Garmin Forerunner 965 vs Coros Pace Pro: Three runners pick between two top sports watches

Summary

In this detailed comparison, Nick evaluates the Coros Pace Pro and Garmin Forerunner 965, two top AMOLED sports watches. Despite the Garmin being more expensive, Nick highlights their similarities in features like GPS accuracy, battery life, and design. While the Coros offers excellent value with its lightweight build and solid performance, the Garmin excels with its advanced training analysis, better navigation features, and smart functionalities like music streaming and NFC payments. Ultimately, the choice between the two comes down to budget and specific needs, with the Garmin being the more feature-packed option.

Takeaways

• 💰 The Coros Pace Pro is significantly cheaper (£349/$349) than the Garmin Forerunner 965 (£599/$599), making price the biggest differentiator between the two.
• 🏗️ The Garmin Forerunner 965 offers a more premium design with a titanium bezel, slightly larger 1.4-inch AMOLED display, and a five-button layout, while the Pace Pro has a lighter, slightly more compact build with a 1.3-inch display.
• 🛰️ Both watches deliver strong GPS and heart rate accuracy, with multiband GPS support and comparable performance in real-world running tests.
• 🔋 Battery life is similar overall, though the Coros Pace Pro tends to be slightly more efficient, especially in GPS modes, sometimes lasting a bit longer between charges.
• 📊 Garmin provides more advanced and better-presented training insights, including features like Training Readiness, Body Battery, ClimbPro, and more detailed load analysis.
• 🗺️ Navigation is more advanced on the Garmin Forerunner 965 thanks to routable maps and ClimbPro, whereas the Pace Pro offers solid mapping but fewer dynamic navigation tools.
• 🎵 Smartwatch features are stronger on the Garmin, including Spotify integration, NFC payments (Garmin Pay), Connect IQ apps, and greater watch face customization.
• 📱 The Coros app is considered simpler and easier to navigate than Garmin Connect, even though Garmin’s on-watch interface feels more polished and refined.
• 🏃‍♂️ For core running essentials—accuracy, battery life, comfort, and training basics—both watches perform at a very high level and are difficult to separate.
• 🎨 The Garmin delivers a more premium daily user experience with better watch faces, customization options, and overall polish.
• ⚖️ The Coros Pace Pro represents excellent value for money, covering nearly all runners’ needs at a much lower price.
• 🤔 Ultimately, the Garmin Forerunner 965 is the more feature-rich and refined watch, but whether it is worth the extra £150–£250 depends on how much you value its added smart and navigation features.

Q & A

What are the main differences in price between the Coros Pace Pro and the Garmin Forerunner 965?

The Coros Pace Pro is significantly cheaper, priced at £349 (or $349), while the Garmin Forerunner 965 costs £599 (or $599), though it often drops to around £499 (or $499) during sales.

What design features make the Garmin Forerunner 965 more premium compared to the Coros Pace Pro?

The Garmin Forerunner 965 has a titanium bezel, a larger 1.4-inch AMOLED screen, and five physical buttons for navigation, compared to the Coros Pace Pro's plastic design, 1.3-inch screen, and two-button interface with a digital dial.

How do the GPS and heart rate tracking performances compare between the two watches?

Both watches perform similarly in GPS accuracy and heart rate tracking. They stay within a 10% margin of error in most runs. However, the Coros Pace Pro tends to read slightly shorter distances in GPS tracking.

Which watch offers better battery life for GPS tracking?

While both watches offer good battery life, the Coros Pace Pro generally lasts longer, particularly when using multiband GPS modes, which are more efficient than the Garmin's setup.

What additional smart features does the Garmin Forerunner 965 offer over the Coros Pace Pro?

The Garmin Forerunner 965 offers features like music streaming services (e.g., Spotify), Garmin Pay for contactless payments, NFC payments, and a more customizable watch face. The Coros Pace Pro lacks these features and relies on manually transferring MP3 files.

What are the key advantages of the Coros Pace Pro despite its lower price?

The Coros Pace Pro offers great value with a bright AMOLED display, excellent battery life, a lightweight design, and good GPS and heart rate tracking. It provides all the essential features for runners at a more affordable price.

How does Garmin’s ClimbPro feature enhance the experience for runners?

Garmin’s ClimbPro feature is especially useful for runners tackling hilly or mountainous terrain. It provides real-time details on upcoming climbs, helping athletes judge their effort levels during races and workouts.

What are the notable differences in smartwatch features between the two models?

The Garmin Forerunner 965 excels in smartwatch features, offering customizable watch faces, offline music storage, contactless payments, and a broader range of third-party apps. The Coros Pace Pro is more limited in these areas and lacks advanced smartwatch functionalities.

Which watch has better navigation capabilities for outdoor runners?

The Garmin Forerunner 965 has better navigation tools, including rootable maps and advanced route tracking, whereas the Coros Pace Pro only offers basic navigation with a pointer.

Based on the review, which watch would the reviewer personally choose, and why?

The reviewer would personally choose the Coros Pace Pro because it offers everything they need, such as accuracy, battery life, and comfort, at a more affordable price. However, they acknowledge that the Garmin Forerunner 965 is a better overall watch if someone else is paying, especially due to its premium features.