Pictures of unreleased Garmin watch leak, showing a fresh new design

Cat Ellis
·2 min read
Woman checking GPS watch during run in park.
Woman checking GPS watch during run in park.

Pictures of a hotly anticipated new Garmin watch have leaked, appearing to show a slim device with a smart looking two-tone silicone band. The images come via Indian gadget site 91mobiles, though the editors have chosen not to reveal their source.

The unreleased device is rumored to be a new entry-level running watch, the Forerunner 165, which appears to be similar to the Forerunner 55 in terms of specs, but with a bright new AMOLED display. Early details leaked via Garmin's own website a few days ago, and a watch that seems to match its description was approved for sale by the FCC last week, suggesting a launch may be imminent.

The new images reveal a few more details about the new watch and its specifications. The rear view shows that it will have the same optical heart rate sensor as the Forerunner 55, not the upgraded sensor used by the Fenix 7 Pro, which isn't too surprising for an entry-level watch. The older sensor is still excellent, and perfectly acceptable for beginner and intermediate runners.

Like all Forerunner watches, the 165 appears to have a resin case with a silicone band, which is likely to be light on the wrist. 91mobiles claims that it will come in three colorways (white, turquoise, and black), but has only shared pictures of the black and white versions.

Garmin's designers have been getting more creative with watch bands in recent months. The QuickFit bands for the Garmin Forerunner 265 and 965 both have a striking contrasting color on the inside, and the 165 takes things a step further with a distinctive stripe right down the center of the strap. Hopefully these new bands will also be available to buy separately for other compatible watches.

We still don't know when this new watch is likely to land, but the increasing pace of leaks suggests that it could be very soon. We'll keep our ears to the ground and keep you updated as soon as we know more. In the meantime, you might be interested in our roundup of the best cheap GPS watches, which includes lots of options for new runners, including some with AMOLED displays and surprisingly modest price tags.