Garmin Forerunner® 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mmSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Garmin Forerunner® 165 is 2.6mm wider, 0.3mm longer, 3mm thicker and 9g heavier than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Forerunner® 165.
- Case width
- 43mmbaseForerunner® 16540.4mm−2.6mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 43mmbaseForerunner® 16542.7mm−0.3mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
- Thickness
- 11.6mmbaseForerunner® 1658.6mm−3mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
- Weight
- 39gbaseForerunner® 16530g−9gGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
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Garmin
Forerunner® 165
Samsung
Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
Which one fits you
Both need much the same wrist — roughly 45–61mm across the flat of the wrist. Neither will fit where the other won't, so decide on thickness, weight and features instead.
The Garmin Forerunner® 165 wears larger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm (43mm vs 40.4mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm is the slimmer of the two (8.6mm vs 11.6mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm feels lighter (30g vs 39g, case only).
Among the 312 43mm watches we hold thickness for, the Garmin Forerunner® 165 is thinner than 86%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Among the 509 40mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm is thinner than 83%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminForerunner® 165 | SamsungGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 43mm | 40.4mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 43mm | 42.7mm |
| Thickness | 11.6mm | 8.6mm |
| Weight | 39g | 30g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | OLED/AMOLED |
| Released | 2024 | 2025 |
Hover a row to highlight that measurement in the schematics below.
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist. Built from the measurements, so it works for every watch whether or not it has a photo.
Highlight
- Garmin Forerunner® 16543mm · 11.6mm thick
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm40.4mm × 42.7mm · 8.6mm thick
Garmin Forerunner® 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm on a wrist
Put Garmin Forerunner® 165 and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm on the same arm, sized to your own wrist, and turn it. Side by side or stacked on one spot, whichever answers the question faster.
- Garmin Forerunner® 165 — 43mm case, standing 11.6mm off the wrist.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm — 40.4mm case, 42.7mm lug-to-lug, standing 8.6mm off the wrist.
Whether that clears your wrist edges is the question worth answering, and it depends on your wrist rather than on the case diameter.
See them on a wrist in 3DCase shapes are generated from each watch's published measurements — case width, lug-to-lug and thickness — not from manufacturer 3D models, so the proportions are accurate while the dial is generic.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Smartwatch mode, where the Garmin Forerunner® 165 lasts 5.5× as long as the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm (11 days against 2 days).
Garmin Forerunner® 165Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
Battery Saver Smartwatch
20 days—Smartwatch
11 days2 daysGPS-Only GNSS
19 hours—All-Systems GNSS
17 hours—
Full Specification Comparison
301 specs| Spec | Garmin Forerunner® 165 | Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | 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 | — |
| Battery type | Lithium ion | — |
| Display Size | 1.2" (30.4 mm) diameter | — |
| Color display | Yes | — |
| Lens Material | chemically strengthened glass | — |
| Bezel Material | fiber-reinforced polymer | — |
| Memory/History | 4 GB | — |
| Strap material | silicone | — |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary plug charger | — |
| Large font option | Yes | — |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | — |
| Quick Release bands | yes (20 mm, Industry standard) | — |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | — |
| Compass | Yes | — |
| GLONASS | Yes | — |
| Galileo | Yes | — |
| Thermometer | Yes | — |
| Accelerometer | Yes | — |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | — |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | — |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | — |
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | — | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | — | No |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | — | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | — | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | — | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02863-20 | — |
| Product ID | 1055469 | — |
| Product Name | Forerunner® 165 | — |
| Release Date | 2/20/2024 | — |
| Product Variation | Black/Slate Gray | — |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | — |
| Stopwatch | Yes | — |
| Time/date | Yes | — |
| Alarm clock | Yes | — |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | — |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | — |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | — |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Courses | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia headlight camera | Yes | — |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | Yes | — |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | — |
| Running Features | ||
| Run workouts | Yes | — |
| Running power | Yes | — |
| Race predictor | Yes | — |
| Foot pod capable | Yes | — |
| Running dynamics | Yes | — |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | Yes | — |
| Stride length (real time) | Yes | — |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | Yes | — |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | Yes | — |
| Ground contact time and balance | yes (but not balance) | — |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | — |
| Course- and weather-specific race predictor | Yes | — |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | — |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | — |
| Display type | AMOLED (optional always-on mode) | — |
| Water rating | 5 ATM | — |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | yes (spot-check, during sleep, all day) | — |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | — |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 11 days | — |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing | — |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | — |
| Cycling | Biking, Indoor Biking | — |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | — |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Padel | — |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | — |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running | — |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking | — |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | — |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | — |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Auto rest | Yes | — |
| TracBack® | Yes | — |
| Back to start | Yes | — |
| Fish forecast | yes (via Connect IQ™) | — |
| UltraTrac mode | Yes | — |
| Area calculation | yes (via Connect IQ™) | — |
| Elevation profile | Yes | — |
| Total ascent/descent | Yes | — |
| Future elevation plot | Yes | — |
| Distance to destination | Yes | — |
| Sun and moon information | yes (via Connect IQ™) | — |
| Point-to-point navigation | Yes | — |
| Rest Timer (Ultra Run only) | Yes | — |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | Yes | — |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Calendar | Yes | — |
| Passcode | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth®, ANT+® | — |
| Garmin Share | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone | Yes | — |
| Find My Watch | Yes | — |
| Morning report | Yes | — |
