Where they actually differ
The most decisive specs, ranked by how much they matter — before the full spec table.
| Spec | Garmin - Forerunner 265 | Suunto - Race |
|---|---|---|
| GPS mode | 24 h | 120 h |
| Smartwatch mode | 13 days | 12 days |
Between the Forerunner 265 and Race, the Forerunner 265 comes out ahead in smartwatch mode, while the Race wins on gps mode. Overall, the Forerunner 265 scores 69.5 and the Race scores 70.6 on our Mars Score.
Which should you buy?
These two are nearly even on the Mars Score (69.5 vs 70.6). The decision is not about overall quality — both clear the bar — it is about which specific trade-offs fit your use.
Pick the Forerunner 265 if you care most about smartwatch mode. The biggest gaps in its favor are smartwatch mode. The single most decisive one: Smartwatch mode — 8.33% more. 13 days vs 12 days.
Pick the Race if you care most about gps mode. Its strongest claims are gps mode. The single most decisive one: GPS mode — 400.00% more. 120 h vs 24 h.
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: Garmin - Forerunner 265 or Suunto - Race?
Suunto - Race leads the current Mars Score by 1.1 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 Garmin - Forerunner 265 if…
Garmin - Forerunner 265 has the measurable edge on battery smartwatch days.
Choose Suunto - Race if…
Suunto - Race has the measurable edge on battery gps hours.
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 Garmin - Forerunner 265 wins
- ▲Smartwatch mode — 8.33% more. 13 days vs 12 days.
Why Suunto - Race wins
- ▲GPS mode — 400.00% more. 120 h vs 24 h.
Spec comparison
GPS & Sensors
| Spec | Garmin - Forerunner 265 | Suunto - Race |
|---|---|---|
| Multi-band GPS | true | true |
| Barometric altimeter | false | truelead |
| Heart rate | true | true |
| ECG | false | false |
| Pulse Ox | true | true |
Battery
| Spec | Garmin - Forerunner 265 | Suunto - Race |
|---|---|---|
| Smartwatch mode | 13 dayslead | 12 days |
| GPS mode | 24 h | 120 hlead |
| Solar charging | false | false |
Design
| Spec | Garmin - Forerunner 265 | Suunto - Race |
|---|---|---|
| Case size | 46 mm | 49 mmlead |
| Weight | 47 glead | 83 g |
| Water resistanceⓘ | 5 ATM | 10 ATMlead |