Between Samsung's big Galaxy S24 series announcement and the global launch of the OnePlus 12 and 12R, it's safe to say we've had some pretty eventful first few weeks of 2024 in the mobile industry, and that's before you also consider Motorola's multiple new additions to the budget-friendly Moto G handset family.
At the same time, things have been rather quiet on the smartwatch scene, with the always prolific Garmin, for instance, unveiling a single niche model at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas last month. But the company is reportedly planning to release another decidedly feature-packed wearable device soon, and this one will go out to a significantly wider audience.
As the name suggests, this bad boy is set to take its place below the existing Forerunner 265 on Garmin's totem pole, providing a low-cost alternative to the likes of the Apple Watch Series 9 and Samsung Galaxy Watch 6. For the time being, however, it's not entirely clear how the 165 will differ from the 265, as several of the latter's health sensors are expected to be borrowed by the former.
We're talking important life-altering and potentially even life-saving stuff like blood oxygen monitoring, heart rate variability, VO2 Max tracking, Running Dynamics technology, and even nap detection adding to your everyday (or rather every-night) sleep monitoring functionality.
Granted, there's no word on cutting-edge ECG technology integration or optional 4G LTE support, but all the tools listed above and others like a barometric altimeter and of course standalone GPS connectivity should be enough to justify a purchase for many cash-strapped outdoor fans, adventurers, and general fitness fanatics.
The best quality/price ratio on the market?
Rumored to set you back €279 on the old continent in a "standard" edition and €329 with built-in music storage, the Garmin Forerunner 165 has to cut some corners compared to the €500 Forerunner 265. It's just that these compromises are not very obvious in the leaked images above and below, which is of course extremely good news for prospective buyers of Garmin's next budget smartwatch.
The AMOLED display is expected to sit smack-dab between the 1.1 and 1.3-inch touchscreens on the Forerunner 265S and Forerunner 265 respectively with a fairly generous 1.2-inch diagonal of its own and more than respectable 390 x 390 pixel resolution, the five physical buttons on the two sides of the upcoming smartwatch look decidedly familiar, and the bezel thickness is not bad either.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is further tipped to measure 11.6mm in overall thickness, which would actually make it slimmer than its two aforementioned pricier cousins, causing in turn a slight downgrade in battery life to "just" 11 days.
That's still a lot longer than what any of the best smartwatches out there from Apple and Samsung can offer in the endurance department between charges, making us very intrigued indeed by what Garmin is working on here.
If the aforementioned European price points pan out, by the way, there's a good chance the Forerunner 165 will cost $229 or $249 in the US in an entry-level model, which could make this a pretty much unbeatable value proposition today. Stay tuned for an official announcement in the very near future.
Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.
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