| Red shift mode | Yes | — |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | — |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | — |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | — |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | — |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone during GPS activity | Yes | — |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Garmin Messenger app | Yes | — |
| Battery saver (customizable low power watch) | Yes | — |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | — |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | — |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | — |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | — |
| Step counter | Yes | — |
| Floors climbed | Yes | — |
| Calories burned | Yes | — |
| Distance traveled | Yes | — |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | — |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | — |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | — |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | — |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | — |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | — |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | — |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | — |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | — |
| Strength workouts | Yes | — |
| Garmin Running Coach | yes (no strength add-on) | — |
| Garmin Running Coach Experts | Yes | — |
| Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans | Yes | — |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Running (Pace and Heart Rate Based) | Yes | — |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | — |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | — |
| Breathwork | Yes | — |
| Fitness age | Yes | — |
| Nap detection | Yes | — |
| All-day stress | Yes | — |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™ and optional Connect IQ™ widget) | — |
| Health snapshot | Yes | — |
| Respiration rate | Yes | — |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | — |
| Breathing variations | Yes | — |
| Relaxation reminders | Yes | — |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | — |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | — |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | — |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | — |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | — |
| Live Event Sharing | Android™ Only | — |
| Incident Detection during select activities | 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) | — |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | — |
| % HR max | Yes | — |
| HR zones | Yes | — |
| HR alerts | Yes | — |
| HRV status | Yes | — |
| Manual lap | Yes | — |
| Rest timer | Yes | — |
| Auto max HR | Yes | — |
| Finish time | Yes | — |
| HR calories | Yes | — |
| Voice alerts | Yes | — |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes | — |
| Recovery time | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | — |
| Course guidance | Yes | — |
| Training effect | Yes | — |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | — |
| Interval training | Yes | — |
| Race glance/widget | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | — |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | — |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | — |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | — |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | — |
| Activity history on watch | Yes | — |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | — |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | Yes | — |
| HRM running pace and distance | Yes | — |
| Customizable activity profiles | Yes | — |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | — |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | Yoga and Breathwork only | — |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | — |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | Yes | — |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | — |
| Design | ||
| width | — | 40.4 |
| height | — | 42.7 |
| volume | — | 14.84 cm³ |
| weight | — | 30 g |
| thickness | — | 8.6 |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| resolution | — | 438 x 438 px |
| screen size | — | 1.34 inches |
| Display type | — | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| pixel density | — | 327 ppi |
| width of band | — | 20 mm |
| water resistance | — | Water resistant |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | — | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | — | Yes |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 35 °C |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | — | IP68 |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | — | No |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | 0 °C |
| Battery | ||
| battery life | — | 2 days |
| battery power | — | 325 mAh |
| has wireless charging | — | Yes |
| has a removable battery | — | No |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Features | ||
| RAM | — | 2GB |
| release date | — | 2025-07-09 |
| Has a stopwatch | — | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | — | No |
| Has call control | — | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | — | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | — | Yes |
| internal storage | — | 32GB |
| measures VO2 max | — | Yes |
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| has fall detection | — | Yes |
| has voice commands | — | Yes |
| Acquires GPS faster | — | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | — | Yes |
| shows readiness level | — | Yes |
| Can be used to answer calls | — | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | — | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | — | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | — | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | — | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | — | Yes |
| SIM cards | — | 1 eSIM |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| supports ANT+ | — | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | — | Yes |
| supports Galileo | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5.3 |
| has a cellular module | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | No |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Has passcode | — | Yes |
| Has auto pause | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | — | No |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | — | No |
| has an external memory slot | — | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | — | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | — | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | — | Yes |
| Free app | — | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Has coaching | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | — | Yes |
| Can be personalised | — | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | — | Yes |
| Predicts start date | — | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Has period notifications | — | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | — | Yes |
| Provides activity reports | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | — | Yes |
| Designed for golf | — | No |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Designed for diving | — | No |
| Has a route tracker | — | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Forerunner® 165
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Forerunner® 165 bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm?
The Garmin Forerunner® 165 is bigger — 43mm vs 40.4mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Forerunner® 165 or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm?
The Garmin Forerunner® 165 suits wrists around 45–61mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm around 45–61mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Forerunner® 165 and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 40mm 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.
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