It’s hard to find a watch that works for your workout style. Here’s a quick look at a couple of top choices.
If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is the king of the hill. Android users? A completely different game Plenty of smartwatch choices out there, but most miss the mark. I’ve tried ones that lag, make your wrist feel heavy, or skip over things that should be standard. Where a COROS PACE 3 vs. The Garmin Forerunner 265 face-off becomes more important. Garmin owns the fitness space. No debate. I’ve seen other brands fail miserably. I wouldn’t think twice about picking up a Garmin if I had to keep track of a run or workout. However, COROS argues persuasively. Enough to make you pause and think about what you actually need.
Comfort and style
The 265 weighs 1.65 ounces, while the PACE only weighs 1 ounce. The PACE’s lightness may make it easier to wear throughout the day or even while you sleep. I used to like heavier watches, but over time, I learned that extra bulk and weight get in the way. Are the watches heavy and have sharp edges? They’ll make you want to get rid of them right away. I find plastic devices easier on the skin and more forgiving to wear. The PACE 3 and Forerunner 265 owners share this sentiment. They claim that these watches are suitable for long runs and daytime wear. The Forerunner 265 and the PACE 3 are not particularly striking visually. The polymer bezel on both makes them appear straightforward and, to some, even inexpensive. They lack craftsmanship and attention to detail. And they don’t try to impress with any fancy status vibes. Is that, however, the kind of impression that a smartwatch ought to 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. The Galaxy Watch Ultra frequently displays this issue, which demonstrates how easily titanium can scratch. Because of this, many people cover it with a plastic case. 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. This is demonstrated by the use of fiber-reinforced polymer in the Forerunner 265 model.
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
In an effort to attract as many users as possible, Garmin’s Forerunner 265 incorporates a variety of features, but many of them fall short of expectations. It crams in features that don’t quite work as they should rather than concentrating on the essentials. The COROS PACE 3 does the exact opposite. Take Garmin Pay, body battery, workouts, and navigation—they’re all there, sure, but none of them hit the mark. It feels like a game of chance to navigate. You can’t go back, and the screen’s arrow just seems to move in its own direction. Some users like that the Forerunner 265 lets them miss a waypoint by a good distance and still stay on course. That’s fine. The watch, on the other hand, keeps quiet when they turn the wrong way. No alert. No correction. Even without making sure you’re on the right path, you can jump between checkpoints. On the other hand, the PACE 3 uses no flash and is clean. It does not attempt to impress with a slew of ploys. It just does what it’s built to do—help you train without getting in the way.
Those who choose the COROS PACE 3 immediately notice the difference. They see smart decisions made in the way it handles navigation, delays the save button just enough to prevent mistakes, and makes the app and website feel smooth. The training plans stand out, too. It feels like a tool made for runners, by runners.
App
According to what I’ve read, the PACE 3’s distance tracking is close but occasionally misses. Maybe the firmware causes it, or it could be just certain devices. However, the app appears clean. No extra junk like Garmin or Apple Health. It keeps the core features, and the built-in route builder looks solid.
My attention is drawn to the way COROS unifies everything. With IQ and Connect, you don’t have to switch between apps like Garmin does. 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 don’t feel too strong as they direct your breath. 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. However, some users observed a decrease over time. With workouts added, the watch could last about 10 days when they first started using it. They are now down to 5 or 6 after a year. That is still respectable, but it hurts to see it drop if you are accustomed to double that. Not ideal for someone hoping this watch holds up for years.
Others who purchased the COROS PACE 3 reported varying outcomes. They only take it off to take a shower, wear it all day, and use every GPS feature to keep track of their workouts. That group reports 10 to 14 days between charges. It all boils down to how you use your smartwatch, so yes. Garmin claims up to 13 days on the Forerunner 265. The typical duration is about a week, but it can be as much as 10 days. That’s with everyday GPS walks or hikes and several runs per week using all the GPS bands. When someone boasts about using a Garmin for 20 or even 30 days, it always makes me laugh. Sure, a few watches might pull that off. However, depending on what we’re doing, it’s typically closer to 7, if not higher. Verdict: COROS PACE 3 vs. Forerunner 265 from Garmin The COROS Pace watches are praised for their crisp tracking, quick GPS lock, and long battery life. The Pace 3, which costs $229, builds on that. 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.
