The Garmin Forerunner 255 is the sensible running-watch sweet spot, while the Garmin Forerunner 265 suits runners who want a more polished everyday screen. The Garmin Forerunner 245 now makes sense mainly when you find it at a lower entry cost. Your deciding factor is whether the 265’s AMOLED touchscreen justifies its different battery trade-off.
On this page
This page takes you from the quick verdict through the differences you will notice while running, recovering and wearing the watch every day.
- The short version
- Garmin Forerunner 245 vs 255 vs 265 specifications compared
- Display and controls
- Garmin Forerunner 255 vs 265: battery life
- Training readiness and recovery
- Garmin Forerunner 245 vs 255: GPS accuracy
- Music storage
- Which Garmin Forerunner is easiest to wear all day?
- Multisport activities and elevation
- Health and overnight tracking
- Smart features and connectivity
- Water resistance and durability
- Price and value
- Where Garmin Forerunner 255 is better
- Where Garmin Forerunner 265 is better
- Who should choose which
- Frequently asked questions
The short version
The Forerunner 255 offers the strongest balance of running tools, GPS battery life and value, but the screen can make the Forerunner 265 more enjoyable whenever you look at your wrist.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 255 for value: it combines multi-band GPS, multisport recording and the longest quoted GPS battery life here without making you pay for an AMOLED touchscreen.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 for its screen and recovery guidance: its AMOLED touchscreen, Training Readiness and included music storage create a more polished watch for training and daily wear.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 245 only at the right price: it remains the smallest and lightest option, but it lacks the newer watches’ multi-band GPS, barometric altimeter and multisport activities.
- Battery priorities change the answer: the Forerunner 255 reaches up to 30 hours in GPS use, compared with up to 20 hours for the Forerunner 265 and up to 24 hours for the Forerunner 245.
- Price needs context: at the time of writing, the Garmin Forerunner 245 was £299.99, the Garmin Forerunner 255 was £299.99 and the Garmin Forerunner 265 was £369.99. At those listings, the Forerunner 245 does not offer a compelling saving.
Garmin Forerunner 245 vs 255 vs 265 specifications compared
The specification pattern is clear: the Forerunner 255 prioritises running value and GPS endurance, while the Forerunner 265 exchanges some GPS battery life for an AMOLED touchscreen, Training Readiness and included music storage.
| Specification | Garmin Forerunner 245 | Garmin Forerunner 255 | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display and controls | Sunlight-visible, transflective MIP; buttons | Sunlight-visible, transflective MIP; buttons | AMOLED; touchscreen, buttons |
| GPS battery life | Up to 24 hours | Up to 30 hours | Up to 20 hours |
| Training Readiness | No | No | Yes |
| GPS accuracy technology | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | Multi-band GPS | Multi-band GPS |
| Music storage | None | None | 8 GB |
| Case size and weight | 42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 mm; 38.5 g | 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm; 49 g | 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm; 47 g |
| Price | £199.99 | £299.99 | £369.99 |
| Multisport activities | No | Yes | Yes |
| Barometric altimeter | No | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Pay | No | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth® 4.2, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi® |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 260 x 260 pixels | 416 x 416 pixels |
| Display size | 1.2-inch (30.4 mm) diameter | 1.3-inch (33 mm) diameter | 1.3-inch (32.5 mm) |
| Smartwatch battery life | Up to 7 days | Up to 14 days | Up to 13 days |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |
| Lens material | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 | Corning® Gorilla® Glass 3 |
| Colour display | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist-based heart rate | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | Yes; spot-check and optional sleep use | Yes; spot-check, optional all-day and sleep use | Yes; spot-check, optional all-day and sleep use |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes | Yes |
The deciding trade is simple: the Forerunner 255 gives you a button-led, always-readable running display and longer GPS battery life, while the Forerunner 265 gives you the richer AMOLED touchscreen experience.
Display and controls
The Forerunner 265 has the most polished everyday display, while the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 245 favour practical button operation and transflective screens.
The difference is more meaningful than resolution alone suggests. Garmin’s transflective MIP displays use available light to remain easy to read outdoors, so the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 245 feel purpose-built when you glance down in bright conditions. Their physical buttons also give each action a clear response when your hands are sweaty or you are wearing gloves.
The Forerunner 265 combines its AMOLED panel with both touchscreen and button controls. Maps, menus and health information look richer, and swiping through daily data feels closer to using a modern smartwatch. You do not lose the familiar buttons, which matters once a workout starts and precise control becomes more useful than tapping the display.
The Forerunner 265 also has the highest display resolution in the comparison. Text and graphics consequently look sharper at close range, but this does not make the Forerunner 255 difficult to read while running. Its lower-resolution display is still well suited to large pace, heart-rate and distance fields.
