Last month, Garmin released their latest new watches – the Garmin Fenix 8 and the Garmin Enduro 3.
In the months leading up to the release, there was plenty of hype on the internet. People were excited and wondering what amazing new features they could add to encourage people to upgrade.
Personally, I wasn’t. I have a Fenix 7S Pro, and it’s just about everything I need in a running watch. There are a couple things I’d love to see – like wireless charging or LTE connectivity for live updates. But I fully expect to keep this watch for several years.
Kind of like smartphones, the technology is so mature at this point that incremental upgrades seem silly.
When release day came, a lot of people seemed let down. As if the new watch wasn’t worth the price or the hype. But I wasn’t surprised.
The general consensus seems to be that the Fenix 8 Solar – the MIP version – is overpriced. The Fenix 8 AMOLED, on the other hand, actually seems to be a good deal. And the Enduro 3 is a pretty good option for that segment of the market. But more on the Enduro another day.
To some extent, this release seemed to be less about rolling out new features and more about repositioning the Garmin line – redefining what the Fenix is and reducing some of the redundancy with other models.
Later this month, I’ll work on a more thorough comparison of the new watches to the old ones. But in the meantime, here’s a quick rundown of the new options and where they fit into Garmin’s lineup.
Garmin fenix 8 AMOLED: The New epix
In part, the Garmin fenix 8 is a doubling down on Garmin’s new focus on AMOLED screens.
With the Forerunner 165, 265, and 965, AMOLED’s have slowly been taking over their running watch line up. Until the fenix 7 Pro’s, the fenix watches were a top of the line MIP choice. The epix Pro (Gen 2) offered similar features to the Fenix 7 Pro’s – but with an AMOLED screen.
With the fenix 8 AMOLED, the epix line seems to be getting merged into the Fenix line.
At first glance, you might think that the fenix 8 is more expensive. But it makes the sapphire crystal glass the standard – it’s no longer an upgrade. So when you compare the fenix 8 AMOLED against an epix Pro (gen 2) of the same size, they’re the same price – $999.99 for the smaller ones and $1099.99 for the larger one.
The core features are all very similar – and the fenix 8 does pretty much everything the epix Pro (gen 2) did. The physical features are also similar – down to the size and battery life. It’s also worth noting that they kept all three sizes available for the AMOLED version.
The two key differences with the fenix 8 are: a) dive features and b) the microphone.
The big change for the fenix 8 is that it’s gaining the dive features that used to be reserved for watches like the Garmin Descent G1 and the Garmin Descent Mk3i. If you’re a scuba diver, this is awesome.
You now have a running watch that’s also a dive computer – and also a trail navigator and a golf assistant. It’s everything to everyone.
Personally, it doesn’t matter to me at all … because I don’t dive. And I’m sure the majority of runners won’t use or care about these features. But there’s certainly a segment of the market that will find it very useful.
The other feature – the microphone – probably has broader appeal. Garmin introduced this with the Garmin Venu 3, and at the time it was Garmin’s first foray into some more typical “smartwatch” features.
You can use it to take voice calls on your watch, access a voice assistant, and dictate text messages.
Given these two new features, the fenix 8 AMOLED is definitely an upgrade over the epix Pro (gen 2) – assuming you find value in those two features. If you’re looking for a full featured, AMOLED sportswatch that does just about everything … this is now your choice.
Garmin fenix 8 Solar: An Overpriced fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar
If you’re a MIP fan – like me – then the Garmin fenix 8 release is far less exciting.
The new features are the same as the ones on the fenix 8 AMOLED – dive features and a microphone for voice related features.
Otherwise, the fenix 8 Solar is very similar to the fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar.
It has solar charging and a sapphire crystal screen. The core running features are all the same.
Physically, the watch is slightly thicker and it has slightly better battery life. It comes in the medium (47mm) and large (51mm) sizes. But – importantly – there is no small (42mm) option. That is only available for the AMOLED version.
And how does the price compare?
While the fenix 8 AMOLED is essentially the same price as the epix Pro (gen 2), the fenix 8 Solar is more expensive than a comparable fenix 7 Pro Sapphire Solar.
The 47mm option is $1,099.99 – up from $899.99 for the older model. Meanwhile, the 51mm option is $1,199.99 – up from $999.99 for the older model. So it’s a $200 upgrade from a comparable fenix 7 Pro – while the fenix 8 AMOLED is the same price as a comparable epix.
And the fenix 8 Solar is $100 more than the comparable fenix AMOLED – likely because it includes solar capabilities and that is considered a premium feature. Even though it’s largely a gimmick and people are rarely going to get the advertised battery boost from solar charging.
So while the fenix 8 AMOLED is a pretty good deal if you’re interested in an AMOLED watch … the fenix 8 Solar definitely seems overpriced.
What About the Fenix E?
And then there’s the fenix E – the fenix 8’s cheaper cousin.
It doesn’t get the microphone or the dive features that you’ll find on the fenix 8’s. Just about the only new features it brings to the fenix line are the AMOLED screen and red shift mode.
Other than that, it seems to be like a newer version of the non-pro fenix 7 Standard.
It doesn’t have multi-band GPS or a flashlight. It comes with the older heart rate sensor, so there’s no ECG app. It’s got similar battery life.
A lot of people noted the inclusion of the older Elevate 4 heart rate sensor. I think this is a sign that the Elevate 5 heart rate sensor isn’t the “new” sensor – it’s the premium one. It makes a little more sense now why the Forerunner 965 came out after the Elevate 5 … but still used the Elevate 4.
And it only comes in one size – the middle, 47mm size.
Despite being otherwise very similar to the older fenix 7 Standard, the fenix E retails for $799.99 – a $150 premium over the older fenix 7.
It adds a cheaper AMOLED option in between the Forerunner 965 and the Fenix 8 AMOLED. But even then, it offers very little beyond what the Forerunner does – other than a premium build and a few additional golf features.
This one is kind of a head scratcher. On paper, I get that it’s supposed to be the “non-premium” Fenix – but there doesn’t seem to be a compelling case for this watch. Other than to plug a hole in the price range.
The Bottom Line
The introduction of the fenix 8 reshapes the Garmin line up a little bit.
The fenix 8 is now becoming something of a jack of all trades. It’s a running watch, a triathlon watch, a golf watch. Now it’s a dive computer and a smartwatch you can talk to. It brings some of the more specialized features offered on other watches and puts them in one product.
That could be good if you need them all. Or it could just be overpriced.
Some premium features – sapphire glass and solar charging – are also now getting baked in. They’re no longer optional. And the Elevate 4 / 5 heart rate sensors are becoming a dividing line between premium and standard watches.
Increasingly, it seems like a runner (or triathlete) is perfectly well served with a Forerunner 265 or 965. When I upgraded to a Fenix 7S Pro, I saw it as a better running watch. Now it’s more like a similar running watch – plus a lot of other stuff – plus a lot more money.
If you’re into AMOLED, then the fenix 8 AMOLED isn’t a bad option. You can upgrade an older fenix, get a shiny new screen, and pay a price similar to what you would have for an epix Pro (gen 2). But if you’re in the MIP family, there’s not much that’s exciting about the fenix 8 Solar.
I’ll return to this topic in a few weeks with a more thorough comparison of the fenix 8’s and some individual models. But for now, those are my first impressions.