Garmin Forerunner 265 vs Suunto Race 2
Both are training-tier AMOLED runners' watches with offline maps, but the Race 2 costs $50 more for nearly triple the GPS battery life (55 hours vs. 20), while the 265 counters with Garmin's higher rating and ecosystem.
GarminGarmin Forerunner 265
SuuntoSuunto Race 2
- •You want Garmin's higher-rated watch and its training-load ecosystem
- •20 hours of GPS runtime already covers how you train
- •You want dramatically longer GPS battery life for only $50 more
- •You're not tied to Garmin Connect and want Suunto's newest hardware
The 265 pairs a bright touchscreen with real training-load and recovery metrics, without pushing into flagship pricing. It remains one of the most recommended running watches on the market for good reason: it just covers the bases extremely well.
The Race 2 jumps to a 2,000-nit, 120Hz AMOLED display and stretches dual-band GPS battery life to 55 hours, all in a thinner, lighter case available in steel or titanium. New AI Coach guidance, Training Stress Score, and a unified Recovery Score bring Suunto's training smarts much closer to Garmin's, without losing the lightweight, racing-first feel the Race series built its name on.
*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.
This page contains affiliate links. If you purchase through them we earn a small commission at no extra cost to you.
Not sure either of these is right?
Answer four quick questions and get matched from every current watch we track.
Try the Watch Finder →