On your wrist, you would notice the Forerunner 265 whenever you check notifications or health data indoors; during a sunny run, the Forerunner 255’s simpler display and buttons can feel more direct.
Garmin Forerunner 255 vs 265: battery life
The Forerunner 255 is the stronger battery choice for GPS-heavy training, while the Forerunner 265 stays close in smartwatch use despite powering its AMOLED screen.
Garmin quotes the Forerunner 255 at up to 30 hours of GPS battery life. The Forerunner 265 reaches up to 20 hours, so runners preparing for long events or recording extended outdoor sessions gain more headroom from the cheaper, display-led-for-running model. The Forerunner 245 sits between them at up to 24 hours, but battery life alone does not cancel out its older GPS technology and narrower training support.
Daily use tells a slightly different story. The Forerunner 255 is rated for up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, while the Forerunner 265 reaches up to 13 days. The Forerunner 245 is rated for up to 7 days. If you wear your watch through the night, the newer pair gives you more room to track sleep without charging becoming as frequent a consideration.
This is the clearest reason not to assume the more expensive display model wins everywhere. The Forerunner 265 is designed to make every glance more attractive; the Forerunner 255 keeps more battery in reserve for GPS recording.
What you would feel in practice is confidence before a long run: the Forerunner 255 gives you the widest GPS margin, whereas the Forerunner 265 asks you to trade some of that margin for its screen.
Training readiness and recovery
The Forerunner 265 is the better recovery companion because it includes Training Readiness, which the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 245 do not have.
This matters most if you train several times a week and want the watch to help frame a simple question: does today look suitable for a hard session, or would an easier day make more sense? The Forerunner 265 brings that guidance closer to the surface, fitting its role as the more rounded training-and-everyday watch.
The absence of Training Readiness does not prevent the Forerunner 255 from being an excellent running tool. Its appeal is more focused. It records with newer GPS technology, supports multisport activities and gives you longer quoted GPS battery life, but it leaves more of the final recovery judgement to you.
The Forerunner 245 remains useful for core run and health recording. If you already own one, however, recovery guidance is among the upgrades you are more likely to appreciate on the Forerunner 265 than on the Forerunner 255.
Day to day, the Forerunner 265 gives you more context before training; the Forerunner 255 gives you the essentials without that extra readiness layer.
Garmin Forerunner 245 vs 255: GPS accuracy
The Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265 have the GPS advantage because both support multi-band GPS, whereas the Forerunner 245 uses GPS with GLONASS and Galileo.
Multi-band reception is most useful where satellite signals are harder for a watch to interpret cleanly. Think city streets bordered by tall buildings, wooded paths or routes with repeated corners. The practical benefit is a track that is better equipped to follow where you actually ran rather than smoothing or shifting awkward sections.
That does not mean every open-road run will look dramatically different. If you train under a clear sky on broad, uncomplicated routes, the Forerunner 245 can still cover the basics. The upgrade becomes easier to justify when you regularly run in difficult surroundings, use instantaneous pace to guide sessions or care about cleaner route traces after training.
There is no GPS-accuracy reason to move from the Forerunner 255 to the Forerunner 265 based on the supplied technology: both use multi-band GPS. That keeps the comparison tied to the real thesis. Between those watches, you are mainly deciding on the screen, Training Readiness and music rather than buying the Forerunner 265 for a superior GPS label.
On a challenging route, you would notice the bigger generational step when moving from the Forerunner 245 to either newer watch, not when moving from the Forerunner 255 to the Forerunner 265.
Music storage
The standard Forerunner 265 is the straightforward choice for phone-free listening because it includes 8 GB of music storage.
That storage lets the Forerunner 265 serve runners who want music available from the watch without selecting a separate music edition. It also has Wi-Fi connectivity, fitting its more complete everyday feature set. Pair it with Bluetooth headphones and you can leave your phone behind when the purpose of the run is to switch off.
The standard Forerunner 255 in this comparison has no music storage. Garmin does offer a Forerunner 255 Music variant, and that is the model to consider if you want the Forerunner 255’s display and battery priorities alongside downloaded music. If you always carry your phone, the standard version keeps the same core training appeal without paying for a feature you may not use.
The listed Forerunner 245 also has no onboard storage in this comparison. That makes the Forerunner 265’s inclusion particularly convenient if music is part of every run and you do not want to check edition names before buying.
In ordinary use, this difference is binary: the Forerunner 265 can replace your phone for stored workout audio, while these standard Forerunner 245 and Forerunner 255 listings cannot.
Which Garmin Forerunner is easiest to wear all day?
The Forerunner 245 is the easiest fit for a small wrist, while the Forerunner 265 is slightly lighter than the similarly sized Forerunner 255.
At 42.3 x 42.3 x 12.2 mm and 38.5 g, the Forerunner 245 is visibly the smallest and lightest watch here. It is less likely to feel prominent under a sleeve, and its lower mass can be welcome when you wear it through sweaty training and overnight. That remains a genuine reason to keep it if your current watch already fits beautifully.
