Can’t wait for Black Friday? These are 5 of the best fitness tracker deals right now — including an unprecedented Apple Watch Ultra 4 deal | Daily Reports Online
We’re dangerously close to Black Friday now, and while in year’s prior it’s felt like a fool’s game to predict what devices are likely to see price cuts, we don’t actually have to wait anymore.
That’s because a bunch of great fitness trackers are seeing discounts across big brands like Garmin, Samsung, and even the latest Apple Watch Ultra 4 (which only launched in September of this year).
We’ve rounded up our picks of the bunch so far, but as you can imagine, we expect more deals to come. Still, if you want to skip the queues and delivery timelines, these are well worth a look.
The best pre-Black Friday fitness tracker deals
Google Fitbit Charge 6
Right now, you can save 16% at Amazon, bringing it from $159.95 down to $134.99.
Garmin vívoactive 5
The first of two Garmin models on this list, the Vívoactive 5 is a few years old, but is still a four-star fitness tracker.
The AMOLED display remains bright and easy-to-read, and while the lack of buttons might make controlling it a light challenge for relative newcomers to fitness tracking (or anyone with sweaty hands), it packs on-watch music streaming so you can leave the phone at home.
With 30 workout profiles and a bunch of metric tracking (including swimming and golf), it’s in many ways a jack-of-all-trades.
A much cheaper alternative to the pricier Forerunner or Fenix models that include Training Readiness and better battery life, Best Buy currently has the vívoactive 5 at $169.99 in its holiday deals — an $80 discount from the standard price.
Samsung Galaxy Watch8
It’s not often we call a smartwatch “a triumph”, but that’s exactly what happened with the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 when we reviewed it last year — and awarded it 4.5 stars.
After some relatively minor updates, this felt like the big one – despite being 11% slimmer than the prior model. While we’d have liked faster charging and a better battery life, having Gemini on your wrist makes you much more likely to use it in the real world, and Samsung has outdone itself with the running metrics on offer.
A smartwatch that’s a cut above most fitness trackers, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 is $259.99 at Target, reduced by $90 now that the Samsung Galaxy Watch 9 has been released.
Garmin Venu 3S
Another Garmin entry, the Venu 3S is from 2023 and a bit long in the tooth, but it’s still very much worth a look for anyone looking to reach fitness goals. We awarded it 4.5 stars in our review back at release, and called it “an ideal lifestyle smartwatch and fitness tracker blend.” It uses components such as the Elevate V5 heart rate sensor, which Garmins are still equipped with today.
It really does toe the line between functionality, features, and convenience, balancing the various options of a smartwatch with the battery life and fitness tracking capabilities of, well, a fitness tracker. Like its sequel, the Venu 4 (our best Garmin watch overall) it’s an ideal ‘goldilocks’ fitness tracker for people who want it all.
Three years on, the AMOLED display looks great, heart rate data remains accurate, and sleep tracking is still excellent. You can save $90 at Best Buy right now, with the Stainless Steel and French Gray colorway down to $359.99.
Apple Watch Ultra 4
Oh boy, this is the big one. We loved the Apple Watch Ultra 4 when it launched earlier this year, with the latest model of Apple’s rugged wearable earning 4.5 stars from us in our full review.
Imagine our surprise, then, to see Amazon lopping $100 off the latest model, bringing it from $799 to $699. It’s still pricey, sure, but you’re getting a lot of improvements for your money – particularly if you’re coming from an older Apple Watch Ultra.
To be clear, there’s little to no point in picking one up if you don’t have an iPhone to pair it with, but if you do, you’ll see performance gains with the S11 chip, and Apple has managed to eke out a little more battery life, too, bringing it up to 50 hours in total.
Perhaps the biggest draw is the Readiness Score, which offers Apple’s take on Fitbit’s Daily Readiness Score with no premium membership required. Having your watch tell you when it’s good to push on, or when you need a rest, could have a huge impact on long-term training and help you avoid injury.
Not in the US? Check out the best pre-Black Friday deals on those smartwatches below:
