This cheap Garmin watch watch just got even cheaper with 20% OFF during Amazon's last-minute holiday sale

A daily suggested workout of a Threshold run on the Garmin Forerunner 165.
(Image credit: Michael Hicks / Android Central)

As the holidays approach, a few smartwatch deals remain, like this $50 discount on the already affordable Garmin Forerunner 165 at Amazon.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 is a more affordable take on some of the company's many levels of running- and exercise-focused watches. It sports a fairly lightweight design that's easy to wear, a wide range of fitness features like Training Effect, Garmin Coach, and Recovery Time displays, and all-systems GNSS for optimal tracking accuracy.

Garmin Forerunner 165:$249.99$199.99 at Amazon

Garmin Forerunner 165: $249.99 $199.99 at Amazon

The affordable Garmin Forerunner 165 is currently $50 off as the holidays approach, marking a 20% discount and bringing the price down to just $200. While it isn't the cheapest of Garmin's lineup, it's probably about as cheap as we'd recommend going for anyone who wants a robust portfolio of running, cycling, and other workout programs.

✅Recommended if: you're looking for a Garmin smartwatch for under $200 that has a wide range of running and exercise programs, sensors, and additional capabilities; you like being able to switch between the dim MIP display and a bright, hyper-functional AMOLED-style display; you want something with a sporty design that isn't too bulky.

❌Skip this deal if: you're already a serious athlete who is entrenched in more premium fitness watches, and you'd rather not go with the best affordable Garmin watch; you'd consider upgrading to many of Garmin's more expensive options for advanced feature sets; you need a watch with more than 4GB of music storage.

The Garmin Forerunner 165 fits well into the company's lineup as an affordable, entry-level point into the smartwatch world. It features the hyper-accurate GNSS tracking, several programs for running, cycling, and more, and a long battery life that's suitable for longer-term outdoor adventures. Even with the low price tag, it still offers about 19 hours of battery with GPS tracking on, or 11 days in smartwatch mode. Our tests revealed the GNSS systems to be as accurate as they claimed, and we love the daily suggested workouts, race-adaptive training, and Garmin Coach features.

As for sensors, the Forerunner 165 includes an accelerometer, an altimeter, the Elevate v4 HRM heart rate system, Sp02, and a Pulse Ox sensor. Additionally, it sports a compass and an ambient light, as well as Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and 4GB of onboard music storage.

To be sure, the 165 is a big step up for Garmin from past iterations, especially because of its accuracy in both GPS tracking and health monitoring systems, and $50 off doesn't hurt either.

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Zachary David
Deals Contributor

Zach has been covering Android, Apple, and other tech companies since 2020. His work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, KRON4 San Francisco, CleanTechnica, iPhoneinCanada, Android Central, and many other publications. When he isn't covering tech, you can find him drinking coffee, spending time outside, or watching classic movies with his cats.

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