Garmin - fēnix 8

I completely agree with you about the Fenix ​​8 (and of course budget is a big factor too), but OP said connectivity isn't a major concern. So in that case, the Fenix ​​8 (non-Pro) remains the best choice.

Interesting, I’m the opposite, I had the 970 and thought it felt cheap and platicy, went to fenix 8 51 mm amoled and am loving it, I enjoy it. One thing I did notice is how much brighter the 970 screen is, it’s silky. 

Try a fenix 8 on, it’s niceee

Hello everyone, Since many online reviews don't reflect the needs of regular people, I’d like to share my personal experience with the new Vivoactive 6. Garmin’s recent development strategies have sparked a lot of negative reactions. In particular, their pricing strategy has faced heavy criticism. Many of the available models seem absurdly expensive, yet a lot of people are still willing to pay those high prices. Shortly after its release, I bought a Fenix 8 (47mm AMOLED) because I was looking for a new sports watch and got influenced by Garmin’s upselling strategy. In the end, I wasn’t particularly thrilled with it and sold it again two months ago. I quickly realized that although the watch could basically do everything, as a casual athlete I simply wasn’t the target audience. It’s nice to know you can dive 40 meters with it, track all sorts of niche sports, and be prepared for a nuclear war, but in my everyday life I noticed that, as an ordinary person who enjoys jogging, biking, swimming in summer, and doing short hikes, I never used 90% of the features. I’m just not a pro athlete. On top of that, the software often felt unfinished, the operating system was sluggish even by Garmin standards, and given the size and weight of the watch, the battery life wasn’t as impressive as I had expected. I eventually sold it and went without a smartwatch for a few weeks. For those who need it, the Fenix 8 is certainly an excellent watch, but for me, it just felt too overloaded and not right. After a few weeks without a smartwatch, I started missing it. So I decided to look for a watch that truly matched my needs. When the Vivoactive 6 was released, I immediately thought it might be just right for a regular person like me. Many reviews criticize that the watch doesn’t have the latest Gen 5 heart rate sensor, lacks an altimeter, and doesn’t support dual-band GPS. On paper, that doesn’t sound great, but I didn’t want to fall into the trap again of chasing better GPS, then a better heart rate sensor, then maps—only to end up back at €1000 (I live in Germany). So I ignored the spec sheet and ordered it anyway. It turned out to be the right decision. Even though it costs only about a third of what I paid for the Fenix 8, I’m far more satisfied with it. Let me walk through all the key points step by step: Feel/Build Quality: Unlike the Fenix 8, the Vivoactive 6 feels wonderfully minimalist. I was blown away by how light and comfortable it is. You hardly notice it on your wrist, which to me is worth more than all the advantages of a large watch. It also looks very elegant and high-end thanks to the aluminum bezel. It’s the kind of watch you actually want to wear in everyday life and that never gets in the way. Operating System: The OS is much more intuitive and less cluttered than on a Fenix. For someone who trains professionally, that might be a downside, but for a casual athlete like me, it’s a big plus because I can access the things I need much more quickly. The UI is also more in line with what you'd expect from a typical smartwatch, which I personally really like. Navigation is much smoother than on the Fenix 8, and combined with the better clarity, it makes me use the watch a lot more frequently. Features: Everything I used on the Fenix 8 in daily life, I can also use on the Vivoactive 6. Even for an entry-level watch, the data coverage is immense compared to other brands. While running, hiking, or cycling, I can view all relevant metrics—even running efficiency data. PacePro is included as well. I never used the features that are missing compared to the Fenix 8 anyway, often because I didn’t even fully understand them or just didn’t need them. Elevation is still tracked via GPS, which compensates for the missing altimeter just fine for me. Maybe the altitude data isn’t quite as accurate, but as a rough indicator, it’s good enough. In terms of health tracking, the watch records almost everything the Fenix 8 did—except for ECG. But since I have a healthy heart, I only used the ECG feature twice on the Fenix anyway. The smart features, aside from anything involving the microphone or speaker, are also nearly identical. You can find your phone, reply to notifications with a keyboard, make payments, listen to music, and more. On the Fenix 8, I only ever used route navigation in daily life, and I would create the routes on my phone beforehand. Everything else was too complicated. The Vivoactive 6 doesn’t have maps, but it has breadcrumb navigation, which has always been enough for me so far. Of course, maps would be nicer, but the current system works absolutely fine. As technically impressive as the navigation features on the Fenix 8 are, most people will probably use their smartphones for that stuff anyway. One feature worth mentioning is the smart alarm, which is one of the coolest and most useful features for everyday use. It’s actually something new that adds real value, and I use it every day. Accuracy: I never noticed that the heart rate sensor is older or that it lacks dual-band GPS. The data always seemed plausible to me. Maybe there are minor differences in direct comparison or during very intense activities, but for 90% of people, it probably doesn’t matter if the heart rate is off by three beats during a workout. On routes I had also run with the Fenix 8, the measured distances were identical—no noticeable deviations. Display: The display is very nice and really bright. I can’t tell any difference in quality compared to the one used in the Fenix 8. Battery Life: The battery life is impressive for the size and weight. Without the always-on display, I get around 8 to 10 days with regular workouts and blood oxygen tracking during sleep. The Fenix 8 had about 30% more battery life, but that doesn’t really justify the extra bulk and weight. When you wear such a large watch, you expect a breathtaking battery life, but with such a slim watch, 8 to 10 days is very satisfying. Most people will find time to charge it within that window. Summary: I think many people, like me, tend to buy things they don’t actually need. I can only recommend really thinking about what you actually want in a smartwatch before buying one. With a €1000 watch, disappointment hits harder because every flaw feels unforgivable. The much lower price of the Vivoactive 6 made me appreciate it all the more, as most things work just as well in daily life. It feels like a very polished product—no software bugs at all—and it fits perfectly into my life while offering many features that other smartwatches don’t have. It’s a great balance between price and functionality, and you still feel well-equipped for every situation. The price-performance ratio is especially impressive. For €300, you get a watch that does far more than you need. If you pay €200 more for an Instinct 3, you’re more likely to be annoyed by the lack of maps or the older sensor (even if it hardly matters in daily life, it feels outrageous at that price). But for €300, it’s totally fine. The low weight, smoother operation, and more streamlined OS mean that I’d honestly prefer wearing the Vivoactive 6—even if the Fenix 8 cost the same.

