For runners and athletes looking for an advanced GPS watch, Garmin‘s popular Forerunner line provides excellent options to track workouts, analyze performance, and improve over time. The Forerunner 245, 255, and 265 models sit at the core of the lineup, each bringing an appealing balance of features, price, and long-term viability. But with slight differences across the watches, it can be tricky to determine which is the best pick for your needs.
This in-depth guide compares the key specs and capabilities of the Forerunner 245 vs 255 vs 265. I’ll cover all the details on design, sensors, battery life, connectivity, training features, and smartwatch functions. By the end, you’ll know exactly which model fits your budget, sport interests, and performance tracking needs among these feature-packed GPS watches.
At a Glance Comparison
Before jumping into the details, here is a high-level overview of how the Forerunner 245, 255, and 265 compare across some key metrics:
Forerunner 245:
- Price: $250-350
- Battery Life: Up to 24 hours GPS
- Display Size: 1.2" diameter
- Touchscreen: No
- Onboard Music: No
- Pulse Ox Sensor: No
Forerunner 255:
- Price: $350-500
- Battery Life: Up to 14 hours GPS with music
- Display Size: 1.3” diameter
- Touchscreen: Yes
- Onboard Music: Yes
- Pulse Ox Sensor: Yes
Forerunner 265:
- Price: $500+
- Battery Life: Up to 30 hours GPS
- Display Size: 1.3” diameter
- Touchscreen: No
- Onboard Music: Yes
- Pulse Ox Sensor: Yes
The 245 nails the budget-friendly basics for new runners. The 265 justifies its higher price with top-end specs useful for data-hungry triathletes. And the 255 hits that sweet spot in between with extra features over the 245 while keeping costs lower than the premium 265.
But the comparison runs deeper than that high-level look. So let’s break things down category by category.
Design and Display
On the surface, all three watches share a similar circular design and button control layout typical of Forerunners. The 245 and 265 opt for five physical buttons with no touchscreen functionality. While the 255 adds a color touchscreen to enable finger-based navigation, in addition to the buttons.
Size and Weight
The 245 is slightly thicker at 13.3mm vs the 255’s 12.2mm depth. But all three share near-identical face diameters between 1.2 and 1.3 inches across. Weight is also similar in the 40 to 50 gram range. Unless you’re comparing side by side, the watches are hard to distinguish on size alone when strapped to your wrist.
Display Resolution
Display resolution marks a noticeable difference, though. The 245’s display sits at 240 x 240 pixels – functional but lacking vivid detail and clarity. The 255 boosts this to a 260 x 260 pixel display, while the 265 maxes out at 280 x 280 pixels with the brightest backlight of the group.
For gauging metrics during activities or small text on watch faces, those extra pixels make reading the 255 and 265 screens much easier. The 265’s screen particularly stands out as the best of the bunch.
Touchscreen vs Buttons
As mentioned above, the 255 diverges as the only touchscreen option. This allows smooth and intuitive finger-based navigation. You can still operate the watch entirely through its buttons if preferred. But having both touch and buttons provides helpful flexibility.
The 245 and 265 rely solely on their five physical buttons for getting around. For most runners fine with button-based control, this won’t pose any limitations. And avoiding a touchscreen helps save battery life. But those who want maximum interface flexibility will favor the dual input options on the 255.
Activity Tracking and Sensors
Now we’re getting into the real meat differentiating these GPS watch options – the sensors and activity profiles for tracking workouts.
All three watches cover the standard running, biking, swimming, and gym activity profiles most athletes expect. Each also includes wrist-based heart rate monitoring and built-in GPS for pace, distance and route mapping minus any need to bring a phone.
But a few key capabilities set them apart:
Pulse Ox Sensor – Both the 255 and 265 include Garmin’s pulse ox (SpO2) sensor to monitor blood oxygen levels during sleep or on-demand spot checks. Low SpO2 may indicate health issues or poor recovery and acclimation at high altitude. For mountain athletes or those training hard, having this metric can prove useful.
Multisport Activity Profiles – The mid-tier 255 gains specialty activity profiles for open water swimming, pool swimming, track running, trail running, skiing, stand up paddleboarding, and more. The 245 and 265 miss out on some of these less common profiles.
