I'm a smartwatch reviewer, and this Garmin Venu 2 Black Friday deal is better than most Apple Watches

There are some really good Black Friday Garmin deals out there right now on five-star watches - among them, the excellent Garmin Venu 2. It's been rated higher than any recent Apple Watch, even the super-premium Apple Watch Ultra 2, thanks to just the right balance of features, performance, and value. 

If you're in the market for a Black Friday smartwatch deal and you own an iPhone, the first thing you're probably doing is sharking around for an Apple Watch. However, if you're looking for an Apple Watch specifically to help you improve your fitness, we can recommend a deal for you, and it's not actually one of the best Apple Watch models. Garmins can be used with any device, Apple or Android, and offers one of the best, most detailed companion apps on the market in Garmin Connect. 

The Venu 2 has an AMOLED screen, lasts up to 11 days in smartwatch mode, has outstanding workout credentials (especially for runners and cyclists), Garmin Pay, and space for 650 songs (or Spotify control if you prefer).

In the US the Garmin Venu 2 is $249.99 on Amazon right now, down from $399.99. That's a big 38% discount on the best Garmin watch overall. In the UK? You get a slightly smaller but still-very-worthy 25% discount, bringing the watch from £349.99 to £260.69. 

Check out both deals in full below.

Grab the US Garmin Venu 2 deal here:

Garmin Venu 2 GPS smartwatch: was $399.99 now $249.99 at Amazon
Save on the Garmin Venu 2, a five-star watch that lasts around ten times as long on a charge as an Apple Watch does, has an AMOLED screen, and tons of excellent running metrics. It might begin to show its age soon, but it's an outstanding watch and great value at nearly $140 off. 

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Don't want a Garmin? Check out these US Apple Watch deals 

Apple Watch Series 8 GPS 41mm: was $399.99 now $224.99 at Target
A massive $175 discount on the smaller 41mm Series 8 at Target, this time only in the Product Red colorway. A great deal on a great watch, with Crash Detection and all the great features of watchOS10.

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Apple Watch SE 2 GPS 44mm: was $279 now $219 at Amazon
If the 40mm display of the model above isn't large enough for you then this slightly more pricey Apple Watch SE 2 with a 44mm screen could be what you need. It's also on sale right now; at Amazon you can save $60.

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Grab the UK Garmin Venu 2 deal here:

Garmin Venu 2 GPS smartwatch: was £349.99 now £244.99 at Amazon
The Garmin Venu 2 also gets a £105 discount here, or 30% off. As well as Garmin's excellent workout metrics, you've also got Garmin Pay, call acceptance and rejection, notification functionalities, Spotify integration, and music storage. With Garmin's running, cycling, and navigation credentials, it's a steal.

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Still keen on an Apple Watch? Take a look at these UK Apple Watch deals instead

Apple Watch SE 2 GPS 44mm: was £299 now £239 at John Lewis
The Apple Watch SE 2 is a respectable mid-range smart watch boasting good performance, impressive battery life, and a helpful suite of features. Just note that it lacks the temperature sensor and ECG sensor found in higher-end options like the Apple Watch 8. Right now it's £60-off at John Lewis.

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Apple Watch Series 8 GPS + Cellular 45mm: was £549 now £489 at John Lewis
Not only does the Apple Watch 8 promise good performance and helpful health tracking features like an ECG sensor and a temperature sensor, but this discounted model comes with cellular capabilities. This means you can outfit it with a SIM and use more of its features without needing your phone nearby.

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Although the Garmin Venu 3 is out now and is still a fantastic watch in its own right, you won't see anywhere near the sort of discounts as you might on the older Garmin Venu 2. The deals above, in my opinion, make the Venu 2 better value than the newer Venu 3.

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More US Black Friday deals

• Amazon: 50% off TVs, air fryers, AirPods & clothing
• Apple: AirPods Pro, Apple Watch 8 & iPads from $99
• Adidas: 40% off running shoes, sweatshirts & leggings
• Beauty: 51% off makeup, skincare & hair tools
• Best Buy: up to $800 off 4K TVs, laptops & headphones
• Bed Bath & Beyond: 65% off sitewide + free shipping 
• Cheap TVs: big-screen 4K TVs from $269.99
• Christmas: 40% off decor, pajamas & trees
• Dell: save on best-selling Inspiron and XPS laptops
• DreamCloud: 40% off all mattresses
• Lowe's: up to $800 off major appliances
• Macy's: 60% off clothing, jewelry, boots & gift ideas 
• Nectar: mattress deals starting at $359
• Nordstrom: 30% off Nike, Levi's, Skims, Adidas & more 
• Samsung: up to $2,000 of TVs, phones and appliances
• Target: 40% off furniture, TVs, clothing & appliances 
• Toys: Disney, Barbie, Lego & board games from $14.99
• Walmart: Apple Watch 9, cheap TVs, air fryers & toys
• Wayfair: 70% off furniture, rugs, & Christmas decor

More UK Black Friday deals 

• Amazon: up to 62% off TVs, smart home and clothing
• AO: up to 40% off appliances, TVs and tech
• Argos: up to 50% off toys, tools and tech
• Boots: up to 40% off 1,000s of beauty products
• Currys: up to 40% off TVs, appliances and laptops
• Ebuyer: up to 45% off laptops and PC components
• Emma: up to 65% off mattresses, frames and pillows
• John Lewis: up to 40% off appliances, TVs, laptops
• Jessops: up to £550 off Sony, Canon, Nikon, and Fujifilm
• Ninja: up to 25% off air fryers and cookware
• O2: up to £600 off iPhone, Samsung and Google
• Samsung: up to £600 off TVs, phones and appliances
• Shark: up to £100 off vacuums
• Simba: up to 55% off mattresses
• Superdrug: 60% off beauty, fragrances and makeup
• Toolstation: up to 30% off smart home, tools and DIY
• Very: save on tech, decor, appliances and furniture
• Vodafone: six months half-price SIMs from £11.50