The half-off Garmin Fenix E is one of the best outdoor-friendly smartwatches you can currently get

By Adrian Diaconescu

Published: Nov 12, 2026, 1:51 AM

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The Fenix E somehow looks both tough and undeniably elegant. | Image by Garmin

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If you're looking to treat yourself to a Garmin Fenix wearable with epic battery life, an ultra-robust construction, stellar health and wellness monitoring capabilities, and a high-quality AMOLED touchscreen this holiday season, I'm sorry to inform you that such a product is likely to cost an arm and a leg.

The brand-new Fenix 9, for instance, starts at a whopping $999.99, while the 2024-released Fenix 8 is still available from its manufacturer at $799.99 and up, which means your chances of getting a device from these two collections at, say, $500 or less by the end of the year are... somewhere between slim and non-existent.

The Forerunner 165 is an excellent low-cost alternative at a rare 24 percent discount for slightly less demanding holiday shoppers and Garmin fans.

$401 off (50%)

Released in 2024, the "essential" Garmin Fenix E is a 2026 holiday must-buy at an unprecedented 50 percent discount in a Slate Gray colorway paired with a black band. With a stainless steel bezel and fiber-reinforced polymer case, this bad boy is designed to withstand the toughest outdoor environments while delivering up to 16 days of battery life and sporting an almost surprisingly high-quality 1.3-inch AMOLED display.

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But that's where the Garmin Fenix E comes in, and even though the Fenix 8's "essential" brother was not exactly affordable at its US commercial debut a couple of years ago either, its $799.99 list price is now cut in half at Amazon in a Slate Gray colorway paired with a black band.

The Fenix E is thus cheaper than ever before, and although Amazon doesn't explicitly label this deal as part of a Black Friday 2026 campaign technically scheduled to kick off next Thursday, I highly doubt you'll be able to save more than 400 bucks on this stainless steel-bezeled, bright AMOLED display-sporting, and stellar battery endurance-delivering timepiece.

Believe it or not, you're looking at a full-blown, Android and iOS-compatible smartwatch here that can keep the lights on for up to 16 days (!!!) between charges without sacrificing many of the things that make it a "proper" smartwatch. With GPS enabled, of course, that number drops to only 42 hours, which still blows many of the best smartwatches out there from brands like Apple and Samsung out of the water.

Naturally, the Garmin Fenix E is not quite as sophisticated and as versatile as the Fenix 8 (let alone the Fenix 9), but its multi-GNSS support, heart rate monitoring, sleep tracking, blood oxygen sensor, and incredibly detailed training tools make this thing better than a costlier Apple Watch Ultra 4 or Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 for certain prospective buyers this Christmas.

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Adrian, a mobile technology enthusiast since the Nokia 3310 era, has been a dynamic presence in the tech journalism field, contributing to Android Authority, Digital Trends, and Pocketnow before joining PhoneArena in 2018. His expertise spans across various platforms, with a particular fondness for the diversity of the Android ecosystem. Despite the challenges of balancing full-time parenthood with his work, Adrian's passion for tech trends, running, and movies keeps him energized. His commitment to mid-range smartphones has led to an eclectic collection of devices, saved from personal bankruptcy by his preference for 'adequate' over 'overpriced'.

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