Garmin
Forerunner® 165 vs Instinct® 2X Solar
Size, specs & wrist fit compared
As an Amazon Associate, WatchFitTool earns from qualifying purchases.
Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 53mm, the Forerunner® 165 is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 45mm, where the Instinct® 2X Solar starts to hang over the edge. Above 53mm both sit cleanly, and the Instinct® 2X Solar gives you more presence.
The Instinct® 2X Solar wears larger than the Forerunner® 165 (50mm vs 43mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Forerunner® 165 is the slimmer of the two (11.6mm vs 14.5mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Forerunner® 165 feels lighter (39g vs 67g, case only).
Among the 312 43mm watches we hold thickness for, the Forerunner® 165 is thinner than 86%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
The Instinct® 2X Solar is 7mm wider, 7mm longer, 2.9mm thicker and 28g heavier than the Forerunner® 165. Both are circular.
Forerunner® 165
Instinct® 2X Solar
Case width
43mm
50mm+7mm
Lug-to-lug
43mm
50mm+7mm
Thickness
11.6mm
14.5mm+2.9mm
Weight
39g
67g+28g
Switch or add watches
Garmin
Forerunner® 165
Garmin
Instinct® 2X Solar
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist.
Highlight
- Garmin Forerunner® 16543mm · 11.6mm thick
- Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar50mm · 14.5mm thick
3D preview
Forerunner® 165 vs Instinct® 2X Solar on a wrist
Sized to your own wrist, turned any way you like.
Shapes are built from published measurements, not manufacturer 3D models — accurate proportions, generic dial.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Smartwatch mode, where the Instinct® 2X Solar lasts 3.6× as long as the Forerunner® 165 (40 days against 11 days).
Forerunner® 165Instinct® 2X Solar
Battery Saver
—100 daysExpedition GPS Activity
—60 daysSmartwatch
11 days40 daysBattery Saver Smartwatch
20 days—Max Battery GPS
—150 hoursGPS
—60 hoursAll Satellite Systems
—40 hoursAll Satellite Systems + Multi-Band
—27 hoursGPS-Only GNSS
19 hours—All-Systems GNSS
17 hours—
Specifications
The short version
7 key specs| Spec | GarminForerunner® 165 | GarminInstinct® 2X Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 43mm | 50mm |
| Thickness | 11.6mm | 14.5mm |
| Weight | 39g | 67g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 11 days Battery Saver Smartwatch mode: Up to 20 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 19 hours All-Systems GNSS mode: Up to 17 hours See Details | Smartwatch: 40 days; unlimited with solar* GPS: 60 hours; 145 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems: 40 hours; 65 hours with solar* All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: 27 hours; 36 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: 150 hours; unlimited with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: 60 days; unlimited with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: 100 days; unlimited with solar* *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions |
| Released | 2024 | 2023 |
Every specification
257 specs| Spec | Garmin Forerunner® 165 | Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | Garmin |
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch mode: Up to 11 days Battery Saver Smartwatch mode: Up to 20 days GPS-Only GNSS mode: Up to 19 hours All-Systems GNSS mode: Up to 17 hours See Details | Smartwatch: 40 days; unlimited with solar* GPS: 60 hours; 145 hours with solar** All Satellite Systems: 40 hours; 65 hours with solar* All Satellite Systems + Multi-Band: 27 hours; 36 hours with solar** Max Battery GPS Mode: 150 hours; unlimited with solar** Expedition GPS Activity: 60 days; unlimited with solar* Battery Saver Watch Mode: 100 days; unlimited with solar* *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions **Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions |
| Battery type | Lithium ion | Lithium ion |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | custom, two-window design; 1.1” x 1.1” (27 x 27 mm) |
| Color display | Yes | — |
| Lens Material | chemically strengthened glass | Power Glass™ |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer | fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | 64 MB |
| Strap material | silicone | silicone |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | Garmin proprietary plug charger |
| Large font option | Yes | — |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | 176 x 176 pixels |
| Quick Release bands | yes (20 mm, Industry standard) | — |
| Case material | — | fiber-reinforced polymer |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | — | yes (26 mm) |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| GLONASS | Yes | Yes |
| Galileo | Yes | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | Yes |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | — |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Gyroscope | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02863-20 | 010-02805-10 |
| Product ID | 1055469 | 884585 |
| Product Name | Forerunner® 165 | Instinct® 2X Solar |
| Release Date | 2/20/2024 | 4/12/2023 |
| Product Variation | Black/Slate Gray | Graphite |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes |
