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Amazon’s October Prime Big Deal Days ran October 6–7, 2026, so the sale event itself has ended. Some Garmin watches were still listed at reduced Amazon US prices when Tom’s Guide published its roundup on October 8, 2026. Five models stood out in that roundup: the Forerunner 55, Forerunner 165 Music, Vivoactive 6, Forerunner 170 Music, and Instinct 3. Retail prices can move within a day, so read the figures below as a dated snapshot and confirm them on the product page before you buy.
The five deals at a glance
The table lists each reported Amazon US price from Tom’s Guide’s October 8, 2026 article, the earlier price it was compared against, the approximate reduction calculated from those two figures, and the type of buyer Tom’s Guide says each watch suits.
| Model | Reported price (Amazon US) | Previous price | Approximate reduction | Best suited to (per Tom’s Guide) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garmin Forerunner 55 | $161 | $199 | About 19% | Entry-level runners who want simple controls |
| Garmin Forerunner 165 Music | $199 | $249 | About 20% | Beginner runners who want a value running watch |
| Garmin Vivoactive 6 | $229 | $299 | About 23% | General fitness and everyday smartwatch use |
| Garmin Forerunner 170 Music | $314 | $349 | About 10% | Runners who want more advanced training and recovery tools |
| Garmin Instinct 3 | $349 | $449 | About 22% | Rugged outdoor use such as cycling, hiking, snowboarding, and climbing |
The reductions are the percentage gap between the two figures Tom’s Guide reported, not an independent measure of how long a watch has been priced that way.
The five watches, one at a time
Garmin Forerunner 55: the simplest option
Tom’s Guide treats the Forerunner 55 as an uncomplicated, entry-level watch. It praises fitness tracking and battery performance, and it notes what the model leaves out: an AMOLED display, a touchscreen, NFC payments, and music storage. The article also says Garmin has replaced this model with the Forerunner 70, so buyers who want the newest version of the line should compare the two before choosing.
#1 Best Overall
- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode (5 days display always-on)
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Garmin Forerunner 165 Music: a value running watch
Tom’s Guide frames the Forerunner 165 Music as a value pick for running, especially for beginners, and describes it as comfortable and reliable. Its main limitation in the article’s comparison is the newer Forerunner 170, which the article says offers more advanced training and recovery features.
Garmin Vivoactive 6: slim and general-purpose
The Vivoactive 6 is presented as a slim, lightweight watch for general fitness and everyday smartwatch use. Tom’s Guide cites onboard music storage, NFC payments, live location sharing, and battery life of up to a week. Those are product claims relayed by the article, so check Garmin’s current manufacturer specifications if you plan to rely on the battery figure, which depends on how you use the watch.
Rank #2
- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Garmin Forerunner 170 Music: the newer mid-tier runner
The Forerunner 170 Music is described as a newer mid-tier running watch. Tom’s Guide highlights its bright touchscreen, five physical buttons, training and recovery features, music storage, and tracking performance. The article positions it as the successor-style alternative to the Forerunner 165 Music, so it is the logical upgrade if the 165’s training tools feel too basic.
Garmin Instinct 3: the rugged outdoor pick
Tom’s Guide’s author, Dan Bracaglia, calls the Instinct 3 “my go-to smartwatch for logging outdoor adventures” and names it as his personal pick for cycling, hiking, snowboarding, and climbing. The article also describes its tracking as accurate. Treat both points as the author’s evaluation rather than independent lab testing.
Rank #3
- Designed with a bright, colorful AMOLED display, get a more complete picture of your health, thanks to battery life of up to 11 days in smartwatch mode
- Body Battery energy monitoring helps you understand when you’re charged up or need to rest, with even more personalized insights based on sleep, naps, stress levels, workouts and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Get a sleep score and personalized sleep coaching for how much sleep you need — and get tips on how to improve plus key metrics such as HRV status to better understand your health (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
- Find new ways to keep your body moving with more than 30 built-in indoor and GPS sports apps, including walking, running, cycling, HIIT, swimming, golf and more
- Wheelchair mode tracks pushes — rather than steps — and includes push and handcycle activities with preloaded workouts for strength, cardio, HIIT, Pilates and yoga, challenges specific to wheelchair users and more (data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked)
Choosing between the five
Tom’s Guide did not put all five watches through a controlled head-to-head test, so the choice comes down to what you will use the watch for. These are the practical dividing lines:
- Mainly running, with training metrics: the Forerunner 170 Music if you want the newer training and recovery tools, or the Forerunner 165 Music if you are a beginner on a tighter budget.
- Simplest controls at the lowest reduced price: the Forerunner 55, provided you accept that it lacks a touchscreen, NFC, and music storage, and that a successor exists.
- Everyday wear with payments and music: the Vivoactive 6, which the article credits with NFC payments and onboard music storage.
- Touchscreen plus music on a running watch: the Forerunner 170 Music, which combines a touchscreen with five physical buttons.
- Outdoor and adventure sports: the Instinct 3, the only rugged model of the five in the article.
How to confirm a price before you buy
A roundup published on October 8, 2026 is only a starting point. Prices, sellers, and stock can change quickly, and the same day’s roundups did not agree on every figure. A separate October 8 roundup from The5krunner, which checked prices in the US, UK, and Germany, reported $161.99 for the Forerunner 55 in the US and listed a different set of deals from Tom’s Guide’s. Use the following steps to check a deal yourself:
Rank #4
- Make a bold statement with this rugged GPS smartwatch, featuring a 0.9” display with solar charging lens and unlimited battery life with solar charging (assumes all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions)
- Engineered with a supertough 45 mm fiber-reinforced polymer case and metal-reinforced bezel
- Built-in LED flashlight with variable intensities and strobe modes gives you greater visibility in the outdoors and provides convenient illumination when you need it
- Know your body better with health monitoring features, including wrist-based heart rate, advanced sleep monitoring, Pulse Ox and more (this is not a medical device, and data presented is intended to be a close estimation of metrics tracked; Pulse Ox not available in all countries)
- Navigate confidently with a 3-axis compass, barometric altimeter and multi-band GPS with SatIQ technology, which delivers superior positioning while also optimizing battery life
- Open the model’s product page on the Amazon US store (or the store for your own country) and confirm the current price matches the figure in the table.
- Check the “was” or list price shown on the listing against the previous price above. If it differs, the deal may have ended or changed.
- Confirm who sells and ships the item. A low price from a third-party seller is a different offer from one sold by Amazon.
- Check stock and delivery dates, since a discounted model can sell out quickly.
- Compare against Garmin’s own US promotions page. We could not confirm a specific offer on these five models there when checking for this article.
- If you are outside the US, do not assume the US price applies. Prices and offers differ by country.
Tom’s Guide states that it may earn an affiliate commission when readers buy through links on its site. That disclosure applies to Tom’s Guide, not to this article’s own arrangements.
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Best Value
- Easy-to-use running watch monitors heart rate (this is not a medical device) at the wrist and uses GPS to track how far, how fast and where you’ve run.Special Feature:Bluetooth.
- Battery life: up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode; up to 20 hours in GPS mode
- Plan your race day strategy with the PacePro feature (not compatible with on-device courses), which offers GPS-based pace guidance for a selected course or distance
- Run your best with helpful training tools, including race time predictions and finish time estimates
- Track all the ways you move with built-in activity profiles for running, cycling, track run, virtual run, pool swim, Pilates, HIIT, breathwork and more
If the price on the product page matches the table and the seller and stock check out, the discounts are worth considering. Pick the model based on your main activity rather than the largest percentage cut.
Quick Recap
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
