Prime Day is your best shot at a 'cheap' Garmin Fenix or Epix

News
By Michael L Hicks
published

I don't begrudge people for spending a grand on a fitness watch, but I'd much rather save a few hundred first!

A woman working out while wearing the Garmin Epix Gen 2
(Image credit: Garmin)

When it comes to Garmin watches, "expensive" is a relative term. Most fall into the $400+ range, pricier than your typical Apple or Galaxy Watch. But serious athletes with thick wallets love the top-tier Garmin Epix and Fenix watches. I've never paid them much attention because I couldn't afford their $800+ prices; but now, thanks to October Prime Day deals, they've fallen into the realm that a mere mortal like you and I can afford.

Both the steel and titanium Garmin Epix Gen 2 are $250 off for Prime Day, while the Garmin Fenix 7S Solar is $150 off at the same price as the steel Epix. I would personally recommend the Epix Gen 2, thanks to its AMOLED display, but for those who want a solar panel for multi-day hiking excursions and a lighter design, the Fenix 7S Solar could be the watch for you. 

Save up to $250 on these premium Garmin watches

Garmin Epix Gen 2 (Steel): $800 $549.99 at Amazon Garmin Epix Gen 2 (Titanium): $900 $649.99 at Amazon

Garmin Epix Gen 2 (Steel): $800 $549.99 at Amazon
Garmin Epix Gen 2 (Titanium): $900 $649.99 at Amazon

The Garmin Epix Gen 2 lives up to its name. It has powerful battery life, an ultra-bright display with a full mapping suite, and all of Garmin's top-tier fitness tracking widgets — with the promise that'll be among the first watches to receive new beta software, too. It lasts for 16 days or 42 GPS hours per charge, and it has a sleek steel or titanium bezel instead of Garmin's plastic-heavy look.

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Garmin Fenix 7S Solar: $700 $549.99 at Amazon

Garmin Fenix 7S Solar: $700 $549.99 at Amazon

You get all of the perks of the Epix listed above, only with a 1.2-inch memory-in-pixel display instead of 1.3-inch AMOLED. The Fenix 7S has a solar panel that helps it last up to 162 hours in Max Battery GPS mode or 14 days in smartwatch mode. Generally speaking, the Epix is the better option, but this is lighter despite using a stylish steel bezel.

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Of the three, the Titanium Epix Gen 2 is the most tempting. It has better battery life than the Fenix despite a more battery-guzzling AMOLED display and despite the Fenix 7S' solar panel, which only closes the gap.

Compared to the Steel Epix Gen 2, the Titanium model is lighter, uses Sapphire Glass instead of Gorilla Glass, has multi-band GPS instead of mere all-systems tracking, preloaded topographical maps, and 32GB of storage instead of 16GB — all for just $100 more. And thanks to Prime Day, you're still spending $150 less for Titanium than you normally would for the downgraded Steel Epix at full price.

So the Garmin Epix Gen 2 is my personal recommendation for what I would buy if I were on the hunt for a new Garmin watch. If the Epix is still a bit too rich for your blood despite the price dip, check out my guide on the 9 best Garmin Prime Day deals, ranked from most to least tempting, which includes several options in the $100–$300 range!

More Prime Day deals

Michael L Hicks
Michael L Hicks
Senior Editor, VR/AR and fitness

Michael is Android Central's resident expert on fitness tech and wearables, with an enthusiast's love of VR tech on the side. After years freelancing for Techradar, Wareable, Windows Central, Digital Trends, and other sites on a variety of tech topics, AC has given him the chance to really dive into the topics he's passionate about. He's also a semi-reformed Apple-to-Android user who loves D&D, Star Wars, and Lord of the Rings.

For wearables, Michael has tested dozens of smartwatches from Garmin, Fitbit, Samsung, Apple, COROS, Polar, Amazfit, and other brands, and will always focus on recommending the best product over the best brand. He's also completed marathons like NYC, SF, Marine Corps, Big Sur, and California International — though he's still trying to break that 4-hour barrier.