| Time/date | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm clock | Yes | Yes |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | Yes |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | Yes |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Courses | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia headlight camera | Yes | — |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | Yes | Yes |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | Yes |
| MTB Grit & Flow | — | Yes |
| Race an activity | — | Yes |
| Power meter compatible | — | Yes |
| Advanced cycling dynamics | — | yes (in app) |
| FTP (Functional Threshold Power) | — | Yes |
| Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor) | — | Yes |
| Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters) | — | Yes |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Running power | Yes | Yes |
| Race predictor | Yes | Yes |
| Foot pod capable | Yes | Yes |
| Running dynamics | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | Yes | Yes |
| Stride length (real time) | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | Yes | — |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | Yes | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (but not balance) | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | Yes |
| Course- and weather-specific race predictor | Yes | — |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | Yes |
| Lactate threshold | — | yes (with compatible accessory) |
| Grade-adjusted pace | — | Yes |
| Trail run auto climb | — | Yes |
| Performance condition | — | Yes |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | — |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | Monochrome, sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | Yes |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | yes (spot-check, during sleep, all day) | Yes |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | Yes |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 11 days | 40 daysUnlimited with solar |
| LED flashlight | — | Yes |
| Multi-band GPS | — | Yes |
| Solar Charging | — | Yes |
| Training status | — | Yes |
| Training readiness | — | Yes |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | Walking, Pilates, Yoga |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Padel | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Archery |
| Multisport | — | Triathlon |
| In the ring | — | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts |
| Team sports | — | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball |
| Motor sports | — | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling |
| On the Water | — | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Whitewater |
| Snow & winter | — | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing |
| Other activity profiles | — | Jumpmaster, Tactical |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | Yes |
| Pool swim workouts | — | Yes |
| Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim) | — | Yes |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Auto rest | Yes | — |
| TracBack® | Yes | Yes |
| Back to start | Yes | Yes |
| Fish forecast | yes (via Connect IQ™) | — |
| UltraTrac mode | Yes | Yes |
| Area calculation | yes (via Connect IQ™) | Yes |
| Elevation profile | Yes | Yes |
| Total ascent/descent | Yes | Yes |
| Future elevation plot | Yes | Yes |
| Distance to destination | Yes | Yes |
| Sun and moon information | yes (via Connect IQ™) | Yes |
| Point-to-point navigation | Yes | Yes |
| Rest Timer (Ultra Run only) | Yes | — |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | Yes | Yes |
| Tides | — | Yes |
| Sight 'N Go | — | Yes |
| Tide glance | — | Yes |
| Vertical speed | — | Yes |
| GPS coordinates | — | Yes |
| Reference point | — | Yes |
| Projected waypoint | — | Yes |
| Expedition GPS Activity | — | Yes |
| Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert | — | Yes |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | Yes |
| Passcode | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | Bluetooth®, ANT+® |
| Garmin Share | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone | Yes | Yes |
| Find My Watch | Yes | Yes |
| Morning report | Yes | Yes |
| Red shift mode | Yes | — |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | Yes |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | Yes |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | iPhone®, Android™ |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | Yes |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone during GPS activity | Yes | — |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | Yes |
| Compatible with Garmin Messenger app | Yes | — |
| Battery saver (customizable low power watch) | Yes | Yes |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | Yes |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | Yes |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | Yes |
| VIRB® Remote | — | Yes |
| Smart trainer control | — | Yes |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | Yes |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | Yes |
| Step counter | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes |
| Calories burned | Yes | Yes |