Triathlon Activity Mode – For triathletes, only the 265 includes Garmin’s dedicated triathlon activity mode. This shines by transitioning between swim, bike, and run tracking automatically as you progress through a race. The 245 and 255 curiously lack this sought-after multisport mode.
Safety Features – Both the 255 and 265 build in incident detection to sense falls or crashes then automatically send your live location out to emergency contacts – nice peace of mind for solo athletes and adventurers.
Overall, the 265 comes out ahead in sensors and specialty activity modes like triathlon tracking. The 255 sits just behind it with extras over the more run-focused 245. Unless you need pulse ox data or a tri mode, the 255 likely provides enough profiles for most.
Battery Life
Expected battery life is always top of mind for GPS watches. And Garmin’s estimates indicate noticeable differences here:
- Forerunner 245: 24 hours GPS, 7 days smartwatch
- Forerunner 255: 14 hours GPS w/ music, 6 days smartwatch
- Forerunner 265: 30 hours GPS w/ music, 20 days smartwatch
The 265 is the definite long distance champ with an impressive 30 hours of GPS runtime. In smartwatch mode it also last weeks before needing a charge. Those jumps owe credit to the 265 lacking a touchscreen and likely having a larger battery capacity.
At the other end, the 255 takes a battery hit from powering its touch display. 14 hours falls on the lower side but remains realistic for training blocks and races under a marathon.
And the 245 lands squarely in the middle with its long-standing 24 hour GPS runtime that suits most runners’ need.
For adventures far off the grid, the 265 will clearly last longest between plug-ins. But all three should perform fine for on-the-go charging between regular training sessions.
Connectivity and Compatibility
As advanced GPS watches leaning heavily into data tracking, external connectivity plays a major role for the 245, 255 and 265. Each of the watches includes:
- Bluetooth and ANT+ for connecting to smartphones, gadgets, and sensors
- Built-in WiFi for quicker data syncs (except the 245)
- Syncing with Garmin Connect app and web tools
They also support custom watch faces, data fields, apps, and widgets from Garmin’s Connect IQ store. This expandability through first or third party tools helps owners tailor info to their goals and sport interests.
For music playback during workouts, the 255 and 265 also store up to 500 songs when paired with a premium music streaming provider. Only the entry-level 245 omits music support currently.
And all models integrate with Garmin’s unique safety and tracking features via paired smartphones:
- LiveTrack for sharing real-time location with chosen individuals
- GroupTrack to allow tracking among connections through an app
- Incident detection and assistance alerts (255 and 265 only)
Overall the watches scored similarly in connectivity regards outside the 245’s lack of wifi and music support. But the inclusion of those features plus incident detection in the 255 and 265 may appeal to buyers wanting maximum capabilities.
Training, Planning and Analytics
When it comes to digging into workout data, planning future training, or following guided workouts – key reasons for owning an advanced running watch – Garmin packs tons of in-depth tools into these Forerunners.
Training Analysis
All three watches go beyond just recording stats to offer insights on your training performance:
- Training load and status scores gauge your cumulative workload over the past weeks
- Recovery time indicates when you’re rested and ready for harder efforts again
- New running or cycling VO2 max estimates compare your current cardio fitness level
- Lactate threshold measurement for targeting the optimal intensity for race pace runs
You can further drill into detail on pacing, heart rate zones, calories and other metrics through the Garmin Connect app. Those with external sensors also gain access to cycling dynamics, foot pod data, and more. Together they paint a comprehensive picture of your progress.
Planning and Guidance
To take the guesswork out of building an effective training plan, the watches also sync workout targets, structured workouts, or full multi-week training schedules set up through Garmin’s tools and coaching services:
- Training calendar and workout targets set workout guidance, goals, timing and duration for the days or weeks ahead
- Garmin Coach free 5K, 10K and half marathon training plans adapt as you go
- Suggested workouts automatically populate based on your past training
During activities, the watches can guide you on hitting specific paces, heart rate zones, reps and rest using its screens, alerts and vibration feedback. This helps precisely execute planned sessions and tempo runs.
And for races, the watches provide estimates on finish times based on fitness level while allowing customizable race prep and recovery countdown timers.
