Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| GPS mode | 38 h | 24 h |
| Smartwatch mode | 17 days | 13 days |
Between the PACE 3 and Forerunner 265, the PACE 3 comes out ahead in gps mode / smartwatch mode, while the Forerunner 265 wins on several specs. Overall, the PACE 3 scores 71.4 and the Forerunner 265 scores 69.5 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (71.4 vs 69.5). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the PACE 3 if you care most about gps mode / smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are gps mode, smartwatch mode. The single most decisive one: GPS mode — 58.33% more. 38 h vs 24 h.
The Forerunner 265 similarly does not carry a headline advantage on the popular specs — look at the full table for category-specific deltas.
Both ship with comparable multi-band gps, solar charging, ecg, so those specs do not separate the two — focus on the differences below.
Bottom line: there is no wrong answer here — match the spec advantages to how you actually use the product. The Mars Score parity says both are well-rounded; the differences are about trade-offs, not quality.
Which should you buy: Coros - PACE 3 or Garmin - Forerunner 265?
Coros - PACE 3 leads the current Mars Score by 1.9 points.The more useful decision is the trade-off behind that result: compare smartwatch mode, gps mode against the way you will actually use the product.
Choose Coros - PACE 3 if…
Coros - PACE 3 has the measurable edge on battery gps hours, battery smartwatch days.
Choose Garmin - Forerunner 265 if…
Garmin - Forerunner 265 does not lead a decisive measured field here, so choose it for price, ecosystem, design, or availability when those matter more to you.
This is a structured comparison of the published catalog values. It is not a claim of identical real-world performance across every workload; use the linked spec drill-downs and methodology page to inspect the inputs.
Why Coros - PACE 3 wins
- ▲GPS mode — 58.33% more. 38 h vs 24 h.
- ▲Smartwatch mode — 30.77% more. 17 days vs 13 days.
Why Garmin - Forerunner 265 wins
- No decisive advantages.
Spec comparison
GPS & Sensors
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-band GPS | true | true |
| Barometric altimeter | truelead | false |
| Heart rate | true | true |
| ECG | false | false |
| Pulse Ox | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | 17 dayslead | 13 days |
| GPS mode | 38 hlead | 24 h |
| Solar charging | false | false |
Design
| Spec | Coros - PACE 3 | Garmin - Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 42 mm | 46 mmlead |
| Weight | 39 glead | 47 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 5 ATM |