The Forerunner 255 measures 45.6 x 45.6 x 12.9 mm and weighs 49 g. The Forerunner 265 measures 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm and weighs 47 g. Their thickness is the same, but the Forerunner 265 spreads its display-led design across a slightly wider case while carrying slightly less weight.
The strap changes comfort as much as the small case difference. Our catalogue fitment data shows that Garmin Forerunner 245 straps use a 20mm quick-release fitting. Garmin Forerunner 255 straps and Garmin Forerunner 265 straps both use 22mm quick-release fittings.
For each watch, our catalogue includes silicone, nylon, leather, milanese and metal straps. Silicone is a practical match for sweat and regular rinsing, while nylon can soften the all-day feel and offers fine adjustment. Leather, milanese and metal make more sense when you want a running watch to look less sporty away from training.
If case size is your first concern, our guide to choosing a Garmin for small wrists gives the wider buying context.
What you would notice by bedtime is that the Forerunner 245 disappears most easily on a smaller wrist; between the newer pair, strap choice is likely to matter more than their modest weight difference.
Multisport activities and elevation
The Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265 are better choices for varied endurance training because both support multisport activities and include a barometric altimeter.
Multisport support makes the newer watches suitable when running is only part of your training. You can record linked disciplines without treating every stage as an unrelated workout, which is particularly useful for triathlon preparation and events.
The barometric altimeter also gives the newer pair a more useful hardware base for elevation-focused activity. If your routes regularly climb and descend, that matters more than it will to someone who runs flat roads and mainly reviews pace and heart rate.
The Forerunner 245 has neither multisport activities nor a barometric altimeter in the supplied specification. It remains attractive for straightforward running, but its limitations become clearer as your training broadens. This is a real upgrade from the Forerunner 245 to the Forerunner 255; moving onwards to the Forerunner 265 does not add a distinction in these two areas.
During a mixed training week, the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265 adapt to more types of session, while the Forerunner 245 feels most at home when running remains the clear priority.
Health and overnight tracking
All three watches cover wrist-based heart rate and Pulse Ox, but the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265 offer broader optional Pulse Ox use.
The Forerunner 245 supports Pulse Ox spot-checks and optional use during sleep. The Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265 support spot-checks plus optional all-day and sleep use. Every model also has an accelerometer and wrist-based heart-rate monitoring, so none is reduced to run tracking alone.
Fit is central here. A watch that shifts during training or irritates you overnight cannot gather the consistent wrist data you bought it for. The smaller Forerunner 245 may therefore remain the best physical match for a particularly small wrist, even though the Forerunner 265 provides the more developed recovery experience through Training Readiness.
If you are upgrading specifically for day-to-day health tracking, the Forerunner 265 makes the largest experiential difference. Its AMOLED display presents information more attractively, and its readiness feature makes overnight wear feel more connected to the next day’s training decision. The Forerunner 255 records the core signals without turning the screen into the centre of the experience.
After a night’s wear, the Forerunner 265 gives the keenest trainer more actionable context, but the most comfortable case-and-strap combination remains the one you are most likely to keep on.
Smart features and connectivity
The Forerunner 265 has the fullest smartwatch package, while the Forerunner 255 covers the practical essentials without Wi-Fi or a touchscreen.
Both newer watches support Garmin Pay, giving them a daily convenience the Forerunner 245 lacks. That can be useful when you finish a run without carrying your wallet. The Forerunner 255 connects through Bluetooth and ANT+, while the Forerunner 265 adds Wi-Fi to Bluetooth and ANT+.
The Forerunner 245 uses Bluetooth 4.2 and ANT+. It remains able to occupy the familiar connected-running-watch role, but the specification is less complete if payments, downloaded music and a richer interface are part of what you now expect from something worn all day.
This section brings the central trade back into focus. The Forerunner 255 is not trying to be the most luxurious screen on your wrist. It delivers the running-focused upgrades that matter most over the Forerunner 245. The Forerunner 265 builds a more polished life around those training foundations.
Away from exercise, the Forerunner 265 feels the most like an everyday smartwatch; the Forerunner 255 remains deliberately functional, and the Forerunner 245 keeps things simpler still.
Water resistance and durability
Durability is not a deciding difference because all three watches have a 5 ATM water rating and Corning Gorilla Glass 3 lenses.
Each is therefore built around the same stated water rating and lens material. All three also use colour displays. If your choice is between the Forerunner 255 and Forerunner 265, there is no established specification here that should pull you away from the display-and-battery decision.
Your strap material is the more changeable part of the setup. A sweat-friendly strap for training can be swapped for leather, milanese or metal when appearance matters more, provided you choose the correct quick-release width for the watch. That flexibility helps each model move between running, commuting and ordinary daily wear without changing the watch itself.
