Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Polar Ignite 3
The Forerunner 165 costs $80 less, has streaming music sync, and 5 ATM water resistance, with an established 4.7 rating. The Ignite 3 offers dual-frequency GPS in a case 4 grams lighter, with Polar's recovery-focused guidance. GPS battery is nearly identical on paper (17 versus 18 hours).
GarminGarmin Forerunner 165
PolarPolar Ignite 3
- •You want the cheaper, proven Garmin with streaming music
- •Garmin's running metrics matter more than dual-frequency GPS
- •You want dual-frequency GPS and Polar's sleep and recovery guidance
- •You prefer a 35-gram watch
The 165 brings Garmin's core running metrics, an AMOLED display, and music storage down to a price that doesn't feel like a compromise. It's the watch we'd point most casual-to-intermediate runners toward before recommending anything more expensive.
The Ignite 3 is Polar's fitness and wellness watch, with a 1.28-inch AMOLED touchscreen, dual-frequency GPS, and Polar's FitSpark daily workout guidance and SleepWise recovery data. At 35 grams with the strap it's the lightest watch in Polar's current range. It has no barometer, compass, ECG, or maps, only 3 ATM water resistance, and GPS battery life is short at about 18 hours in performance mode, so it suits everyday runners more than long-distance racers.
*Estimated — this model's exact GPS battery life isn't published by the manufacturer. All figures are standard GPS mode, midsize case, no solar boost.
†Estimated — this model launched too recently to have an established customer rating yet.
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