Anyone hunting for a Garmin watch has no reason to wait. First, there was a “Garmin holiday sale” on many of its best last-generation watches; then, Garmin officially launched its Black Friday sale with hundreds off its newest and best watches, including the Fenix 8. Almost the full lineup is discounted!
Since I have reviewed virtually every Garmin watch of the last few years — with my colleagues handling the rest — I’m well-placed to tell you which is best suited to your lifestyle. Are you a runner or couch-to-5Ker? Gym rat or dedicated 10,000-steps-a-dayer? Whatever the case, I’ll point you to the best cheap and splurge options for each category of athlete.
Quick links
- (2024) Garmin Forerunner 165:
$249$199 at Best Buy - (2025) Garmin Vivoactive 6:
$299$249 at Best Buy - (2024) Garmin Lily 2 Active:
$249$199 at Best Buy - (2025) Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED:
$399$299 ($100 off) at Best Buy - (2023) Garmin Forerunner 265:
$449.99$299.99 ($150 off) at Best Buy - (2025) Garmin Forerunner 570:
$549$449 ($100 off) at Best Buy - (2023) Garmin epix Pro (Gen 2):
$1,099.99$538.99 (51% off) at Amazon - (2025) Garmin Venu X1:
$799.99$599.99 ($200 off) at Best Buy - (2024) Garmin Fenix 8:
$999.99$749.99 ($250 off) at Best Buy
Black Friday Garmin deals for beginners and deal-hunters
If you’re new to the Garmin brand, you shouldn’t spend close to a grand on a Fenix 8 until you know that you like the Garmin OS and that you will work out enough to justify the switch. While most Garmin watches are expensive, there are a few I’d recommend that give you the essentials for less.
For walkers and beginner gym-goers: The Garmin Vivoactive 6 is “perfect if you’re serious about fitness, but not that serious,” as our reviewer described it. “Casual gym-goers” will appreciate the indoor workout guides with animations and muscle maps for each exercise on your wrist, as well as the accurate HR data and comfortably skinny design. For other casual athletes, you’ll get daily walking suggestions, helping you to hit your 10,000 steps a day and lose weight.
For women: All of my picks above and below apply to women and men, to be clear, but if you want a particularly stylish Garmin watch that doesn’t skimp on fitness tools, the Lily 2 Active is a particular favorite of my sister’s, with a gorgeous patterned lens available in multiple colors that disguises how sporty the device is beneath the surface.
Black Friday Garmin deals for runners
As a runner myself, I’d be thrilled with the options available. Every major Forerunner watch of the last few years — 165, 265, 570, 965, and 970 — has a significant discount; you just have to decide how much you’re willing to spend.
Beginner runners: The Forerunner 165 is the best running watch for most people because it offers accurate data, daily workout and recovery suggestions, structured Garmin Coach plans, and post-run Training Effect for an affordable price. I highly recommend it for anyone new to Garmin before they start diving into the more advanced metrics.
Intermediate runners: The Forerunner 265 is a fantastic deal at $150 off, giving you extra battery life, dual-band GPS, Training Readiness estimates, and a training load focus widget that judges whether you need more low-aerobic or anaerobic workouts to improve your VO2 Max, without having to rely on Garmin’s workout suggestions.
Expert runners: This is a much more difficult choice! The Forerunner 965 is a personal favorite, with 23-day battery life and premium perks like real-time stamina, Endurance/ Hill scores offline topographic maps, and Strava Live Segments that serious runners will appreciate, and it’s $150-off deal is excellent.
The newer Forerunner 570, which costs the same at $100 off, focuses more on other perks: a 2,000-nit display, fifth-generation HR sensors that are more accurate, a mic & speaker for Bluetooth calling and commands, and the Health Status widget. But it’s the Forerunner 970 that combines the best smarts and training tools into one incredible package, if you can afford it.
Black Friday Garmin deals for hikers
If you’re someone who spends lots of time hiking or rucking on trails, Garmin watches will give you the ruggedness, accurate GPS in challenging conditions, and maps that you’ll need to enjoy the wilderness safely.
Affordable battery life: The Garmin Instinct 3 is the obvious recommendation, especially at $100 off. It has MIL-STD-810 and 10ATM ratings for durability, with a design that looks bulky but is lighter than it looks. You can choose the MIP option and get “unlimited” battery life thanks to a hyper-efficient Solar glass panel, or the AMOLED option that’s kinder on your eyes but still hits 18–24 days of battery life, depending on the size you pick.
Affordable premium option: While I could recommend a Fenix 8 Pro for its cellular and satellite connectivity, most people aren’t going to buy a $1,099 ($100 off) deal. Instead, I’ll point most hikers to the Epix Pro (Gen 2), which gives you 90% of the same perks as a Fenix 8 for significantly less, including an AMOLED display with sapphire glass, fifth-generation sensors for the best accuracy, a flashlight for your tent at night, a stylish titanium bezel, and offline maps to navigate tricky trails.
Best premium Garmin Black Friday deals
If you’re someone willing to spend Fenix-level money on a Garmin, then go for it! The Fenix 8 is $250 off on Best Buy, hitting the lowest price we’ve ever seen, and you’ll get the best features available. That said, I want to point you to some options that are a bit more affordable, but still give you a fantastic all-around experience.
Best Garmin watch: The Garmin Venu 4 is the “ideal fitness watch for everyone,” making significant upgrades over its predecessor in style, GPS accuracy, and training tools, essentially cramming the smarts of a Forerunner into a more attractive design for those who aren’t a fan of Garmin’s typical plastic-heavy, five-button aesthetic.
Best for Apple Watch converts: I have a particular soft spot for the Venu X1, which doesn’t look anything like a traditional Garmin watch. It’s incredibly skinny (7.9mm), lightweight (40g with strap), and large (2-inch, 2,000-nit AMOLED), with the premium features you’d get from the Forerunner 970. Choose this if you like the Apple Watch Ultra 3 aesthetic but would rather charge it every eight days instead of two.
Other Black Friday deals
FAQ
When is Black Friday?
Black Friday is set for November 28th, which is the day after the Thanksgiving holiday in the United States. Although the official date is still a week away, I’m finding that retailers are launching their sales much earlier than recent years, so don’t wait if you see a Low Stock warning on one of your desired items.
Where can I find the best Garmin deals
Retailers like Amazon and Best Buy tend to have the best Garmin watch deals this time of year, but it never hurts to check Garmin.com to see what official discounts are available. If you don’t mind using refurbished tech, you can also check sites like Backmarket.com for hefty discounts on renewed smartwatches.
What is the best Garmin watch?
Although it’s really going to depend on your individual needs, we generally consider the Venu 4 to be one of the best Garmin watches for most folks. This is namely due to the watch’s approachable price tag, high-end fitness features, and battery life. You can check our guide on the best Garmin watches for a more in-depth look at our top nine picks for every category.
