Skip the Fenix and Epix: this is the one premium Garmin watch deal you should buy

Endurance score on the Garmin Forerunner 965

(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

Garmin's 2025 holiday sale is live, with the lowest prices ever on certain Fenix, Forerunner, Venu, and Instinct models. These deal prices may or may not last to Black Friday, but we can guarantee they won't fall any lower by November 28. So there's no reason to wait!

You'll find some major discounts like $250 off the Fenix 8 and $450 off the Epix Pro (Gen 2), if you want steel style and the newest features like a mic/ speaker, flashlight, and newer sensors. But many Garmin runners, cyclists, hikers, and triathletes won't need all the expensive bells and whistles, just strong battery life, a comfortable fit, and great training tools. And for that, the Garmin Forerunner 965 at $449 ($150 off) is the best deal you'll find.

When I gave the Forerunner 965 a 5-star review in 2023, I gushed about its 23-day battery life, paired with advanced training guidance that judged my stamina, ability to climb hills, training load focus, and overall endurance levels. It's significantly lighter and cheaper than my Fenix 8 but has most of the same training features and sports modes, minus a few niche tools for diving, surfing, and XC skiing.

The Garmin Forerunner 965 is jam-packed with tools that runners will love: hyper-accurate dual-band GPS, offline maps with landmarks and trail guides, daily suggested workouts, Garmin Run/ Cycling/ Strength Coaching, optimal training load guidance, Training Readiness with recovery suggestions, Hill and Endurance scores, Strava Live Segments, and much more.

If that all sounds like gibberish, suffice to say the Forerunner 965 will give you all the data you could want to train for a marathon or triathlon, or stay on-course for a backpacking excursion. While it's not cheap, this deal price makes it $300 less than its successor, the Forerunner 970.

✅Recommended if: You're looking for in-depth guidance and reliable data in a watch that you'll only need to charge every couple of weeks. Specifically, you're a self-guided runner who wants help improving your VO2 Max and hitting race PRs, and who cares more about their running watch feeling comfortable than looking "stylish."

❌Skip this deal if: You're willing to trade away a week of battery life and certain premium features, downgrading to the Forerunner 265 for $299 (also $150 off); or, you're willing to spend even more to get the newer fifth-generation health sensors, flashlight, mic/ speaker, and other perks available with a Forerunner 970 or Fenix 8.

A post-run screen showing aerobic and anaerobic training effect on the Garmin Forerunner 965 — (Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

My Forerunner 965 vs. 265 guide will break down the specific differences between the two, if you're feeling tempted to spend even less. When it comes to the best running watches, you'll find plenty of options that can help you hit a PR, even without a deal; buying the Forerunner 965 is about letting yourself splurge on a watch that'll last you for years of training and give you insights you won't find anywhere else.

I do love my new Forerunner 970, primarily for its twice-as-bright AMOLED display and new running tolerance metric that judges how many miles per week your body can handle. But since Garmin hasn't discounted it and isn't likely to do so until 2026, the Forerunner 965 is the best premium running watch that won't break the bank.

The other "premium" Garmin watch that's relatively affordable is the Epix Pro (Gen 2) 42mm at $449, with the modern perks and steel body that the 965 lacks. But its display is 1.2 inches instead of 1.4, it only hits 10 days of battery life instead of 23, and it's slightly more uncomfortable; the bigger models last longer, but they also cost more and weigh significantly more. And I think a lot of Garmin fans will prefer comfortable workouts to steel style.

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