10 Best Garmin Smartwatches 2026 in the United States

The Garmin fēnix 8 is a solid choice if you're looking for a premium multisport GPS smartwatch packed with features for athletes and outdoor adventurers. Its large 1.4-inch AMOLED screen is bright and sharp, protected by a scratch-resistant sapphire lens and encased in a durable titanium bezel, which makes it sturdy enough for tough conditions. The battery life is impressive, lasting up to 29 days in smartwatch mode and 84 hours when using GPS continuously, so it can keep up with extended trips or intense training sessions without frequent charging.

GPS and navigation tools shine with multi-band satellite accuracy plus added sensors like a barometric altimeter and compass, plus a cool round-trip routing feature for varied workouts. Health and fitness tracking is comprehensive, including heart rate monitoring, sleep and respiration tracking, and even an ECG app. For water lovers, it offers a 40-meter dive rating and supports scuba and apnea diving, which is quite rare in smartwatches.

Smart features include making calls directly from your wrist, voice assistant compatibility, and offline voice commands, adding convenience beyond fitness. While it weighs a bit over 100 grams, it balances comfort with durability. The high-end materials and features come with a premium price, and the depth of data might be overwhelming if you're new to fitness tracking. If you want a rugged, feature-rich watch that excels in sports, navigation, and health monitoring, the fēnix 8 is a strong contender.

The Garmin fēnix 7S Pro Sapphire Solar is a solid choice for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts looking for a robust multisport GPS smartwatch. Its 1.2-inch round display is bright and clear, housed in a durable fiber-reinforced polymer case with a scratch-resistant sapphire solar lens that extends battery life by using sunlight—this means you can get weeks of use in smartwatch mode without worrying about charging often. The watch includes a useful built-in LED flashlight, handy for nighttime training or low-light situations. Garmin’s GPS and sensor accuracy stand out with multi-band GPS and SatIQ technology, ensuring reliable location tracking and efficient battery use.

It supports a wide range of sports and activity modes, including new features like hill and endurance scores, which help you track climbing strength and overall fitness. Health monitoring is comprehensive, offering 24/7 tracking of heart rate variability, Pulse Ox for altitude adaptation, and advanced sleep tracking, although the data should be seen as estimates rather than medical-grade measurements. Smart features like morning reports and training readiness summaries make understanding your performance easier. Navigation is enhanced with preloaded maps for golf courses, ski resorts, and TopoActive maps, plus helpful turn-by-turn prompts.

Comfort-wise, the watch is lightweight at 58 grams and designed to fit well on smaller wrists with its 42 mm case. On the downside, the 1.2-inch screen might feel small for some users compared to larger smartwatches, and the proprietary OS could limit app variety. Also, while solar charging improves battery life, heavy GPS use will still drain it faster. This Garmin model is well suited for those who value durability, precise outdoor tracking, and detailed training insights, though it may be less appealing if you want a larger display or a wide range of third-party apps.

The Garmin vívoactive 6 is a well-rounded smartwatch for those interested in detailed health and fitness tracking combined with smart features. Its bright 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen offers clear visuals, making it easy to navigate and read data during workouts or daily use. One of its standout features is the impressive battery life, lasting up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, which means less frequent charging compared to many competitors. The built-in GPS is reliable for tracking a wide variety of activities like running, cycling, swimming, and more, supporting over 80 sports apps that provide versatile workout options.

Health tracking is comprehensive, with features like wrist-based heart rate monitoring, Body Battery energy levels, sleep tracking with personalized coaching, stress monitoring, and menstrual cycle tracking. The watch also offers smart wake alarms and animated workouts, which can be especially helpful if you prefer guided exercise routines. The data provided aims to give a close estimate of your health metrics rather than clinical precision, so it’s great for personal fitness insights but not a medical device.

The watch is lightweight and comfortable to wear, and the Garmin OS is user-friendly. Some users might find the 8 GB memory sufficient mainly for workouts and apps but limited for more extensive media storage. Its smart features include notifications and alarms, although it doesn’t match the full app ecosystem of some other smartwatch brands. This device is ideal for active individuals seeking a reliable fitness companion with robust health tracking and long battery life, wrapped in a stylish, easy-to-use design, but may be less suitable for those wanting extensive third-party app support or advanced smartwatch functions beyond fitness and health monitoring.