I've tested every Garmin sports watch and this Forerunner 955 for $180 off is the Prime Day deal I'd get

I’ve been testing Garmin sports watches for nearly a decade and if that has taught me anything, it’s that you don’t need to buy the newest watch to get an excellent device. The Garmin Forerunner 955 is an older watch, but it's up to date with all of Garmin’s best features and going for just $319 in the Amazon Prime Day sale.

That’s a $180 discount on its MSRP, and while you rarely have to pay full price for the Forerunner 955 since the Garmin Forerunner 965 came out, I’ve not seen it drop as low as $319 before.

Garmin Forerunner 955: was $499 now $319
This $180 discount on the Garmin Forerunner 955 for Prime Day makes it the best value sports watch available from any brand. While an older watch, Garmin has kept the Forerunner 955 updated with all its best sports and smart features, including the brand’s best-in-class navigation and training analysis tools. The white version of the watch is the one included in the Prime Day sale, with the discount on the black watch only reducing it to $467.

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I’ve run hundreds of miles while wearing the Garmin Forerunner 955, and have tested the Garmin Forerunner 965 and the other top Garmin watches that have come out since the Forerunner 955 launched. 

While the newer watches do boast some hardware upgrades like AMOLED screens and improved heart rate sensors, the Forerunner 955 has been updated with all the software features that have been released since its launch. Its HR sensor is pretty reliable too (though I usually pair a chest strap with any watch anyway) and the LCD screen is not as bright as an AMOLED one, but this means the battery life is better on the 955 than the 965.

There is no better sports watch available for $319, that’s for sure. The Forerunner 955 offers extensive training analysis including a training readiness rating, accurate dual-band GPS tracking, color maps and Garmin’s unrivaled navigation tools like ClimbPro. It also has useful smart features like music storage with the ability to link up with Spotify, Deezer and Amazon Music accounts, and NFC payments.

I tested the solar version of the Forerunner 955, which has solar panels around the outside which can extend the battery life in sunny conditions. However, the Forerunner 955 Solar costs $100 more at MSRP and isn’t reduced, and I found unless I was outside in the sun for several hours a day the difference the panels made to battery life was negligible, so I’d definitely opt for the saving you get on the standard 955.

In the past I’ve seen the Forerunner 955 drop to $399 regularly in sales and even at that price it was the best value sports watch you could get, so at $319 it’s certainly my standout deal this Prime Day. And check out our Amazon Prime Day deals live blog for amazing savings on TVs, headphones, apparel and more.