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9 Cheapest Garmin Watches for 2025: Quality and Affordability
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Affordability is part of what Garmin is known for, but that doesn’t mean you won’t find a range of price points. Cost aside, you never want to overlook quality. I find this to be especially true with watches that involve a lot of digital features.
Looking for a blend of style, form, function, and affordability, I went on a hunt to find some of the cheapest watches Garmin has to offer. This is solely from a cost perspective, and isn’t necessarily a reflection of their physical qualities.
Nevertheless, when it comes to Garmin, this topic includes a variety of traditional, digital, and even fitness-inspired ideas. This article breaks into 9 of the cheapest Garmin watches for 2025.
Understanding the Garmin Strategy
With a strong focus on wearable tech, Garmin is more than just any other watchmaker. Part of what drives their popularity is their middle-ground stance on product features, quality, and the price point.
Many of their watch models are known for long-term functionality. I’d like to highlight that this is pertaining to battery life, where it’s common for many Garmin watches to last over a year on a single charge.
People love being able to seamlessly integrate wearable tech into everyday life. Garmin watches sync with Garmin Connect, which only enhances the experience even further.
I’m somewhat of a data nerd, so being able to track health and fitness data from many angles is a win. Don’t let this make you overlook the variety in Garmin watch designs.
While you will find some feature sets to be universal, this isn’t to say they don’t have anything unique to consider. However, for this particular article, the cost is a big deciding factor. The Garmin watches mentioned below are some of the most affordable yet diverse from their current catalog.
Best Garmin Watches of 2025
We all like affordable products that last, and that’s an angle you can expect from pretty much any watch from Garmin. Keep in mind that the watches mentioned below are definitely affordable, but they’re also chosen due to my hands-on experience.
You’ll find a pretty decent price range involved here, including many different designs and features. Whether you have an active lifestyle, love wearable tech, or are a data nerd like me, the following watches might be your perfect fit.
1. Garmin vívofit® 4 (Ref. 010-01847-00)
Featuring a display that’s always visible and a form-fitting design, this design from Garmin hits several birds with one stone. Some might argue it’s more of a fitness band than a watch, but it tells time on top of a variety of smart features.
A few examples of this include active weather updates, alarms, and even Find My Phone. I was honestly surprised how all of this could be possible in such a slim design. As with many of Garmin’s watches, they continue to make it happen.
It’s also pretty responsive on its own without having to engage with it too much. They integrated a Move IQ feature that auto-detects activity and type. It also syncs with Garmin Connect, which provides much more insight and even social fitness and health challenges. In short, the vívofit® 4 is a lot more than what it seems on the surface.
Price: $79.99
2. Garmin vívosmart® 5 (Ref. 010-02645-00)
Easily one of the most streamlined watches for health monitoring, the vívosmart® 5 is more than a step in the right direction. For me, it’s the smart features that kept me around. Most of which pertained to an easy integration with my phone. From calls, texts, and a majority of my app notifications, the watch can easily sync with your Android.
It’s important to note that it’s compatible with iPhones as well, but some features are exclusive to Android. Garmin has made it a point to highlight that this watch comes with an OLED touchscreen that’s 66% brighter than previous models.
Button navigation supports ease of use, and the bands are interchangeable if you’re looking for a different look on your wrist. I also want to point out that the watch can operate fine in the shower or for a shallow swim, but no deep water resistance.
The battery life on this watch is a bit more timid, lasting up to 7 days on a full charge. With other features like incident detection, LiveTrack, and syncing capabilities, there’s a lot to love about this watch.
Price: $149.99
3. Garmin Forerunner® 55 (Ref. 010-02562-00)
For this watch, the fine print in the specs caught my interest. You get an MIP display that’s visible regardless of how bright it is outside. That display is also 1.04″, which I found to be the perfect size for my wrist.
The resolution is 208×208, and it comes with a chemically strengthened glass. I’d say that’s a perfect addition to those who tend to be a bit clumsy with their movements. If you live an active lifestyle, then you’ll get a kick out of the GPS and running-centric features. Track your pace, distance, and even specific intervals in your activity.
These features are partially supported by PacePro, and you’ll have all the data you need to improve performance over time. I wouldn’t consider myself extremely active, but I love having such detailed insight into my day-to-day health.
Price: $199.99
4. Garmin Forerunner® 165 (Ref. 010-02863-21)
With a bright AMOLED screen and 1.2″ of screen space, this Garmin watch looks a bit sizable compared to some others. Aside from this quick observation, it doesn’t take long to discern how deep this watch’s features really go.
Check data on your VO2 Max, running power, and detailed insights on effective and efficient recovery. I’d say this one is definitely meant for people who are more serious about an active lifestyle. Thankfully, Garmin also made it stylish enough for everyday wear.
Features are important, but how the watch feels on the wrist is a huge deciding factor for me as well. Putting on this watch was a surprise, as it’s much lighter than I expected it to be.
You won’t get much water resistance out of this, so it’d be wise to keep it on dry land. It also works as a personal coach and motivator. I advise any of you to make use of the suggested workouts, predictive training, and Garmin Coach plans.
