 [[{“value”:”Apple Watch runs the show—if you’ve got an iPhone. Android users? Whole different game. Plenty of smartwatch choices out there, but most miss the mark. I’ve tried ones that lag, weigh down your wrist, or leave out basics that should..
The post COROS PACE 3 vs. Garmin Forerunner 265: Which running watch tracks your halfhearted jog better? appeared first on Gadget Flow.”}]]Â
[[{“value”:”
Apple Watch runs the show—if you’ve got an iPhone. Android users? Whole different game. Plenty of smartwatch choices out there, but most miss the mark. I’ve tried ones that lag, weigh down your wrist, or leave out basics that should be a given. That’s where a COROS PACE 3 vs. Garmin Forerunner 265 face-off starts to matter.
Garmin owns the fitness space. No contest. I’ve watched other brands swing and miss. If I had to track a run or crush a workout, I’d grab a Garmin without blinking. But COROS makes a strong case. Enough to make you pause and think about what you actually need.
Comfort and style
Garmin Forerunner 265
The PACE weighs just 1 ounce, while the 265 is 1.65 ounces. That super light feel could make the PACE more comfortable to wear all day—even while you sleep. I used to like heavier watches, but over time, I learned that extra bulk and weight get in the way. Heavy watches with sharp edges? They’ll make you want to ditch them fast.
I find plastic devices easier on the skin and more forgiving to wear. Lots of folks who own the PACE 3 and Forerunner 265 feel the same. They say these watches work well for long runs and wearing all day.
Looks-wise, neither the PACE 3 nor the Forerunner 265 stands out much. Both have a polymer bezel that makes them look simple… and, to some, even cheap. They don’t show much craftsmanship or detail. And they don’t try to impress with any fancy status vibes. But is that the kind of impression a smartwatch should aim for?
Build quality
A smartwatch takes a lot of bumps and knocks during the day, so it needs tough materials and a solid build. Titanium can scratch pretty easily, and the Galaxy Watch Ultra shows this problem a lot. That’s why many people put a plastic case on it. So, even though the COROS PACE 3 and Garmin Forerunner 265 look cheap with their plastic bezels, there’s a good reason for it.
Thanks to clever manufacturing, plastic can be very strong. The Forerunner 265 uses fiber-reinforced polymer, which proves that.
Features
GPS running watches go beyond basic fitness bands. You still get steps and distance, but now you also unlock loads of serious training features.
Fitness
Garmin’s Forerunner 265 throws in a bit of everything to grab as many users as possible—but it misses the mark in a lot of spots. Instead of focusing on getting the essentials right, it crams in features that don’t quite work as they should. It’s the opposite of what the COROS PACE 3 does.
Take Garmin Pay, body battery, workouts, and navigation—they’re all there, sure, but none of them hit the mark. The navigation feels like a game of chance. You can’t backtrack, and the arrow on the screen just seems to do its own thing.
Some users like that the Forerunner 265 lets them miss a waypoint by a good distance and still stay on course. That’s fine. But when they turn the wrong way, the watch stays quiet. No alert. No correction. It even lets you jump from one checkpoint to another without making sure you’re on the right path.
COROS PACE 3
On the flip side, the PACE 3 skips the flash and keeps things clean. It doesn’t try to impress with a million tricks. It just does what it’s built to do—help you train without getting in the way.
People who pick the COROS PACE 3 notice the difference right away. They see smart choices in how it handles navigation, how it delays the save button just enough to avoid mistakes, and how smooth the app and website feel. The training plans stand out, too. It feels like a tool made for runners, by runners.
App
From what I’ve read, the PACE 3’s distance tracking gets close but still misses sometimes. Maybe the firmware causes it, or it could be just certain devices. The app seems clean, though. No extra junk like Garmin or Apple Health. It keeps the core features, and the built-in route builder looks solid.
What stands out to me is how COROS puts everything in one spot. You don’t need to jump between apps like Garmin does with IQ and Connect. That split feels strange and unnecessary.
Some people mentioned Garmin’s app picks up on stress during work and offers a breathing session. The interface looks good, and the vibrations guide your breath without feeling too strong. It sounds helpful, especially for folks who deal with stress or tension during the day.
Battery life
COROS says you’ll get 38 hours of battery with standard full GPS and around 10 hours if you’re playing offline music. Sounds solid on paper. But some users noticed a drop over time. When they first started using the watch, it could go about 10 days with workouts mixed in. A year later, they’re down to 5 or 6. That’s still decent—but if you’ve gotten used to double that, watching it drop feels rough. Not ideal for someone hoping this watch holds up for years.
Others who bought the COROS PACE 3 shared different results. They wear it all day, take it off only to shower, and track a few workouts per week with every GPS option turned on. That group reports 10 to 14 days between charges. So yeah, it comes down to how you use your smartwatch.
Garmin claims up to 13 days on the Forerunner 265. Most folks get around a week, sometimes a bit more—say 10 days. That’s with everyday GPS walks or hikes and several runs per week using all the GPS bands. I always chuckle when someone brags about 20 or even 30 days on a Garmin. Sure, a few watches might pull that off. But for most of us, it’s way closer to 7, give or take, depending on what we’re doing.
Verdict: COROS PACE 3 vs. Garmin Forerunner 265
COROS Pace watches get credit for strong battery life, quick GPS lock, and sharp tracking. The Pace 3 ($229) builds on that foundation. It brings in long-requested features like dual-frequency GPS and onboard music, without raising the price too high.
If you want more smartwatch functions than what the Pace 3 offers, the Garmin Forerunner 265 ($449.99) stands out. It packs the best mix of features and value in Garmin’s lineup.
The post COROS PACE 3 vs. Garmin Forerunner 265: Which running watch tracks your halfhearted jog better? appeared first on Gadget Flow.
“}]]Â
​Â
