When I reviewed the Garmin Fenix 8 last year, I called it a Frankenstein watch because it took the best parts from cheaper Garmin Forerunners, Instincts, and Venus and mashed them together into one device. Despite a major price increase, it still sold boatloads, breaking sales records as Garmin fans demanded the best.
So to get the Fenix 8 43mm AMOLED for $849 ($250 off) on Amazon instead of $1,099, it’s undeniably a great deal, as is the Fenix 8 51mm Solar for $849 ($350 off). Either option is a reasonable alternative to an Apple Watch Ultra 3, and much cheaper than people paid a year ago. Far be it from me to tell people not to buy what they want!
That being said, it is my job to offer alternatives. The Fenix 8 is Garmin’s best available watch, but you can find plenty of excellent Garmin watches at much lower prices that offer 95% of the same software, such as the Forerunner 970 for $649 ($100 off). Unless you’re a dedicated diver, surfer, or water skier, the Forerunner 970 will give you the tools you need for $200 less, even if the deal is less impressive on paper.
And even that might be too expensive for you! The question is, which Garmin watch Black Friday deal should you get?
Why I recommend other Garmin watches before the Fenix 8
The Fenix 8 came out in August 2024. After its launch, Fenix 7 Pro and Epix Pro (Gen 2) owners realized Garmin had stopped supporting its “last-gen” watches with new features, even though they’d paid close to a grand for them only a short time ago.
Since the Fenix 8 Pro launched this summer, we can assume Garmin will launch a Fenix 9 in summer 2026. Once it does, past history suggests Garmin will stop giving the Fenix 8 new features, upselling its most dedicated fans to the next generation. That also applies to other Garmin watches, but it’s easier to accept 1–2 years of updates when you’re paying half as much.
The Fenix 8 is absurdly packed with features for almost every sport out there. So ask yourself, how often will you use Garmin’s most niche sports modes, or can you live with a cheaper model that you have to take off once while snorkeling on vacation, or might “only” last two weeks per charge instead of three or four?
I reviewed Forerunner, Instinct, and Venu watches before I ever tried on a Fenix. I grew to appreciate their strong battery life, lightweight designs, and core training features, without realizing the niche tools that I was missing. And when I upgraded to the Forerunner 955 and 965 with top-class tools and battery, they only cost $499–599.
That’s why I don’t want people to overpay for the Fenix 8, just because I liked testing it after receiving a free review unit. Its impressiveness doesn’t mean I’d actually buy it myself! There are several great alternatives that I’d suggest first:
If you want long battery life, an AMOLED display, and advanced Fenix-class features: The Garmin Forerunner 970 is my first suggestion; if you want to spend even less, the Forerunner 965 is $449 ($150 off), with 23-day battery life, the same dual-band GPS accuracy, and top-class features like offline maps, Endurance Score, real-time stamina, MTB Grit & Flow, and Strava Live Segments, though not the newest 970/ Fenix 8 tricks like running tolerance and Strength Coach.
If you want a more stylish titanium watch: The Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) is $549 ($450 off), with most of the same perks like fifth-gen health sensors, mic & speaker for calling, a flashlight for safety at night, and sapphire glass, paired with an impressive 16-day battery life and all of the same tricks as the Forerunner 965.
You want cutting-edge features and style, but not the extras for: The Garmin Venu 4 is $499 ($50 off), with essentials like daily workout suggestions, training load, Bluetooth calling, health outliers from your baseline stats, and dual-band GPS. Its AMOLED display is twice as bright as the Fenix 8’s, and its two-button design blends in more than the Fenix 8’s sporty five-button look, while weighing less.
You want the same cutting-edge features in a much lighter design. The Fenix 8’s weight takes some getting used to, unless you buy the smaller model that lasts ten days. So why not shed a couple more days and buy the Venu X1 for $599 ($200 off)? It lasts eight days per charge, but in exchange, you get an absurdly light and skinny design that blends in for hours-long workouts, paired with a 2-inch display that’s much better than a Fenix 8’s for following maps.
Feel free to ignore my advice if you have the money for the Fenix 8 and don’t want to worry about the compromises of my other suggestions, like cheaper-looking polymer cases, fewer software perks, and shorter battery life. But I honestly think you shouldn’t let FOMO upsell you to the Fenix 8 when other Garmin watches give you close to the same experience for hundreds less.