The Garmin Black Friday deals are coming in fast, and with such a wide range of watches available at discounted prices, it can be hard to work out which one to go for. Hopefully, I can help — I’ve tested pretty much every watch in the Garmin range and I’ve picked out three watches on sale right now that will suit different people.
The best Garmin watch for you depends on what you plan to do with it, so finding the watch that suits your favorite activity, fitness level and budget is important. The three Garmins I’ve picked are the Garmin Forerunner 165 for those just starting a fitness kick, the Garmin Forerunner 265 for the seriously sporty — think marathon runner or triathlete — and the Garmin Epix 2 as a top-of-the-range rugged sports watch with maps.
I’ll dive into the deals available on those watches and why I’ve picked them below, but I also wanted to shout out the Garmin Lily 2, which is reduced to $199 at Best Buy, as a Garmin that offers something a little different to the rest of the range thanks to its jewelry-inspired design.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 is the entry-level Forerunner in Garmin’s range and its cheapest watch with an AMOLED screen. It still packs in a wealth of features for sports and activity tracking though, and it’s a good-looking watch with smart features like NFC payments and music storage (on the Forerunner 165 Music).
I’m a very keen runner and the Forerunner 165 served all my needs well during testing. Even if it lacks some of the features you get on more expensive Garmins like more detailed training analysis and dual-band GPS, it caters to beginners brilliantly. It even suggests running or cycling workouts to do each day to get fitter.
The Garmin Forerunner 165 has hit its lowest price ever in the Black Friday sales. You can get the standard Forerunner 165 for $199 at Amazon, or spend $50 more to get the Forerunner 165 Music for $249 at Amazon.
When people ask me which Garmin to get, my first instinct is almost always to recommend the Garmin Forerunner 265. It’s a great all-rounder and an upgrade on the Forerunner 165 for sporty people thanks to the enhanced training analysis, longer battery life and improved dual-band GPS accuracy.
It also looks good, with a bright AMOLED screen, and comes in two sizes so you can get a smaller model if you have a thin wrist. It also has NFC payments and music storage, and it’s a triathlon watch with a multisport mode — something you don’t get on the Forerunner 165.
Both sizes of the watch are reduced to their lowest ever price at several retailers right now, with all colors included in the sale. You can get the Garmin Forerunner 265 for $349 at Amazon, a $100 saving.
If you want a top-of-the-line Garmin this Black Friday, look no further than this huge discount on the Garmin Epix 2, which has dropped to its lowest ever price. You can get the Epix 2 sapphire titanium edition for $399, which is more durable than the steel version.
The Garmin Epix 2 can handle anything you throw at it. It’s great for adventurers thanks to the offline maps and rugged build, and perfect for sports too thanks to the accurate tracking and extensive training analysis. I’ve run four marathons with the Epix 2 myself and it’s never let me down.
It’s also a more elegant watch than the Forerunners thanks to its metal case, and the AMOLED display improves its looks without completely wrecking the Epix 2’s battery life. It will still last five days with heavy use and the screen always on. However, if you do want longer battery life, try the Garmin Enduro 2, which is reduced from $999 to $749 at Best Buy.
