A rare chance: Garmin smartwatch drops under $170 at its lowest price

Record-low price for Vivoactive 5

Garmin’s Vivoactive 5 has reached $169.99, its lowest price to date. The deal applies to all four colors and is available for a limited time. Garmin watches are known for long battery life, health tracking, phone compatibility and exercise features, but they are not usually known for low prices. The deal brings the Vivoactive 5 below the newer model’s retail price.

Designed for everyday fitness

The Vivoactive range is aimed at casual athletes, including people who run occasionally, exercise at the gym and treat workouts as part of everyday life. The Vivoactive 5 offers an 11-day battery life, an AMOLED screen with 360 x 360 resolution, a 5ATM water rating and a weight of 23 grams without the band.

What the newer model adds

Garmin released the Vivoactive 6 earlier this year, with a retail price of $299. It shares the Vivoactive 5’s battery life, display resolution, water rating and weight. The Vivoactive 6 increases storage from 4GB to 8GB and adds a new interface, Smart Wake and PacePro. Smart Wake may appeal to people who wear a watch around the clock, while PacePro provides pace guidance during runs.

Choosing between the watches

The newer model’s extra storage may matter to people who download songs for runs. The article’s author says they do not use offline song downloads, while noting that the additional storage could be useful for others.

The Vivoactive 5 supports messaging, images and replies on Android. For buyers who do not need the Vivoactive 6’s added features, the $169.99 deal offers a less expensive way to get a Garmin smartwatch.