In use, you should choose between these models for fit, screen, GPS endurance and training tools rather than expecting one to have a higher stated water rating or different lens material.
Price and value
The Forerunner 255 is the best-value choice at the supplied listings, while the Forerunner 245 needs a meaningful discount to justify its narrower feature set. The 245 mostly only is available on the second hand market, but this also means the price is mostly lower, starting around £199,99.
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is listed at £299.99. When those two watches cost the same, the Forerunner 255 is the easy recommendation unless the Forerunner 245’s smaller, lighter case is essential for your wrist.
The Garmin Forerunner 265 was listed at £369.99 at the time of writing. Its premium buys the AMOLED touchscreen, Training Readiness, Wi-Fi and 8 GB of music storage. It does not buy longer quoted GPS battery life or more advanced GPS technology than the Forerunner 255.
That makes the screen the honest value test. If you enjoy a bright, sharp display every time you check your watch, the Forerunner 265’s advantages extend far beyond the running session. If you see the display mainly as a way to read pace and control workouts, the Forerunner 255 spends your money more effectively.
The Forerunner 245 becomes sensible when a lower real-world entry cost outweighs multi-band GPS, multisport recording, the altimeter and newer daily conveniences. At equal pricing, it does not.
Where Garmin Forerunner 255 is better
The Garmin Forerunner 255 is better where GPS endurance, button-led operation and overall running value matter most.
- GPS battery: up to 30 hours, ahead of the Forerunner 265’s up to 20 hours.
- Outdoor-first display: sunlight-visible transflective MIP without relying on touch input.
- Running value: multi-band GPS, multisport activities and a barometric altimeter without paying for AMOLED.
- Smartwatch battery: up to 14 days, compared with up to 13 days for the Forerunner 265.
- Physical control: a button-led interface for runners who prefer unambiguous input during hard or wet sessions.
Where Garmin Forerunner 265 is better
The Garmin Forerunner 265 is better where screen quality, recovery guidance, included music and daily smartwatch polish matter most.
- Display: a 416 x 416-pixel AMOLED panel with touchscreen and button control.
- Training guidance: Training Readiness is included.
- Music: 8 GB of onboard storage in the standard watch.
- Connectivity: Wi-Fi joins Bluetooth and ANT+.
- Everyday experience: health information, notifications and menus look richer on the AMOLED display.
- Weight against size: 47 g despite its 46.1 x 46.1 x 12.9 mm case.
Who should choose which
The right choice depends on whether you value maximum running practicality, a richer everyday screen or the smallest possible case at a genuinely lower price.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 245 if you find it substantially cheaper, have a smaller wrist and mainly need straightforward running and health tracking.
- Keep your Garmin Forerunner 245 if its fit already works perfectly and you do not need multi-band GPS, multisport activities, a barometric altimeter or Training Readiness.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 255 if you run regularly, prefer physical controls and a sunlight-visible display, or want the longest quoted GPS battery life in this comparison.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 255 if you want multi-band GPS and multisport support but do not care about a touchscreen, included music storage or Training Readiness.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 if you wear your watch all day and want an AMOLED touchscreen that looks more polished indoors as well as during training.
- Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 if you want Training Readiness or phone-free music without selecting a separate Music edition.
Our final call: the Forerunner 255 is the sensible runner’s default; choose the Forerunner 265 when its AMOLED experience will improve every day, and consider the Forerunner 245 only when price or smaller-wrist comfort changes the calculation.
Frequently asked questions
Can the Garmin Forerunner 265 touchscreen be disabled for running in rain?
Short answer: Yes. You can disable touchscreen controls on the Garmin Forerunner 265, so you can rely on the buttons when rain or wet sleeves could trigger the screen.
Do the Garmin Forerunner 255 and Garmin Forerunner 265 have offline maps?
Short answer: No. Neither the Garmin Forerunner 255 nor Garmin Forerunner 265 has built-in offline mapping, so choose a model with built-in mapping if detailed maps on the watch are essential.
Do the Garmin Forerunner 255 and Garmin Forerunner 265 work with iPhone as well as Android?
Short answer: They work with both iPhone and Android through Garmin Connect, but the experience is not identical. Android users can send quick text replies from the watch, while that feature is not available with iPhone.
Can a Garmin Forerunner 245 gain the newer training features through software updates?
Short answer: It can gain selected features through updates, and Garmin added limited Daily Suggested Workouts for running to the Forerunner 245. It does not gain every newer feature, including Training Readiness on the Garmin Forerunner 265.
Does always-on display noticeably change Garmin Forerunner 265 battery life?
Short answer: Yes. Garmin rates the Forerunner 265 at up to 13 days in smartwatch mode with its default display settings and up to 5 days with the display always on.
