Is Amazon Prime Day 2022 a good time to buy a Garmin smartwatch?

a photo of the heart rate chart on Garmin Forerunner 255
(Image credit: Future/Jane McGuire)

In case you haven’t noticed, we’re now in the depths of Amazon Prime Day — Amazon’s two-day sale that starts on July 12, and finishes at midnight on July 13. There’s a huge array of Prime Day deals worth shopping, including some Prime Day treadmill deals and Prime Day exercise bike deals if you’re thinking about building yourself a home gym.

But if you’ve been waiting till Prime Day to invest in a new Garmin running watch or smartwatch, you might be wondering if today is a good time to buy. 

As a fitness editor, I test running watches for a living, and it’s safe to say, Garmin makes some of the best running watches on the market. All of the best Garmin watches have built-in GPS, the ability to track several different sports, giving you real-time data on the move, as well as your steps, calories-burned sleep, heart rate, and menstrual cycle. All of the Garmin watches connect to your phone via the Garmin Connect app, which displays all of your data in an easy-to-read format. 

 But should you invest today? Read on to find out more. 

Are Garmin smartwatches worth investing in? 

In a word, yes. Although finding the best Garmin watch depends on your needs and your budget. Some Garmin smartwatches are designed to be more of a fitness tracker, that’ll count your steps, distance and calories burned, but aren’t necessarily the tech you’d want on your wrist if you were, say, running a marathon.

Others are clearly designed with hardcore athletes and outdoor enthusiasts in mind. Garmin watches range from the $149 Garmin Forerunner 55, to the $999 Fenix 7X Sapphire Solar Editon, so it's a good idea to know exactly what you're looking for before investing.

As one of the biggest smartwatch manufacturers on the market, Garmin smartwatches are popular for a reason — they are easy to navigate around, they are hard-working and they are extremely durable. 

A photo of the sleep data on the Garmin Fenix 7

(Image credit: Future)

Why should you buy a Garmin on Amazon Prime Day? 

There are a number of brilliant deals on Garmin watches today, which we’ve hand-picked below, so if you’re on a budget, today is a good time to buy. A lot of the deals are on last season's watches, like the Garmin Forerunner 245 and the Garmin Fenix 6, which are on sale because newer versions have been released this year. That said, they are still excellent watches, and well worth looking at. 

For a sport that is often regarded as ‘free’, running can get expensive. By the time you’ve shopped for a pair of the best running shoes, and paid for entry to a race or two, things can get expensive. Plus, with the cost of living going up, if you are looking to upgrade your tech without breaking the bank, shopping on Prime Day is a good option. 

Plus, Prime Day falls in the summer, which is right at the start of most training blocks for autumn marathons, so if you do fall into this category, it’s a good time to invest in a new watch. If you’re not a runner, summer is also a great time to be exercising outdoors, and there’s nothing like the motivation of a new watch on your wrist to make that happen. 

a photo of the Garmin Instinct 2 on a rock

(Image credit: Future/Tom's Guide)

Why should you not buy a Garmin in the Amazon Prime Day sales? 

Traditionally, it’s only last season's watches that drop in the Prime Day sales, so if you have your eye on a newer watch, you’re probably going to be disappointed. If you are looking at the Forerunner 255, or the Fenix 7, the Prime Day sales aren’t going to be for you. That said, we’ve looked at the Forerunner 245 vs the Forerunner 255 and the Fenix 6 vs the Fenix 7, so if you are on the fence, have a read before shopping. 

What’s more, while some retailers also time their summer sales to compete, Prime Day is mainly just on Amazon, so if you’d rather shop elsewhere, it’s probably not essential you invest in a watch on these two days. 

What are the best Amazon Prime Day Garmin deals?

Garmin Forerunner 735: was $349 now $169 @ Amazon

Garmin Forerunner 735: was $349 now $169 @ Amazon
The Garmin Forerunner 735 is the best watch for athletes who want more functionality than the Forerunner 45 but don’t need all the bells and whistles of the Forerunner 945. It’s also a popular watch with triathletes, as it has multisport modes. The watch currently has 51% off in the Prime Day sales, so it’s a good time to buy. Read our Garmin Forerunner 735 review for more info here. 

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music: was $349 now $239 @ Amazon

Garmin Forerunner 245 Music: was $349 now $239 @ Amazon
We rated the Garmin Forerunner 245 the best Garmin watch for most people before the recent launch of the Forerunner 255 knocked it off the top spot. That said, it’s still an excellent watch, with the ability to track most sports, and hold up to 500 songs. Plus, it’s got $110 off in the Prime Day sale. Read our Garmin Forerunner 245 review here to find out more. 

 Garmin Forerunner 945: was $599 now $379 @ Amazon  

 Garmin Forerunner 945: was $599 now $379 @ Amazon  
The Garmin Forerunner 945 is designed for triathletes, trail runners, and other endurance sports fanatics. The Forerunner 945 offers the same training and recovery metrics as the Forerunner 245 and 745 while adding metrics for tracking heat and altitude, which are important for determining the difficulty of a key workout. It’s on sale because it’s been upgraded with the Forerunner 955, but it’s still a fantastic watch, and this is a fantastic deal, with over $200 off. Read our Forerunner 955 review here.  

Garmin Enduro: was $899 now $549 @ Amazon  

Garmin Enduro: was $899 now $549 @ Amazon  
It’s a niche market, but if you’re looking for a watch to keep up with your ultramarathon running adventures, the Garmin Enduro will do just that. Its main selling point is its battery, which will literally last months on end, plus it has a whopping $350 off in the Prime Day sales. Read our full Garmin Enduro review to find out more. 

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro: was $599 now $449 @ Amazon
 

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro: was $599 now $449 @ Amazon
The Fenix 6 is the older version of the Garmin Fenix 7, but it’s still a top-of-the-range Garmin watch, with a huge number of advanced features. The Fenix 6 Pro has $150 off in the Prime Day sale. Read our Garmin Fenix 6 review here before shopping. 

Garmin Vivoactive 4: was $329 now $188 @ Amazon  

Garmin Vivoactive 4: was $329 now $188 @ Amazon  
Where the Garmin vivoactive 4 shines — and beats the other smartwatches on the market — is in its fitness-tracking capabilities. Along with Garmin’s industry-leading features for tracking training and recovery, the vivoactive 4 comes with preloaded exercises, such as yoga and Pilates, which play as guided animations directly on the watch. It’s currently got $141 off in the Prime Day sale. Plus, you can read our Garmin Vivoactive 4 review before shopping.  

Jane McGuire
Fitness editor

Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.