Price: $199.99
5. Garmin Instinct® E 40 mm (Ref. 010-02932-00)
Durable and compact designs are crucial when it comes to wearable tech. People are looking for a watch, but they’re also looking for something that can withstand some rugged use. Of course, this isn’t the case every day for me, but the tech-based features should be protected pretty well.
This isn’t like a mechanical watch where you can dive into replacing individual parts. With the Instinct E from Garmin, damage isn’t something you’ll have to worry about. It’s built with a 40mm fiber-reinforced polymer case. This is on top of chemically strengthened glass and a lightweight construction.
Wearers get some extended battery life with this watch model, lasting up to 14 days in smartwatch mode. However, if you’re using it in GPS mode, you have about 21 hours max. Dig into more than 30 activity profiles, health data, and compatibility with Garmin Connect and Connect IQ applications.
Price: $299.99
6. Garmin Venu® 3S (Ref. 010-02785-01)
It didn’t take long before I started to see the true value behind the Garmin Venu 3S. I can track sleep stages, HRV status, and even my skin temperature. If it sounds a bit specific, it’s meant to be. Your insights are highly personalized due to Body Battery tech and other features like Morning Report and Sleep Coach.
Even if you don’t actively check all of this, it’s always being tracked if you have it on. There are also over 30 GPS and sports-related apps built in. Regardless of how your active lifestyle adjusts, the watch can bend with you.
Smart connectivity makes your phone more hands-free than ever, too. Personally, they won me over with the inclusion of contactless payments and a seamless music navigation experience. I love not having to grab my wallet or phone throughout the day, so the efficiency here is more than worth the cost.
Price: $349.99
7. Garmin D2™ Air X10 (Ref. 010-02496-09)
Don’t let the sleek design of this watch fool you, as it’s a lot more durable than you might expect. Built with Corning Gorilla Glass 3 and a stainless steel bezel, this smartwatch is built with the long term in mind.
I’m a fan of the simple hands-free communication, as well as the aviator-centric approach to its overall design. This can be seen in the Direct-To navigation, as well as the airport and flight-specific data. Check the HSI course needle, flight logs, and even airport weather, all on the wrist.
Clearly, an ideal choice for pilots or those in the airline industry. However, this shouldn’t overshadow the beneficial features for fitness and sports. I would say anyone who likes to keep a close watch on their health would do well with this Garmin watch. You can also take advantage of wellness assessments that cover many different angles of your day-to-day life.
Price: $549.99
8. Garmin Descent™ G2 (Ref. 010-02986-00)
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I could get through this list without mentioning a Garmin watch that’s crafted with divers in mind. Many of the watches on this list don’t offer great water resistance, but that isn’t the case for the Garmin Descent G2. Out of many others in their catalog, I’d considered the display on this model to be a premium.
You get a lot of versatility for diving, such as several dive modes focused on recreational, technical, and even freediving situations. Integrated with the Garmin Dive app, you can also review dive logs. Of course, you can expect plenty of health data here as well. 24/7 monitoring delivers data on heart rate, stress levels, Pulse Ox, as well as data specific to women’s health.
I found this to be one of the most diverse watch models from Garmin so far. With this watch model, you get a staggering number of built-in sports apps. Finally, I got a huge kick out of the customization that’s possible with the vibrant watch face.
Price: $699.99
9. Garmin Enduro™ 3 (Ref. 010-02751-00)
I’m a fan of a rugged-looking watch that doesn’t feel that way physically. This is exactly what you get with the Garmin Enduro 3. What really stood out to me here is the focus on training and recovery optimization. I was even more impressed once I got into the outdoor trail and navigation features.
Keep an eye on your VO2 max, recovery timeframes, and many other details pertaining to physical activity. I like a good hike, so the SATIQ multi-band GPS really got the job done. Not to mention its 320-hour battery life in GPS mode. Even if you’re in smartwatch mode only, you’re still getting at least 90 hours. A part of what puts this watch over other Garmin models for me is that dense battery life.
You won’t really have to worry about where it’ll survive your outdoor activities, for the most part. There are also some helpful safety features like LED flashlight, red safety light, and even safety tracking features. After some time with this watch, I noticed I started to feel a lot more confident about my treks, as it has your back in more ways than one.
Price: $899.99
The Bottom Line
Most of us understand how many smartwatches there are in today’s market. Oversaturation can make it tough to find what’s right for you. This considers many unique details, but this list of Garmin watches has the variety you need.
From cost efficiency to special feature sets, durability, and style, Garmin knows how to cater to a broad audience. If you aren’t looking to break the bank, the watch models listed in this article are a great starting point. Then again, if you ever feel like some additional guidance would help, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at Exquisite Timpeieces.
About Exquisite Timepieces
Established in 1998, Exquisite Timepieces is your one-stop shop for all things luxury watches! We are an authorized dealer for 60+ luxury watch brands including Omega, Hublot, Seiko, & Longines! We are proud to showcase one of the world’s largest pre-owned watch collections, including renowned brands like Rolex and Patek Philippe. Check out our brand new watch arrivals here and popular pre-owned listings here.
