WhoopvsGarmin
Whoop 5.0 vs Garmin Forerunner 965: comparison
Whoop 5.0 vs Garmin Forerunner 965 using the data from our reviews: score, who each one is for, and their strengths and weaknesses.
Summary of both reviews
| Whoop 5.0 | Garmin Forerunner 965 | |
|---|---|---|
| Our score | 80/100 | 84/100 |
| Who it is for | People who train daily and want a screenless band that combines recovery, strain and sleep, and who accept paying an annual membership without being able to buy the hardware on its own. | Runners and triathletes who want a watch with multi-band GPS, maps and HRV and readiness metrics for training, and who prefer weeks of battery to phone features. |
| Skip it if | You want a screen, built-in GPS or a one-time payment, or you would rather track sleep with a ring that stays off your wrist. | You want a watch with voice calls, ECG or the brightest display in the range, or you would rather use a ring or band for sleep with nothing bulky on your wrist. |
| Check price | Check price on Amazon | Check price on Amazon |
Each score comes from its full review, with its sources and criteria. The two scores are only comparable within the same type of product.
Whoop 5.0
Pros
- • Overnight heart rate and HRV show good agreement with an ECG reference in published studies, although those were done with the Whoop 4.0 and 3.0, not the 5.0, and some have funding ties to Whoop.
- • Stated 14-day battery and charging while the band is on your wrist via the wireless PowerPack, so you never have to take it off.
- • No screen or notifications: it makes you look at the data only when it suits you, and fits anyone who wants to disconnect from their watch.
Cons
- • Mandatory membership: the hardware cannot be bought on its own and, according to the Whoop forum, when the membership ends the company stops collecting and analyzing your data.
- • There is no published independent validation of the 5.0: the evidence is for the 3.0 and 4.0, and sleep staging by phase is only moderate.
- • No built-in GPS or screen: it relies on your phone for routes and for almost everything else.
Garmin Forerunner 965
Pros
- • Battery of up to 23 days in watch mode and up to 31 hours of GPS, according to Garmin's manual, although the figure drops with multi-band GPS and the always-on display.
- • Multi-band GPS with SatIQ, which switches modes to save battery; in DC Rainmaker’s test the running and cycling tracks came out clean.
- • Overnight HRV and a daily training readiness score with no mandatory fee: existing Garmin Connect features remain free, according to Garmin.
Cons
- • It is the previous model: the Forerunner 970 adds a brighter sapphire display, flashlight, speaker and microphone, and ECG.
- • No ECG sensor, and in specialist tests the optical HR failed in very short intervals.
- • With the always-on display, battery life falls well below the advertised 23 days, and Garmin also offers an optional subscription (Connect+) that covers new features.
Whoop 5.0
What the Whoop 5.0 band measures, how well it has been validated, how long the battery lasts and what a mandatory membership means versus Oura and Garmin.
Garmin Forerunner 965
What the Garmin Forerunner 965 measures, how long its battery really lasts, what remains free in Garmin Connect and whether it beats the Forerunner 970.