Garmin Forerunner 165 vs Samsung Galaxy Fit 3

🗓️ Release Year

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: 2024

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: 2024



🏃 Activity

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Garmin Forerunner 165 is an accessible GPS running watch designed for new and casual runners, offering essential activity tracking. It precisely records steps, distance, calories burned, and active minutes, with a strong focus on core running metrics like pace, distance, and cadence using built-in GPS. It provides valuable data for monitoring and improving running performance.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is a capable and affordable fitness tracker offering comprehensive activity monitoring for everyday health and fitness. It accurately tracks steps, calories burned, distance, and provides real-time heart rate data during activities. With support for over 100 different exercises, it caters to a wide range of physical pursuits, offering detailed insights into daily activity and exercise performance on a clear display.



❤️ Health Monitoring

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: This device provides continuous wrist-based heart rate monitoring, stress tracking, and sleep tracking for insights into daily well-being and recovery. It includes Pulse Ox for blood oxygen saturation monitoring, contributing to a more complete picture of overall health alongside its running features.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: This device provides continuous heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking for detailed analysis of sleep stages and quality, and stress tracking to help users manage daily tension. The integrated SpO2 sensor allows for blood oxygen level monitoring, contributing to a more complete picture of overall health and well-being.



🔋 Battery Life

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Forerunner 165 offers practical battery life for runners, providing up to 11 days in smartwatch mode and up to 19 hours with continuous GPS tracking. This ensures sufficient power for regular runs and daily wear without constant recharging.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 boasts an impressive battery life of up to 13 days on a single charge under typical usage. This extended battery duration minimizes the need for frequent recharging, ensuring consistent tracking of daily activity and sleep without interruption for nearly two weeks.



😴 Sleep Tracking

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: Detailed sleep tracking on the Forerunner 165 monitors sleep stages and provides insights into sleep quality and patterns, helping users understand their recovery for optimal training and daily performance.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Advanced sleep tracking on the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 monitors sleep stages (light, deep, and REM sleep) and provides detailed insights into sleep duration, quality, and consistency through the Samsung Health app. It helps users understand their sleep patterns and make adjustments for better rest and recovery.



📍 GPS Tracking

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: Equipped with built-in GPS, the Forerunner 165 provides accurate outdoor activity tracking for running, walking, and cycling without needing a paired smartphone. It delivers reliable pace, distance, and route data essential for runners.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 does not have built-in GPS. It relies on connected GPS via a paired smartphone to accurately track outdoor activities like running, walking, and cycling, providing pace and distance data when your phone is with you.



🏋️ Workout Modes

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: While primarily a running watch, the Forerunner 165 supports additional activity profiles including cycling, pool swimming, HIIT, and cardio, providing relevant metrics for these exercises alongside its core running features.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: With support for over 100 workout modes, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is exceptionally versatile for a fitness band. It covers activities ranging from running and cycling to swimming, yoga, and various sports, allowing users to track a wide array of exercises with relevant metrics directly on the band.



💫 Exercise Recognition

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The device includes automatic exercise detection for common activities such as walking and running through its Move IQ feature, ensuring these basic movements are captured in your activity log seamlessly.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The device features automatic workout detection for common activities such as walking, running, elliptical training, and rowing machine. This ensures that workouts are logged seamlessly, even if the user forgets to manually start tracking, providing a more complete and effortless record of physical activity.



🍎 Compatibility

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Forerunner 165 is compatible with both iOS and Android smartphones, connecting via Bluetooth for seamless data synchronization and smart notifications.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is compatible with both Android and iOS smartphones, connecting via Bluetooth for seamless data synchronization and smart notifications. It integrates closely with the Samsung Health ecosystem for data analysis and goal setting.



📲 App Support

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: Synchronization with the comprehensive Garmin Connect app is central to the Forerunner 165 experience, providing detailed analysis of running data, activity metrics, health statistics, and sleep insights. The app allows for setting goals, reviewing training history, and connecting with the Garmin community.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Synchronization with the Samsung Health app is essential for the Galaxy Fit 3 experience, providing a centralized platform for reviewing detailed data on activity, sleep, heart rate, stress, and SpO2. The app offers historical trends, insights, and customization options for the band, offering a comprehensive view of your wellness data.



