Garmin makes a lot of different watches.
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Garmin → make → watches
While brands like Apple, Google and Samsung have two or three smartwatches to choose from, Garmin has dozens, which can make it hard to know which one is right for you.
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one → have → you
As NBC Selected’s fitness and tech reporter, I test out smartwatches, fitness trackers and smart rings regularly: that includes all of Garmin’s latest watches.
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that → test → watches
Below are my top recommendations for anyone looking to make the switch or upgrade an older model.
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recommendations → look → model
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The best Garmin watches in 2026
Because Garmin makes so many different watches, it probably makes one that is just right for you.
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that → want → you
Every option on this list were samples I requested from the brand for testing purposes for this story.
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The Garmin Vivoactive 6 hits just the right balance of features and price that makes it the easiest option to recommend, especially for someone trying out the brand for the first time.
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It’s a generalist smartwatch: it has many of the brand’s best features without specializing too heavily in one activity (like the Forerunner series).
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It has in-depth metrics for health, sleep and fitness activity, with staple Garmin features like body battery, workout recovery times, Garmin pace pro and Garmin coach (with running and strength training plans).
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I love its workout animations — the watch will play short videos of a silhouette performing certain exercises during HIIT, cardio, strength, yoga or move alert activity.
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silhouette → love → HIIT
Animated move alerts, in particular, make taking breaks at my desk a lot more fun.
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taking → make → desk
The upgrade: Garmin Venu 4
The budget alternative: Garmin Forerunner 165
Best for runners
Anyone who loves to run should look at the Garmin Forerunner series — the watches are made with runners in mind.
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watches → love → mind
If you’re already deep into your running journey, the Forerunner 570 is my go-to recommendation: It has more than enough tools for runners and racers and comes in two sizes, so you can get the best fit for your wrist (unlike the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 970).
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The most important features in my expert opinion are training readiness, training status and HRV (heart rate variability) status, which work in tandem to help optimize your training and recovery.
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which → work → training
Training Readiness combines multiple metrics to give you a top-level score about how beneficial your training will be.
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training → combine → score
In practice, it helps me decide whether today is a rest day, an easy day or a day to push myself.
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today → help → myself
It has advanced running metrics like power, cadence, stride length and ground contact time, as well as multi-band GPS for the most accurate, consistent distance and time stats possible.
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It also connects to GPS usually within five seconds.
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The upgrade: Garmin Forerunner 970
The budget alternative: Garmin Forerunner 70
Best for battery life
If you don’t even want to think about charging your Garmin, look for a solar-powered model like this Garmin Instinct 3 solar.
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you → want → Instinct
It’s a rugged, outdoor-focused fitness watch with many of Garmin’s notable fitness and health features, but with potentially unlimited battery life.
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That’s because the Instinct 3 has a solar panel built into the screen — get enough sunlight and the watch largely charges itself.
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Part of this long battery life stems from the screen: it’s a monochrome memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, common on outdoor watches, but not common on many smartwatches.
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It is easy to see in light conditions, but nearly impossible to see in the dark — press the “Light” button, and the screen will light up for a few seconds.
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screen → see → seconds
If an MIP screen sounds like a dealbreaker, you can also get the Instinct 3 AMOLED, which has a more typical bright, colorful smartwatch screen and still gets up to 24 days of battery life.
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which → sound → life
The Garmin Enduro 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 (Solar) both get even better battery life than the Instinct 3 (and have solar MIP displays with color), but both cost over twice as much.
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It has a bevy of features only found in the brand’s high-end watches: things like a dive rating (up to 40 meters), offline maps, navigation and music, a built-in speaker and microphone for calls and music, a built-in flashlight and the list goes on.
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It’s also likely the most durable — it has a titanium case and sapphire crystal screen, two of the most durable materials you can put in a watch.
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Outside of premium hardware (and software), I’d recommend the Fenix 8 if you are interested in diving, hiking and trail running: features like dive modes, ascent planning and stellar battery life make it well-suited to these activities.
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All of that comes at a price: literally.
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The 47 millimeters AMOLED version that I tested (and linked above) costs $1,099.
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It’s also surprisingly heavy at 73 grams, heavier than every other watch on this list.
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The upgrade: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro (AMOLED)
The budget alternative: Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2), Garmin Forerunner 970
Best for style
Most of the Garmin watches I’ve mentioned so far look very fitness-forward.
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The Garmin Venu series is subtle and classy by comparison, and is a great option for anyone who wants Garmin’s best features but in a package that’s easier to match to any occasion.
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that → want → occasion
It has a stainless steel bezel that looks great, and comes in two sizes, including a petite 41-millimeter option.
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It also has built-in microphones, speakers and a flashlight, one I use all the time in dark spaces.
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The Venu 4 also has many of Garmin’s premium training and health features, including health status, lifestyle logging, Garmin fitness coach, training readiness, training status and HRV (heart rate variability) status.
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Venu → have → status
It’s a little pricey, but a great all-around option for most people not needing the five-buttons control, fitness look of the Garmin Forerunner series.
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The upgrade: n/a
The budget alternative: Garmin Vivoactive 6
Best for Apple Watch converts
If you love everything about your Apple Watch but are considering trying out Garmin, I recommend the Venu X1.
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It’s Garmin’s most Apple-like watch, with a huge, bright square screen and a very thin case size (eight millimeters).
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But it has most of the same features as other pricey Garmins, meaning runners, racers, hikers and bikers won’t feel like they are “missing out” getting this model instead of a Forerunner or Fenix.
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…and 22 more, not listed.
