Amazfit Cheetah Pro vs Garmin Forerunner 265
Quick verdict
Choose the Amazfit Cheetah Pro if…
- You want offline maps and more than double the battery for a similar price
- You're moving up to ultras and don't want to carry a power bank
Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 if…
- You already live in Garmin Connect (plans, history, segments)
- You mostly race up to mountain marathons and train on plans
For maximum autonomy on long ultras, Amazfit Cheetah Pro lasts longer in GPS mode. If you want the lightest watch on your wrist, go for Amazfit Cheetah Pro. Only Amazfit Cheetah Pro brings onboard topo maps for navigation. Both sit in the same price segment, so let battery, weight and the feature you value most decide.
Amazfit Cheetah Pro or Garmin Forerunner 265? GPS battery (44 h vs 20 h), weight (43 g vs 47 g), maps and multi-band, with a clear verdict and a check of whether each lasts your whole race.
Pick by what you need
- If you need maps and navigation on your wrist → Amazfit Cheetah Pro
- If you run ultras or very long outings (44 h of GPS) → Amazfit Cheetah Pro
- If you want the lightest (43 g) → Amazfit Cheetah Pro
Radar: where each watch wins
Absolute 0–100 scale, no exaggerated gaps: a tie stays a tie. Amazfit Cheetah Pro leads on 5 of 6 axes.
| Axis | Amazfit Cheetah Pro | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| GPS battery | 37/100 | 17/100 |
| Everyday battery | 47/100 | 43/100 |
| Lightness | 87/100 | 80/100 |
| Maps | 100/100 | 0/100 |
| Multi-band GPS | 43/100 | 23/100 |
| Display & extras | 100/100 | 100/100 |
GPS: 120 h = 100 · Weight: 35 g = 100, 95 g = 0 · Multi-band: by its battery (60 h = 100) · Display: AMOLED + music.
Spec-by-spec comparison
| Spec | Amazfit Cheetah Pro | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|
| GPS battery | 44 h | 20 h |
| Multi-band battery | 26 h | 14 h |
| Smartwatch | 14 days | 13 days |
| Weight | 43 g | 47 g |
| Maps | ✓ | – |
| Multi-band | ✓ | ✓ |
| Music | ✓ | ✓ |
| Display | AMOLED | AMOLED |
| Price | Mid-range | Mid-range |
| Where to buy | View on Amazon(opens in a new tab) | View on Amazon(opens in a new tab) |
GPS battery = each manufacturer's standard GPS mode; multi-band = dual-frequency (maximum accuracy). On Suunto, Polar Grit and Amazfit T-Rex the GPS figure already corresponds to dual-band mode. Figures verified against the manufacturer.
AmazfitAmazfit Cheetah ProRunning watch with dual-band GPS, offline maps and a 1.45" AMOLED display, at a fraction of a Garmin's price. 44 h in GPS mode (26 h dual-band), onboard music and just 43 g. Titanium bezel and AI coach. The value pick for runners who want navigation without overspending.
View on Amazon(opens in a new tab)GarminGarmin Forerunner 265Running watch with AMOLED display, dual-frequency multi-band GPS and onboard music. 20 h in GPS mode (14 h multi-band) and 13 days in smartwatch mode, at 47 g. The perfect balance of accuracy, advanced metrics and price for training and racing from 10K to marathon.
View on Amazon(opens in a new tab)Will it last your race? Real battery across 300 races
We estimated a mid-pack runner's finish time for every race in our calendar (distance, elevation and terrain) and added a 25% safety margin. Here's the result:
Amazfit Cheetah Pro lasts 285 of 300 races
Garmin Forerunner 265 lasts 229 of 300 races
We couldn't find that race in our calendar. Try another name or the town.
| Race | Battery needed | Amazfit Cheetah Pro | Garmin Forerunner 265 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sierra Cazorla Trails65 km · 3750 m+ | 20 h | Lasts | Lasts |
| 3 Días Trail Ibiza73.5 km · 3200 m+ | 20 h | Lasts | Lasts |
| Falcotrail71 km · 3600 m+ | 21 h | Lasts | Dies |
| MOUNTAINMAN Nesselwang70 km · 3900 m+ | 24 h | Lasts | Dies |
| Ultra-Trail Guara Somontano82 km · 4700 m+ | 28 h | Lasts | Dies |
| Maxi-Race Annecy101 km · 5400 m+ | 32 h | Lasts | Dies |
| EDP DesafiOSOmiedo70 km · 8000 m+ | 36 h | Lasts | Dies |
| Trail Menorca Camí de Cavalls185 km · 3500 m+ | 45 h | Dies | Dies |
Estimate for a mid-pack runner on the longest distance, standard GPS on ultras and multi-band on races under 12 h. Tap a race to see the watches we recommend for it.
Verdict
For maximum autonomy on long ultras, Amazfit Cheetah Pro lasts longer in GPS mode. If you want the lightest watch on your wrist, go for Amazfit Cheetah Pro. Only Amazfit Cheetah Pro brings onboard topo maps for navigation. Both sit in the same price segment, so let battery, weight and the feature you value most decide.
Analysis: where they really differ
The mid-range duel for runners who want AMOLED, multi-band and music. On paper the Amazfit Cheetah Pro wins clearly: 44 h GPS vs 20 h, offline maps the Forerunner 265 lacks, and 4 g lighter. Garmin answers with its ecosystem: more mature training metrics, adaptive plans and the Connect platform. For trail, battery matters a lot: at 20 h the 265 falls short on long ultras, as the race table below shows.
Choose the Amazfit Cheetah Pro if…
- You want offline maps and more than double the battery for a similar price
- You're moving up to ultras and don't want to carry a power bank
- Hardware matters more to you than the software ecosystem
Choose the Garmin Forerunner 265 if…
- You already live in Garmin Connect (plans, history, segments)
- You mostly race up to mountain marathons and train on plans
- You value mature metrics like training status and overnight HRV