Additional Analytics
On the analytic side, the mid and top-tier 255 and 265 ADD IN ADDITIONAL ANALYTICS like:
- Morning report with overnight recovery stats
- Health snapshot collating key metrics, training and even menstrual cycle tracking
- Weather updates and forestcasts
- Acute load and training readion to hone intensity
- Enhanced run profile and performance condition estimates
The added insights allow fine tuning training adaptation and results. Though for most runners, the suite of training tools matches across all three watches already.
Smartwatch Features
In keeping with Garmin’s “smartwatch for athletes” positioning, the Forerunner series focuses heavily on sports tracking and performance. You won’t find a vibrant app ecosystem or LTE cellular connectivity as provided by an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch. But the watches do pack everyday smart features to reduce need for a secondary device.
Notifications
When paired to an iPhone or Android smartphone, the watches mirror phone notifications for calls, texts, calendar reminders and app alerts. You can customize which apps send notifications to avoid distractions. While quick replies allow answering messages directly from your wrist.
Payments
Each watch also supports contactless payments through Garmin Pay. After entering your credit or debit card details into the Garmin Connect app, you can tap to pay at compatible terminals from your wrist, without bringing a separate card or phone.
Music
As mentioned earlier, onboard music storage comes standard on the 255 and 265 models. You can sync playlists and audio files for phone-free listening over Bluetooth headphones. Ideal for workouts without carrying a smartphone.
Other Smart Features
Additional handy smart features include:
- Smartphone remote controls like taking photos, starting tracking, finding a lost phone
- Weather reports and forecasts
- Automatic time syncing and time zone changes when travelling
For most buyers, the watches provide enough smart connectivity and convenience to reduce reliance on phones for basic tasks. Though hardcore smartwatch users may still prefer an Apple Watch or Wear OS device instead like the Garmin Venu line.
Which Watch Should You Buy?
With all those key specs and features compared, how do you decide between springing for the 245, 255 or 265?
The answer largely comes down to budget, which advanced features appeal most, and needing long battery life.
Forerunner 245
The Forerunner 245 makes the most sense for casual runners or new athletes wanting a capable GPS watch at a friendly price point.
You still get robust run tracking, built-in workouts, training analysis, smart notifications and weeks-long battery to cover most needs. Optional music, pulse ox and triathlon modes aren’t major losses for less data-driven users.
For under $250 on sale, the 245 sacrifices little for cost-conscious buyers after basic running watch functions along with ample room to grow into its planning and analysis tools over time.
Forerunner 255
Stepping up to the mid-range Forerunner 255 brings a more polished watch through upgrades like a higher-res touch display, pulse ox acclimation readings and incident detection safety tools.
The onboard music space and expanded activity profiles also appeal for tracking additional sports like cycling, hiking, paddleboarding or swimming. And buyers tend to appreciate having the touchscreen for smoother navigation and data review.
For runners seeking more metrics, features and refinement without going all-out top-of-the-line, the $350 to $400 Forerunner 255 strikes an appealing balance and value.
Forerunner 265
At the premium end, the decked-out Forerunner 265 clearly maxes out specs and capability much appreciated by serious triathletes, ultrarunners and adventurers.
The extra long battery life provides insurance on very long training blocks or multi-day excursions. And unique additions like the triathlon activity mode, onboard maps, weather forecasts and extensive training analytics offer helpful tools for optimizing performance.
If you want the absolute best feature set for hardcore training and don’t mind the $500+ investment, the 265 won’t disappoint. But more casual users can likely save money options with the 255 or 245.
The Bottom Line
Within Garmin’s ever-growing range of GPS sport watches, the Forerunner 245, 255 and 265 rank among the best options balancing price, features and battery life for a wide range of runners and athletes.
The entry-level Forerunner 245 nails all the essential tracking functions at an affordable cost. And the premium 265 maxes out specs and niche tools for triathletes and extreme athletes.
But for most buyers, the new Forerunner 255 strikes an ideal middle ground. It carries over the proven design and battery efficiency of the 245 while upgrading key areas like display quality, sensors, safety tools, swim profiles, and music support. That blend of upgrades justifies the 255‘s modest price premium for an all-around excellent multi-sport GPS watch with room still to grow.
So ultimately, choosing which of these awesome Forerunners boils down to your budget tolerance, desire for top-end features, and needs around battery life for very long training and adventure days. Any of the three serve athletes exceptionally well – just be sure to choose the right balance of capabilities suiting your individual performance tracking needs among the Garmin Forerunner 245 vs 255 vs 265.