The older OLED fenix 8 model has even better battery life than the micro-led fenix 8 pro. It's not the display tech, it's a combination of physical battery size and garmins having relatively underpowered hardware and not as many smartwatch features running in the background.

I had a fenix 8 non pro and currently picked up the AWU3. I personally think I might switch back to apple. Garmin is awesome. Wins hands down for battery life, built in capabilities, and that flashlight. I’ll miss that flashlight. The Apple Watch Ultra 3 has faster charging than yoUR watch 2. And for me there is always 10 to 15min during my day where I can take it off and set it on a charger. I work a desk job so when I’m working I can charge it or even around bed time when I’m sitting in bed reading by just set it on a charger. The battery life isn’t as good with the Apple Watch but it just does so much more and integrates so well with the Apple ecosystem. AirPods connect seamlessly. You can stream music and podcasts directly to it as you mentioned. I use peloton bike and tonal and it works better with those devices. I disagree that Garmin golf is better than 18Birdies. 18Birdies free version is on par with Garmin but the paid version is so much better and has more insights than Garmin golf. Plus all the other awesome apps you have access too on the Apple Watch. It’s just a more complete package. Look the Garmin is awesome too. If you need the better battery life and you don’t use the Apple Watch smart features then the Garmin is incredible too. Both have pros and cons but for the price, I think the Apple Watch Ultra is the better value for most people. But I also don’t run ultra marathons. At most I’ll train for a marathon but I’m more of a general fitness enthusiast. I also like that the Apple Watch checks for hypertension and irregular heartbeats, and afib without even taking an actual ekg measurement. And I trust the fall detection more on it. You’re right that you don’t really need cellular on a watch but you have it for safety reasons. God forbid that one fall knocks you out or you insure yourself or get random chest pains. Can even happen to people who are healthy and work out all the time.

Currently have a Garmin Fenix 8. I do enjoy this watch especially the insane battery life and flashlight but I'm thinking of coming back to apple with a watch 3 ultra. How do health tracking features compare? I'm mostly coming back for the safety features and hypertension health feature. Plus ability to detect afib. Apple watch could literally save your life but my Garmin watch would probably just tell me I'm weak and need to get my butt off the ground.

For me I want to be able to go out and run without my phone. I don't want my Garmin Fenix 8 because it's not connected if I have an emergency. The apple watch also has better fall detection so I feel like it has my back more.

