Forget the new Garmin Fenix 9 — this flagship-level alternative is already half price ahead of Amazon's second Prime Day sale

Garmin unveiled its latest flagship Fenix 9 and 9 Pro smartwatches in August, boasting premium materials, brighter screens and enhanced mapping capabilities. Naturally, these devices come with a hefty price tag, starting at AU$1,599. For those wanting the core functionality of these high-end watches but unwilling to pay flagship smartphone prices, Amazon's upcoming Prime Day sale offers a tempting alternative.

The Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2) Sapphire Edition, discounted by 50% to AU$849, provides most of the key features at a much lower cost. Although it has been priced lower before, reaching AU$684 in July 2023, the Epix Pro Gen 2 still delivers essential functionalities like multi-band GPS tracking, a built-in LED torch, core mapping data and premium materials such as scratch-resistant sapphire lenses and titanium bezels.

With a 4.5-star rating from our Garmin Epix Pro review, this multisport wearable is praised for its AMOLED screen, Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, Up Ahead, Hill and Endurance scores, fast charging support and a suite of features typically found in premium multisport outdoor watches. These include sleep scores, VO2 max, notification functionalities, music control, onboard music storage, estimated race prediction times, golf course and ski resort maps, and additional Garmin features.

Despite the Fenix 9's superior processor, brighter display, larger storage capacity, improved mapping, 40m dive certification, built-in speaker and microphone for calls, and new sport profiles, the Garmin Epix Pro Gen 2 remains a very capable option for tracking your summer adventures without breaking the bank.