Skip to main content

Digital Trends may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site. Why trust us?

Father’s Day Smartwatch sale: Garmin, Samsung Gear, and Apple Watch deals

Image used with permission by copyright holder

Father’s Day is around the corner, but there’s still plenty of time to pick up a new smartwatch for Dad. Whether he’s trying to get in better shape, keep on top of his work appointments, or just is a gadget geek — it’s a great gift. We’ve scoured the web for the best deals on smartwatches and have found a few from Apple, Garmin, and Samsung that we wanted to share with you.

Most of our

options are below $200

most marked down 30% or more. Which one you might pick really just depend’s on your Dad’s specific needs. Let’s take a look at these smartwatch deals.

Apple Watch Series 3 GPS

— $199

best smartwatches apple watch series 3
Digital Trends

First up is the

Apple Watch Series 3 GPS.

While it’s not the newest model, with a sale price of $199 at Walmart, it’s roughly half what you’d pay for the Series 4. You’re still getting Apple’s great build quality, sleek design, and great upgrades over previous versions.

Please enable Javascript to view this content

The Series three includes a snappier Apple S3 processor, making the watch some 70% faster than previous versions, and it includes more RAM and a barometric altimeter for enhanced activity tracking. Like the Series 2, it sports built-in GPS and a brighter display. We think this is an excellent deal at this price, and is one of the lowest prices we’ve seen so far for this particular model.

You’ll have the option to select either the black sport band with black case or the white sports band with the silver case. If you’re looking for deals on other Apple Watch models, be sure to check out our list of the best Apple Watch deals of June 2019. There’s also a great deal on the Series 4 on Amazon which you might want to check out, too.

Garmin Forerunner 235

— $200

Garmin deal roundup
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Garmin’s Forerunner 235 has been around for what could be considered an eternity in tech — nearly four years to be exact. But there’s a reason for this staying power: it really is a great activity tracking watch. The deal at Amazon is even better — a $300+ watch at launch, it’s now on sale

for just $200

.

The 235 includes built in GPS, and is geared towards runners. Your time, pace, and distance are displayed on the watch face, and you can have the watch give you audio prompts to keep you informed of your lap times and pace when your smartphone is connected. While it doesn’t include apps like other smartwatches, the Forerunner 235 brings phone notifications to your wrist so you’re less distracted when on a run.

Battery life is also spectacular — Garmin says you can train for up to 11 hours without the need to recharge. For another great fitness-centric smartwatch, we recommend you check out our recent deals post on the Fitbit Ionic and Versa smartwatches.

Samsung Gear Sport

— $190

Samsung Gear Sport review steps
Julian Chokkattu/Digital Trends

Is your Dad a Samsung fan? Then we’d recommend the Samsung Gear Watch, which Amazon currently has on sale

for $190

. The Gear series is a great alternative to the far more expensive Galaxy line, and the Sport is made for activity.

The Sport includes all kinds of fitness-forward features, including GPS, heart rate monitoring, calorie counting capabilities, personal fitness coaching, and more, and water-resistance of up 50 meters lets you track your swim as well. Navigating the device is as simple as spinning the bezel. For athletes, outdoorsmen, or anyone on the go, the Gear Sport is a great smartwatch choice.

Samsung Galaxy Watch

— $279

Image used with permission by copyright holder

What can we say about the Galaxy Watch — it really has just about anything you’d need. The battery life is second to none: our review unit lasted four days on a single charge, the best we’ve seen in a fully-featured smartwatch. Right now Walmart is offering 15% off this great watch, bringing the price

down to $279

.

An attractive design and top-notch display makes this a top choice, along with accurate health measurements and Samsung’s signature rotating bezel that makes navigation easy. It is a bit large, and we’d argue this is a better watch for those looking for good app support and an watch that will best interface with their Android phone, but this really is one of the best smartwatches out there.

Looking for other great stuff? We’ve found iPad deals, Fitbit alternatives, and the latest Prime Day news.

Ed Oswald
For fifteen years, Ed has written about the latest and greatest in gadgets and technology trends. At Digital Trends, he's…
I tried the Garmin Instinct 3 at CES 2025, a new smartwatch with a 24-day battery
Garmin Instinct 3 on a wrist

Garmin is well known for an incredibly diverse array of devices — many of which make up the best fitness trackers and best smartwatches — and the company has just added to its lineup with the new Instinct 3 series. The Instinct lineup has always been known for excellent battery life, and the new Garmin Instinct 3 continues that but also offers an upgraded display for the first time.

Three years after the Instinct 2 was first launched, the Instinct 3 brings a few new features, but the headline feature is an upgraded AMOLED display. Like the Garmin Instinct 2, there is also still an option for a lower-resolution solar model equipped with a monochrome MIP display.

Read more
Nomad’s sold-out Apple Watch band is back and cooler than ever
The Nomad Glow in the Dark Icy Blue Apple Watch band.

Nomad’s back with another glow-in-the-dark Apple Watch band, and just as with previous versions, it’s a limited edition, so if you want one, you'd better be quick. Why? They've proven so popular in the past that they've quickly sold out. The latest model is cooler than the last two versions and that's meant in the most real sense of the word, as it's called the Glow in the Dark Icy Blue Sport Band.

During the day, Nomad’s sport band takes on a pale blue, almost white shade, but when the lights go down, it transforms into a chilled, yet striking blue color. The band uses photoluminescence to collect its light and glow once the source disappears, but the effect has been enhanced to the point where Nomad claims it’s three times brighter than the original Glow Sport Band.

Read more
This app turns your Apple Watch into a Mac and smart home gesture hub
Wow Mouse app for Mac click and gesture control.

Just about a year ago, a startup named DoublePoint launched a gesture control app that lets smartwatch users control phones, tablets, and headsets, among other devices. The Apple Watch has finally received its own version.

In the lead-up to CES 2025, Doublepoint introduced the WowMouse app for Apple Watch, which boasts a few algorithmic refinements and a partnership with Bosch. The app’s Android version has already raked in over 100,000 downloads, says the company.

Read more