GoKawiilGarmin is very popular with those who enjoy outdoor activities, appealing to multi-sport athletes, outdoor adventurers, and weekend warriors. While some of us enjoy exploring all year long, most people prefer to run, hike, swim, golf, and enjoy the sunny summer and fall weather. You can run with a Forerunner 970, hike with a Garmin Instinct 3, or golf with the Approach S70. Garmin offers a sports watch for everyone, with prices ranging from $200 to $2,000.
Garmin's smartwatches stand out with precise location accuracy, an established ecosystem, and long battery life. Its watches provide health and fitness tracker data for all smartphone owners, with a Connect Plus subscription option for more insights and guidance on your health and fitness data.
Also: The best smartwatches of 2026: Expert tested and reviewed
What is the best Garmin watch right now?
I've tested nearly every popular Garmin watch on the market, and my current pick for the best Garmin watch overall is the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. This flagship Garmin watch has all of the superpowers of the Fenix 8 and adds in LTE and inReach satellite connectivity, making this a watch I cannot leave home without. While out camping and trail running outside of cellular coverage areas, this is the watch you need to stay in touch with family and friends, as well as have on you if disaster strikes and you need to use the SOS feature.
If I want a slimmer profile watch and am planning to stay local with my activities, then I secure the Venu X1 to my wrist. That large, flat display with the LED flashlight is just about perfect for me and is great for outdoor activities like swimming, mountain biking, and running. Read on for the rest of my tested picks for the best Garmin watches you can buy right now.
Sort by All Health & wellness Build quality/durability Advanced features Applications Core functionality
The best Garmin watches of 2026
Show less Matthew Miller/ZDNET View now at Garmin View now at Best Buy View now at Walmart Why we like it: The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro connects seamlessly to Android and iOS smartphones, in addition to golf club sensors, bike sensors, and more. Just about every sport is covered with an updated smartphone experience so you can customize the watch settings on your phone and sync them over to the watch. One feature I use daily that ensures a Garmin will always be found on one wrist is the LED flashlight. I cannot express how useful this functionality is, which makes the Fenix 8 Pro an essential tool in my collection. Also: This flagship Garmin watch has satellite superpowers that make it irreplaceable for me Who it's for: For a few years, I carried a Garmin inReach device along with me when I went trail running, hiking, and fly fishing outside the range of cellular connectivity. In addition, I had a phone or watch to function with the inReach device for advanced communications. The new Fenix 8 Pro brings LTE and satellite connectivity options to the wrist, and it's great to have everything packed into one device that has solid battery life too. If you enjoy outdoor adventures and want a watch that helps you stay connected off the grid, then this is the watch for you. Other communications features for the Fenix series include an integrated speaker and microphone that supports phone calls from the wrist, access to your connected phone's assistant, onboard voice commands, and voice recordings. The large AMOLED display is also excellent for navigation and mapping while on your adventure with support for ski maps, golf courses, and more. Who should look elsewhere: Unlike Apple and Google, you need to have an inReach subscription to access the satellite emergency response functions on the watch. You can purchase a monthly subscription for as low as $7.99 and even that low price includes unlimited LTE support. However, if you are not interested in a subscription plan, then consider the standard Fenix 8 AMOLED or another Garmin watch. Garmin Fenix 8 Pro (51mm) tech specs: Display: 1.4-inch 454x454 pixels | Battery Life (GPS tracking mode): 78 hours | Dimensions: 51x51x16.5 mm | Weight: 90 grams (with band) | Water/Dust Resistance: 10 ATM | Band Size: 26mm Health & wellness 10 Build quality/durability 10 Advanced features 10 Applications 8 Core functionality 9 Pros LTE and inReach satellite connectivity
Gorgeous, brilliant AMOLED touchscreen display
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