Both have pros and cons. Newer apple watches especially the ultra have fast charging and can easily do 2 days of battery life. Im considering switching from my Fenix 8 back to apple watch ultra 3 for the better health safety features like tracking hypertension. Fall detection. And ability to use my watch without my phone if I go on a run. I don't have to bring my phone for a run which is nice. With my Garmin Fenix 8 I feel like I have to bring my phone because I need a device to call 911 or for family to reach me. Garmin now has Fenix 8 pro that connects to Garmin network but it's just not the same. And now watch 3 ultra supports satellite as well for emergencies. For me it's more about safety. Garmin watch has great metrics sure but will it accurately detect hypertension? Will it detect an afib or heart issue? If I fall can it call emergency services? Only if my phone is with me. I have two young kids and I'm in my 30s now so the safety features are just more valuable for me this time in my life. And the apple watch has saved lives before.

This is basically the only thing I don't like about Garmin. I did a running workout. 5k in 35min and I'm late 30s. It's not the best time but it's not horrible either for my age and Garmin told me I'm shit and need to do better. But I love the workout features on my Garmin regardless. I like the daily suggested workouts. I like the pacing where I keep my heart rate in a certain level or run a certain pace and Garmin tracks that very well. And I like that the battery life on my Fenix 8 in over 2 weeks. And that built in flashlight. I just can't go back to apple watch until apple starts to include more stats and workout features. Every year apple is adding features but the issue is they are drip feeding minor updates every year. My Garmin Fenix 8 is fully featured and I doubt apple ever includes all the features Garmin has. Apple likes that sweet subscription revenue for all the apps you need to buy.

Apple does afib detection using the optical heart rate sensor data. So you don't need to actually take a dedicated afib reading to be notified that the watch thinks you might have an issue. Same with the new hypertension data. Also better fall detection that can call 911 for you even using satellites on the new ultra 3. Safety features are simply better on the watch 3 ultra. I own a Fenix 8 and love it too. Can't deny Garmin wins with battery life but apple is winning with safety features in my opinion.

What do you lose when putting it in low power mode? Trying to decide if I want to keep my ultra 3 or stay with my garmin fenix 8. Main reason for my switch is to be connected and not need to bring my phone everywhere. Plus the Apple Watch does so much more than the garmin.

Apple watch is the best smart watch on the market still. And the watch 3 ultra will probably solidify that even further. But Garmin still wins with built in features and battery life that lasts forever. Even with an apple watch ultra you have to charge every day or two and if you want golf features for example you have to pay extra for them.

You will be back to Garmin lol. I've tried apple watch ultra, Samsung Galaxy watches and ultra, and pixel watch 3. Nothing compares to the metrics Garmin provides. Plus the battery life is incredible. Don't have to think about charging at all. Everything is built into Garmin. You don't have to pay for other apps to get similar functionality. I'm a golfer and it's so nice to have the golf features built into the watch versus having to pay extra for them. Morning report is amazing. Body battery. Now evening report too. Plus the watch is very reliable. I can't go back. I love my Fenix 8 too much. And the flashlight is chefs kiss.

I was hoping it would last a week. I switched to a Garmin Fenix 8 and this bad boy gets 18 days of battery life. I have no idea what magic Garmin has to make this watch last as long as it does. My biggest issue with all other watches is having to charge it every single day especially if you workout a lot. This watch I can charge twice a month lol.

My Fenix 8 has an OLED display and still lasts 7 days always on or 18 days move rist to wake.

I agree but 18 days is good enough for me personallu.

I sold my Fenix 8 and bought an Apple Watch Ultra 3. Fenix 8 held most of the value since I bought it on sale anyway. I personally don’t run ultra marathons or camp out in the wilderness middle of nowhere for days on end. I’m just a regular guy who is training for a marathon. And I do other activities like golf, peloton, tonal, kayaking. I don’t really need the garmin Fenix 8 and honestly the lack of smart features is the main reason I switched back to Apple. I see the appeal of the Fenix 8 battery life but the ultra 3 charges so fast that I can put it on the charger for like 10 to 15min and it’s back to full after an average day of using it. Plus the Apple Watch truly is a two day watch battery maybe even 3. Sure doesn’t compare to garmin but I personally never need 15 days of battery life. I almost always have an opportunity to charge it if I need to.

Idk if this helps, but I recently returned a new Fenix 8 (not solar). It was my first Garmin and I HATED IT! I loved the design. I loved the look. I loved the few functions I actually used it for. BUT I could not stand using it! I had it for like a week and a half and I swear I spent a quarter of my days googling how to do things on that f’n thing. Nothing was intuitive and the few things I really wanted it for either weren’t supported or super complicated to figure out. I really hated that watch and immediately returned it when I found out the AWU3 was being released soon. The Garmin was click-heavy, overkill, non-sense IMO. The AW does everything I need and actually ties into my daily life way more than that Garmin ever could. That’s my experience. But I do like the look of the Garmin more than the AW. Can’t wait to get my new black AWU3!

