Go for 965 or for 955 solar

I agree with you mate, I've now had a 945 for almost 3 years now, I've never had a problem looking at the display in any light condition, while I find it a big nuisance to turn my wrist every time and above all to have the panel off all the time. Reading the beta forums I saw that by now the SW are almost the same as well as the stability, on the other hand there is a 100 euro difference, the only thing I regret about the 965 is the 1.4" display, at 54 years every millimeter makes a difference to the eye

I’m 53 and my eyes aren’t what they used to be.

I recently replaced my 935 with a 965.

About screen size, I don’t notice any difference. Have to say, I only use 4 datafield on 1 screen. They where readable on my 935, and they are readable on my 965. Really not a difference at all. Might be if you cramp the screen full with whatever datafield you can find.

Same goes for watchface. I have limited use of datafields on my watchface. (Date, messages, battery and alarmclock indicator)

I now have maps. Used breadcrumb navigation on different watches for over 10 years. Never got lost. Sometimes, on difficult junctions, it’s hard to see, especially on trails. But maps on a tiny screen are even harder to see. 

The smaller bezel looks better. But there isn’t any added functionality in that.

Yes, and aggressive auto-dimming

I understand the aesthetics side of it. The bezel on my 935 was huge. Suunto has a new watch out. It looks better than the garmin forerunner series (in my opinion), also has maps (but with a slightly limited function), is a bit cheaper than a 965. But… it still has these enormous bezels. Yeh, first world problem.

It’s good to have different opinions out. Someone might say, I don’t have a need for more than 4 datafields, others might be triggered by the discussion about a bigger screen to finally be able to use more datafields.

I’ve been using breadcrumb navigation for over 10 years and it always lead me to the finish. Sonetimes I had to stop at difficult junctions, but at the moment I find myself doing the same with maps. That has also something to do that autozoom doesn’t work that well. I also had a problem with a route I created on garmin explorer, that has more details on tiny paths. My watch decided to reroute that course to paths it did know. It shouldn’t do that. The tiny paths are there in real life. Never had that problem with breadcrumb navigation.

There is an option when following a course if you want to re-routing or just be left alone when going off-course.
Activity Settings > Navigation > Courses

As from Garmin docs

Courses

Sets how you navigate courses using the watch. Use the Follow Course option to navigate a course exactly as it appears, without recalculating. Use the Use Map option to navigate a course using routable maps, and recalculate the route if you stray from the course.

Well, that option is already on “follow coursel”

an other bug report on it’s way….

Looks like it, yeah.

I use 955 for 9 months, but I had always some little problems because the software it's yet full of bugs. Altimeter was always incorrect, battery life with 3 hour of activity per week was 5 days, and the general impression of a rather imprecise device, Vo2max not changing, lactate threshold not changing, heart rate little bit higher, etc. I have the 965 from 3 weeks and the first general impression are a more precise e more reactive device. The amoled screen it's perfect also under the sun, but give to the device a more wonderful look, also for titanium bezel.

In general it seems to me to wear a completely different and decidedly renewed device (965) with less software bugs compared to the 955. The solar version of 955 is still affected by a bug on total solar charging whereby the battery is not recharged even though the software indicates yes. My friends has tested and reported this issue....

I suggest you to go on 965 at 100%.

Tried the 965 course navigation on a 50K bike ride, on my left wrist. On my right wrist my old 645.

The 965 is going back. Slower off/on course than my 645, turn alert same thing, and vibration softer too, sometimes I missed it.

Gestures sucks, at least on a bike ride.

3 hours ride, HR and Speed sensor connected, all out GPS, nothing else. Clear sky and I was riding by the coast. 25% battery drain by just looking at the map when I needed. 

Visibility is good in a sunny day with sunglasses, never had problems. However, everything looks smaller on the 965, due to the higher resolution, so I prefer the 645, easier to read, bigger arrows and such. 

Finally, at some point the 965 thought I was Moses cycling on the sea. That was funny, but also last nail in the coffin...

Here is a photo. Ignore the case and screen protector, they are for another watch, I was just afraid of scratching the 965.