Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch vs Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch (2026)

✍️ By the 247Verdict Editorial Team📅 Updated 05 October 2026

Which is better? We compared both on score, owner ratings, pros and cons.

Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch

9.1/10 Excellent

4.6★ (4,200 owners)

AMOLED, 11-day, offline music, Training Readiness. Best entry Garmin AMOLED with music.

Full Review

Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch

9.2/10 Excellent

4.5★ (2,400 owners)

Solar charging, 60-day battery, titanium, 10,000m+ maps, offline navigation. Expedition endurance watch.

Full Review

At a Glance

	Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch	Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch
247Verdict Score	9.1/10	9.2/10
Owner Rating	4.6★ (4,200)	4.5★ (2,400)
Verdict	Excellent	Excellent
Battery	11 days	60 days + solar

Quick Verdict

This is a genuine draw — both score within 0.15 points of each other. Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch: AMOLED, 11-day, offline music, Training Readiness. Best entry Garmin AMOLED with music. Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch: Solar charging, 60-day battery, titanium, 10,000m+ maps, offline navigation. Expedition endurance watch. Choose based on your specific needs. Check the current price on Amazon →

Pros & Cons Side by Side

Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch

AMOLED at under £180
11-day battery life
Offline music storage for phone-free runs
Training Readiness score
Daily Suggested Workouts

No race predictor
Single-band GPS
No maps

Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch

60-day battery with solar extends indefinitely in good light — no charging anxiety on multi-week expeditions
Titanium construction at 57g is stronger and lighter than steel while withstanding extreme conditions
10,000 online routes included with Suunto App subscription — no separate map purchase
Offline navigation with topographic maps works without phone or internet signal
Suunto's Finnish engineering heritage specifically focused on mountain and trail sports

Suunto App subscription required for full map library and route planning features
Bulkier than Garmin Forerunner or Coros Pace 3 at 49mm case size
Touch screen absent — navigation is button-only in field conditions

FAQ

Which is better, Garmin Forerunner 165 Music or Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar?

Is the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music worth the extra cost?

The Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch matches or exceeds it at a potentially lower price point.

Who is the Garmin Forerunner 165 Music best suited to?

AMOLED, 11-day, offline music, Training Readiness. Best entry Garmin AMOLED with music.

Who is the Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar best suited to?

Solar charging, 60-day battery, titanium, 10,000m+ maps, offline navigation. Expedition endurance watch.

What are the main downsides of each?

Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch: No race predictor; Single-band GPS. Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch: Suunto App subscription required for full map library and route planning features; Bulkier than Garmin Forerunner or Coros Pace 3 at 49mm case size.

Do owner ratings agree with our verdict?

Largely, yes — Garmin Forerunner 165 Music GPS Watch sits at 4.6★ from 4,200 verified Amazon owners, and Suunto Vertical Titanium Solar GPS Watch at 4.5★ from 2,400.

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Links below are affiliate links.