain or double-tap the button for shortcuts to particular options, making it pretty versatile; however with out Garmin’s Up and Down buttons, you are caught swiping with sweaty fingers throughout exercises. That’s nearly all the time a recipe for frustration. Both watches have 5ATM water resistance, making them constructed for water sports activities. They even share the identical Gorilla Glass 3 show safety, although we want they used Gorilla Glass DX+ for the improved anti-reflective coating and scratch safety. Both watches have GPS monitoring, NFC for tap-to-pay, an accelerometer and gyroscope for exercise accuracy, an altimeter to correctly measure effort at excessive elevations, a vibration motor for notifications, and an ambient gentle sensor to regulate show brightness. Only the Forerunner 265 helps Wi-Fi downloads since Fitbit gave the Sense 2 and Versa 4 a Wi-Fi antenna however deactivated it for no obvious cause. Garmin additionally helps ANT+ health equipment like coronary heart price monitor straps, whereas Fitbits do not hook up with equipment and usually solely sync with different Fitbit tech. One different disappointment for potential Sense 2 consumers: it not helps music storage like the unique Sense, and even music playback controls — which practically each Fitbit earlier than 2022 supported. With Garmin, you’ll be able to set up your personal MP3 recordsdata or make playlists from Spotify, Deezer, or Amazon Music, with sufficient room for hundreds of songs (relying on the file measurement). Garmin Forerunner 265 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Health and sensors(Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)Since Fitbit dominates for well being monitoring, let’s begin with what Garmin does first. The Garmin Forerunner 265 measures your coronary heart price with its Elevate v4 HRM, which we have examined and located to be extremely correct throughout a number of critiques of the perfect Garmin watches. In addition to excessive and low coronary heart price warnings, the Forerunner 265 can measure coronary heart price variance (HRV), which it makes use of to detect stress and measure the standard of your restoration. Unfortunately, Garmin does not but provide passive irregular heartbeat rhythm warnings, aka AFib detection. It introduced the ECG app to the Venu 2 Plus, however no different fashions as of but. So anybody involved about coronary heart well being might wish to think about the Sense 2 for now, because it has each passive and lively AFib checks. On the flip facet, go together with Garmin if you wish to hold shut monitor of your blood oxygen ranges. Fitbit measures it passively throughout sleep however nonetheless gives no strategy to take a spot examine. Garmin can measure repeatedly all day or solely throughout sleep monitoring in the event you desire, in addition to take a spot examine.(Image credit score: Android Central)Focusing on Fitbit’s exclusives, the Sense 2 gives steady stress detection via the electrodermal exercise (cEDA) sensor, along with coronary heart price variability. The pores and skin temperature sensor measures variability in your physique warmth, which may point out sickness, modifications in your ovulation cycle, or just that you simply’re too heat or chilly when making an attempt to sleep. (Don’t get confused by the Forerunner 265 having a “thermometer,” as this performs backend duties and does not really measure your pores and skin or environment.)Our Fitbit Sense 2 reviewer was principally happy with the center price accuracy and detailed sleep rating information on the watch. The primary downside, in fact, is that with out Fitbit Premium, you will not see your sleep rating, pores and skin temperature rating, stress administration rating, wellness report, and different information that particularly comes from all of Fitbit’s unique sensors.So as soon as your free six-month trial ends, you will need to pay to profit from it. Otherwise, as an alternative of health-trend studies that take the final 90 days into consideration, you will simply see the final seven days of well being information, absent any context. Garmin Forerunner 265 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Fitness options and appsBoth the Fitbit Sense 2 and Garmin Forerunner 265 will use your well being, HRV, and sleep information to guage how a lot vitality you’ve gotten firstly of the day. Garmin calls it Body Battery; Fitbit calls it Daily Readiness Score. The key distinction is that Garmin’s metric is not behind a paywall.Garmin now has a extra superior metric referred to as Training Readiness that judges extra than simply your vitality stage; it takes that information and provides your present fatigue stage from exercises to find out in case your physique can really deal with a exercise proper now, even in the event you’re “energized.” In different phrases, it is turn into extra according to what Fitbit provided with its Daily Readiness information.With Fitbit, it will suggest that you simply hit a sure variety of Active Zone Minutes at a sure depth, although it will be self-guided; with Garmin, you will get a extra particular “daily suggested workout” telling you the way lengthy to work out and at what tempo, and you may have the watch present a goal vary throughout the exercise and buzz warnings at you in the event you go too quick or gradual. (Image credit score: Michael Hicks / Android Central)With Fitbit Premium, you get entry to over 200 indoor exercises from companions like Les Mills, Cyclebar, and Pop Sugar, in addition to over 200 mindfulness periods. Your exercises