So I’m not a runner and you may find what you want using Strava or something, but if your main goal of your watch is to track your running, the Garmin might be your answer. If you want literally ANYTHING else from your watch, go with the AWU. I had a Fenix 8 AMOLED recently for a couple weeks. HATED it! Returned it as soon as I found out AWU3 was being released. The Garmin was click-heavy, no nonintuitive, and just a pain to use. I spent so much time googling how to do things on that damn watch. I hated it so much. I do like the look of the Garmin watch tho and it was a really nice watch. I just couldn’t stand using it and it just wasn’t intuitive enough for me. And the lack of a decent AI-driven voice control feature was enough to have me shaking my head. If there was a really good AI-driven voice control feature on the Fenix 8 that assisted with watch functions and settings as well as general info (like any AI system) it possibly would have been worth keeping…idk. I really don’t know why anyone but really serious Olympic training athletes would need a Garmin watch and all that data. I feel like the Apple Watch would provide PLENTY of data for the normal person. If you have an iPhone or you’re already in the Apple ecosystem, I would only recommend the Apple Watch. I preordered the AWU3 and can’t wait for it to arrive.

Recently purchased a Fenix 8 …never again. What a pain in the butt, click-heavy, non-intuitive piece. I hated that watch so much, but it looked cool as heck! Can’t wait to get my black AWU3!

I just wish they’d come out with a whoop style band. I own an AWU1 but rarely use it because of my Garmin (F8-51mm). I just love the ecosystem.

If they are not solar, they don't. There are no MIP watches without solar who have a longer standard battery life than the 51mm Fenix8 (29days) & Epix 2(pro)(31days). Only the Instinct 2 45mm comes close with 28 days, but has less then half of the activity tracking time then the Fenix and Epix. The newer and bigger MIP watches with solar do beat the Epix2 and Fenix8. Enduro2 & 3, Instinct 2x & 3 mips 51mm have the better battery life. Also without using the solar.

Fenix 8 51mm oled Or Epix 2 (pro) 51mm. Fenix 8 has 29 days of battery time, Epix2 pro 31 days. The Fenix 8 can do 84 hours of gps tracking, the Epic 82 Besides that the MIP display Instinct 2 gives you also 28 days, but only 30 gps hours.

I purchased the fenix 8 (47 mm) this week, upgrading from a fenix 5 (51 mm). The fenix 8 is remarkably light, with a gorgeous AMOLED display. I’m loving the touchscreen and the incredibly long battery life. My fenix 5 lasted a solid eight years—and could probably go longer—but it’s now down to about a five-day charge. I can’t imagine using an Apple Watch and having to charge it every day. I’d say go with the 47 mm and save a few dollars.

What size Fenix 8 did you go with? I had the Forerunner 970 first and then made the switch to the Fenix 8 47mm and while it is slightly heavier, I barely notice it and overall much prefer the watches aesthetics and premium feel.

I mean the Garmin FR970 is the same price as the Ultra 3 so you’re not really saving any money. My Fenix 8 is actually about $500 (CAD) more expensive than the Ultra 3 as well. Prior to switching to the Fenix 8 about 3 months ago I had the Ultra 2 since launch and I generally prefer the Fenix 8 as a fitness tracker over the Ultra. Firstly, I get nearly 2 weeks of battery life with my AMOLED display Fenix 8 compared to approx. 2 days with my Ultra. As someone who does multi-day hikes etc. this was a huge feature for me. I also love the more in depth fitness & running metrics I get from the garmin. Another big plus is as someone who has sleeve tattoos I’ve never once had the Garmin auto-pause during a workout or a run whereas that was a regular occurrence with the Ultra no matter what band I used and despite trying the epoxy sticker “fix”. Another bonus is the built in flashlight on the Fenix 8, I never imagined how useful this would be and wasn’t a consideration when initially purchasing the watch. I also much prefer the circle watch face as opposed to the large bulky square that is the Ultra. Of course there are things I miss from the Ultra, the display was much nicer and the watch was buttery smooth as opposed to the Garmin. The smart features were far superior on the Ultra but the bottom line was I rarely used them which is why the Garmin was ultimately the better choice for me personally.