Running & Gear

The Garmin Forerunner 265 costs $449. The 965 costs $599. Both have AMOLED displays, full Garmin analytics, and multi-band GPS. Here is exactly what the extra $150 buys, and whether it is worth it.

Two of the best running watches at the $400–$450 price point go head to head. Polar Pacer Pro vs Garmin Forerunner 265, here is what actually separates them after running with both.

Strava and Garmin Connect both track your runs, but they do completely different things with the data. Here is how to decide which one to use, and whether you need both.

We tested five of the top running watches across GPS accuracy, battery life, training analytics, and everyday wearability. Here are the ones worth buying in 2026.

Garmin and Apple Watch are the two watches most runners end up choosing between. One is built purely for sport. The other is a smartwatch that also handles training. Here is the real difference after using both.

45g, 35-hour GPS battery, Running Power, and Polar’s full analytics suite for under $300. We ran with the Pacer Pro for 8 weeks. Here’s how it held up.

The Garmin Forerunner 265 packs serious training analytics, multi-band GPS, and a stunning AMOLED display into a mid-range watch. We ran with it for six weeks to find out if it earns its price.

Strava’s GPS tracking is solid, but the real product is the social layer. We used it for two months with a group of runners to find out if the subscription justifies the price.