will be tailor-made to deal with higher/decrease physique or whole physique, with particular focuses like “Abs and Core,” “No equipment needed,” “Dance Cardio,” “Under 15 Minutes,” and so forth. In most circumstances, they’re video or audio-guided and have excessive manufacturing worth.Garmin has self-guided exercise collections or the choice to make your personal customized exercises, with hundreds of train varieties to select from. For instance, you’ll be able to choose a exercise like “10-minute body weight AMRAP” with push-ups, burpees, squats, leaping jacks, and mountain climbers; begin the exercise in your Forerunner 265, and the built-in sensors will monitor once you’ve accomplished the required quantity for every earlier than shifting on to the subsequent. You also can see animated GIFs (just like the one above) exhibiting the best way to do an train in the event you aren’t positive. Garmin’s choice is beneficial for cross-training, however no alternative for what you get from Fitbit Premium or different choices like Apple Fitness+. But contemplating you are not paying for it, that is a good trade-off. (Image credit score: Android Central)Fitbit clearly has a robust deal with at-home, indoor exercises. For particular athletic varieties like operating, biking, or swimming, it will measure your readiness primarily based on previous coaching load, however not essentially information you on what sort of tempo to set to hit the fitting depth. Garmin’s software program is considerably extra superior on this entrance. During a run, PacePro can inform you in the event you’re hitting the fitting tempo to hit a PR or race aim. After a run, you will see the Training Effect exhibiting how your tempo impacted your health when it comes to cardio and anaerobic load, and a selected beneficial restoration time. You even have Garmin Coach-generated exercises, or the choice to regulate beneficial exercises by placing an upcoming race in your calendar so you do not over- or undertrain. Plus, the Garmin Forerunner 265 is probably probably the most correct smartwatch we have examined for GPS monitoring, because of its multi-band and all-systems GNSS choices. Meanwhile, our Fitbit Sense 2 reviewer discovered that its monitoring was off by 0.15 miles after a two-mile stroll, with its GPS-only information falling in need of what we might anticipated.In phrases of security options, Garmin has LiveMonitor to let family and friends see your present location in the event you resolve to go biking or mountaineering in a distant location. And Incident Detection will warn emergency contacts in the event you seem to have taken a fall. Fitbit gives neither of those, even though Google’s Pixel Watch does not less than have fall detection. (Image credit score: Andrew Myrick / Android Central)Fitbit does profit from Google’s 2020 acquisition, in that the Sense 2 has entry to Google Maps and Google Wallet. Unfortunately, Garmin reserved mapping instruments like Strava Live Segments and topographical maps for the expensive Forerunner 965, leaving the 265 behind; it solely has a rudimentary compass-based map that helps information you again to your exercise’s place to begin. Google Maps is not actually constructed for exercises as a lot as informal instructions, although, and Garmin Pay does fulfill the identical perform as Wallet. Fitbit used to supply extra third-party apps, however that is one other function in the reduction of with this era, making the Sense 2 much less distinct. The Fitbit Sense 2 is extra of a correct way of life watch as a result of it has a mic and speaker for each on-wrist Bluetooth calls and chatting with your voice assistant. Sadly, Google Assistant is not accessible prefer it was on the unique Sense — fairly ironic, contemplating Google owns Fitbit. You’ll have to stay to Alexa. Still, that is yet one more assistant than the Forerunner 265 has.Garmin Forerunner 265 vs. Fitbit Sense 2: Which do you have to purchase?The Fitbit Sense 2 prices $150 much less upfront than the Garmin Forerunner 265. Once its 6-month free Premium trial ends, you will need to spend $80 or $120 per 12 months (relying on in the event you pay yearly or month-to-month), so the hole between the 2 watches is not as stark as you would possibly assume. Fitbit has the sting when it comes to a extra comfy, thinner design, however Garmin used its further area for a a lot better battery and satellites. Fitbit will inform you extra about your physique’s present well being, however Garmin has extra software program instruments to assist athletes get more healthy, particularly runners and cyclists. Generally talking, the Sense 2 is a wiser watch, however you will want the Pixel Watch in order for you each Fitbit well being information and correct cellphone integration; the Garmin Forerunner 265 focuses on what it is good at (health) as an alternative. Whichever you select, you are getting probably the greatest health smartwatches on the market. So simply deal with whichever watch is a greater match to your well being or health priorities.
Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 in order for you a long-lasting watch that can information you thru your rigorous out of doors exercises with out an additional payment. Skip it in order for you a extra comfy, smarter watch just like the Sense 2.
Choose the Fitbit Sense 2 for a classy AMOLED show, and well being information that’ll warn you if something is off together with your physique. Don’t purchase the Sense 2 in the event you’re sick of subscriptions otherwise you want one thing smarter like a Wear OS watch or Apple Watch.