In a surprising move, it sounds as though the upcoming Garmin Forerunner 265 and Garmin Forerunner 965 watches might arrive very soon – possibly within weeks.
The reliable fttest_en on Twitter has obtained screenshots from European retailer Runningxpert showing listing pages for both watches, indicating that they will soon be ready to go on sale. The listing has now been pulled, but information on new devices often leaks through retailers being overly keen.
The SKU codes aren't ones that have been used before, suggesting these page haven't simply been copied and pasted from other listings. Considering we've already seen a few leaks regarding the 265, all signs are pointing to a release later this year – and potentially quite soon.
Spot the difference
So what will these new watches have to offer that their predecessors don't? It's hard to say for sure, but it seems like the main change is likely to be new screen technology.
Late last year, a photo showing what appeared to be an early version of the Forerunner 265 leaked online. The watch appears to have a very similar design to the Forerunner 255, but appears to have a bright AMOLED display rather than the memory-in-pixel screen of its predecessor.
Like the Forerunner 255, it seems that the 265 will come in at least two sizes; the watch in the images is marked '265S', meaning it's smaller than the standard model.
Unlike the upcoming Garmin Venu 2, the Forerunner 265 doesn't have wireless charging. The photo of the watch back shows the same USB charging port you'll find on almost all Garmin watches released in recent years.
I ran the photos through an error level analysis tool to see whether they were likely to have been manipulated, and other than the black boxes used to obscure the serial number, there are no obvious signs of tampering.
Training tech
I don't predict too many changes in terms of training features, unless Garmin pulls something surprising out of the bag. Both the Forerunner 955 and 255 are superb at what they do, and include all of the company's latest training tech including multi-band GPS and SatIQ, which automatically choses the best GPS mode for your environment.
The Forerunner 200 series were originally mid-level running watches designed for people who want to take their training to the next level and get serious about racing. They offered more features than the entry-level Forerunner 50 series, and were dedicated specifically to running.
Garmin shook things up with the release of the Forerunner 255, which was an entry-level triathlon watch. The decision made perfect sense; the Forerunner 55, launched a year prior, is a superb device that covers everything from Parkruns to marathons, eliminating the need for two different running-specific watches.
The Forerunner 900 series are serious multi-sports watches. Most of their training tools relate to running, cycling, swimming, and triathlons, but they also cater to a huge array of other activities, including water sports and golf.
If you can't wait for the 265 and 965, take a look at our guide to the best Garmin watches for reviews and ratings of all the latest models. We've also rounded up today's best Garmin deals so you can find the biggest savings on GPS watches, sat-navs, and other tech.
- Best GPS watches: models from Garmin, Apple and more tested and rated