| Distance traveled | Yes | Yes |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | Yes |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | yes (optional Connect IQ app) |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | Yes |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | Yes |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Strength workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Running Coach | yes (no strength add-on) | — |
| Garmin Running Coach Experts | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | Yes | Yes |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | — | Yes |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | Yes |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™) |
| Breathwork | Yes | Yes |
| Fitness age | Yes | yes (in app) |
| Nap detection | Yes | — |
| All-day stress | Yes | Yes |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | yes (in Garmin Connect™) |
| Health snapshot | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate | Yes | Yes |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | Yes |
| Breathing variations | Yes | — |
| Relaxation reminders | Yes | — |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | yes (high and low) |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | Yes |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | Yes |
| Live Event Sharing | Android™ Only | — |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | Yes |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | — |
| Kid Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app) | yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app) |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | Yes |
| % HR max | Yes | Yes |
| HR zones | Yes | Yes |
| HR alerts | Yes | Yes |
| HRV status | Yes | Yes |
| Manual lap | Yes | Yes |
| Rest timer | Yes | — |
| Auto max HR | Yes | Yes |
| Finish time | Yes | Yes |
| HR calories | Yes | Yes |
| Voice alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes | Yes |
| Recovery time | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | Yes |
| Course guidance | Yes | Yes |
| Training effect | Yes | Yes |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | Yes |
| Interval training | Yes | Yes |
| Race glance/widget | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | Yes |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | Yes |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | Yes |
| Activity history on watch | Yes | Yes |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | Yes |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | Yes | Yes |
| HRM running pace and distance | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable activity profiles | Yes | Yes |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | Yes |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | Yoga and Breathwork only | Yes |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | Yes |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | Yes | Yes |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | yes (using ANT+) |
| Shortcuts | — | Yes |
| Auto scroll | — | Yes |
| Custom alerts | — | Yes |
| Training load | — | Yes |
| Virtual Partner | — | Yes |
| Race an Activity | — | Yes |
| Improved recovery time | — | Yes |
| Unified training status | — | Yes |
| Manual multisport activities | — | Yes |
| Heat and altitude acclimation | — | Yes |
| Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings | — | Yes |
| Gaming Features | ||
| Gaming Activity | — | Yes |
| GameOn™ app compatible | — | Yes |
| Golfing Features | ||
| Tournament legal | — | Yes |
| Digital scorecard | — | Yes |
| Garmin AutoShot™ | — | Yes |
| Round timer/odometer | — | Yes |
| Auto CourseView updates | — | Yes |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | — | Yes |
| Hazards and course targets | — | Yes |
| Pairs with Garmin Golf app | — | Yes |
| Green View with manual pin position | — | Yes |
| CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | — | Yes |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) | — | Yes |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) | — | Yes |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | — | manual |
| Tactical Features | ||
| XERO™ Locations | — | Yes |
| Dual grid coordinates | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Forerunner® 165
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar
Sits best on wrists ~53–71mm wide (≈ 14.2–19.0cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner® 165 bigger than the Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar?
The Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar is bigger — 50mm vs 43mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner® 165 or the Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar?
The Garmin Forerunner® 165 suits wrists around 45–61mm wide, and the Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar around 53–71mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Forerunner® 165 and Garmin Instinct® 2X Solar side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.
Related Comparisons
Garmin Forerunner® 165 vs Garmin fēnix® 8 – 43 mm, AMOLEDGarmin Instinct® 2X Solar vs Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, AMOLED, Tactical EditionGarmin Instinct® 2X Solar vs Garmin Instinct 3 – 50 mm, Solar, Tactical EditionGarmin Instinct® 2X Solar vs Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, AMOLEDGarmin Instinct® 2X Solar vs Garmin Instinct® 3 – 50 mm, Solar