💡 Smart Features

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: Beyond its running focus, the Forerunner 165 includes essential smart functionalities such as on-wrist notifications for calls, texts, and calendar alerts. It also supports Garmin Pay for contactless payments (on the Music version, if applicable, but the data for 167 is just Forerunner 165, so sticking to basics) and allows for controlling music on a paired smartphone.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Beyond its comprehensive fitness tracking, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 includes practical smart functionalities such as on-wrist notifications for calls, messages, emails, and app alerts. It also offers music controls, weather updates, and alarm clock functions, enhancing daily convenience directly from your wrist.



💦 Water Resistance

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: With a water resistance rating of 50 meters (5 ATM), the Forerunner 165 is suitable for swimming and showering, making it a durable companion for triathletes and those who incorporate swimming into their fitness routine.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: With a water resistance rating of 50 meters (5 ATM), the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 is suitable for swimming and showering, making it a durable companion for everyday wear and aquatic activities. It can track swimming workouts, including duration and estimated calories burned.



⌚ Display Quality

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Forerunner 165 features a sunlight-visible, transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) color display, offering good readability in various lighting conditions, especially bright sunlight, which is ideal for outdoor running. The display technology is also power-efficient.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 features a large 1.6-inch AMOLED display with crisp resolution. This vibrant color display offers sharp visuals, deep blacks, and excellent brightness, ensuring clear readability even under direct sunlight, making it easy to view stats and notifications at a glance.



👌 Ease of Use

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The device utilizes a five-button interface, which is reliable and easy to operate during runs or workouts. The user interface is designed for straightforward navigation and quick access to running data and essential features.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The device utilizes a user-friendly touchscreen interface with a sleek design and comfortable strap for easy navigation. The intuitive design and seamless integration with the Samsung Health app provide a straightforward experience for tracking and managing health and fitness data.



✨ Design and Comfort

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Forerunner 165 features a lightweight and comfortable design with a soft silicone band, making it ideal for extended wear during training sessions and everyday activities, prioritizing a secure and comfortable fit for runners.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 features a lightweight and stylish design, available in various colors for personalization. Its ergonomic build and comfortable strap make it ideal for all-day wear and sleep tracking, balancing aesthetic appeal with functional tracking.



🩸 SpO2 Monitoring

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: An integrated Pulse Ox sensor allows for monitoring blood oxygen saturation levels during sleep and spot-checks, providing valuable data related to acclimatization and overall physiological well-being, complementing its health tracking suite.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Equipped with an SpO2 sensor, the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 allows for blood oxygen level measurement during sleep and workouts. This feature provides valuable data for assessing respiratory health and overall well-being during rest and physical exertion.



💖 ECG Functionality

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: It is important to note that the Garmin Forerunner 165 does not support ECG (Electrocardiogram) functionality.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: It is important to note that the Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 does not support ECG (Electrocardiogram) functionality.



🧘 Stress Tracking

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Forerunner 165 tracks stress levels throughout the day based on heart rate variability and offers guided breathing exercises to help users manage stress and promote overall well-being.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: The Samsung Galaxy Fit 3 helps monitor stress levels throughout the day and includes guided breathing exercises to reduce stress, contributing to mental well-being and overall health management.



🩹 Recovery Tracking

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: The Body Battery energy monitoring feature provides insights into the body's energy reserves based on activity, stress, and sleep data, helping users understand their physiological readiness for training or the need for rest, contributing to optimized recovery for runners.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Basic recovery insights are provided through the Samsung Health app based on analyzed sleep patterns and activity metrics, helping users understand their body's readiness for further activity and make informed decisions about rest.



💳 Subscription

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: A significant benefit of the Garmin platform is that all core features and data tracked by the Forerunner 165 are accessible through the free Garmin Connect app, requiring no additional subscription fees for essential running metrics, activity tracking, or health insights, providing comprehensive value for an entry-level running watch.

2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: No subscription is needed for standard features; enhanced options available via the Samsung Health app. All essential functionalities and historical data are available for free, providing excellent value at an affordable price point.



🏷️️ Price

1️⃣ Garmin Forerunner 165: $349.00

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2️⃣ Samsung Galaxy Fit 3: Approximately $60.00

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