Garmin - Forerunner 965 vs Garmin - Instinct 3 Tactical

The Instinct 3 Tactical edges ahead on the Mars Score (49.7 vs 56.8), but the 7.1-point gap is small enough that the right pick comes down to which spec advantages matter to you.

Pick the Forerunner 965 if you care most about multi-band gps. The biggest gaps in its favor are multi-band gps.

Pick the Instinct 3 Tactical if you care most about gps mode and smartwatch mode. Its strongest claims are gps mode, smartwatch mode, solar charging.

Both ship with comparable ecg, so those specs don't separate the two — focus on the differences below.

Bottom line: the Instinct 3 Tactical is the safer default. The other model is the right choice only when its specific advantages line up with your priorities.