12 in Fitness Trackers
Garmin - fēnix 8 Solar 51mm
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 15, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
27
9
"Battery life is super important to me. I do ultras so having 24+ hours of gps is necessary."
"Full watch-based navigation and mapping features—found particularly on the Forerunner 970 and Fenix series—include offline maps, turn-by-turn navigation, and visual guidance. ... For everyday runs on familiar routes, they matter less, but for trail running or hiking where orientation is crucial, they’re invaluable. ... Maps offer extra value for safety, route planning, and are also popular among cyclists and those exploring new routes"
"Trail running so I can load the route onto my garmin and navigate without carrying phone for 50km"
89
4
"16 days battery life on my fenix. ... The other aspect I really appreciate about my fenix is the battery life. 16 days or so. With everything I have to change these days (laptops, mice, keyboards, headphones, watches, phones), I appreciate not having to worry about it too often."
"Battery life is super important to me. I do ultras so having 24+ hours of gps is necessary."
"My 43mm Fenix with Dual gps, Garmin live track, always on screen still had juice for up to 20-25 hours of running."
94
17
"The HRV and stress is not gimmicky in fact it was the heads up for my sister in law being diagnosed with cancer …her stress was screaming with no other really identifiable reasons (in 2022) ... in my case my stress was exceedingly high … for months & months and I kept having warnings and then I completely crashed with full on burnout ... Post my hysterectomy I saw crazy stress again ( not as bad as when I burned out but pretty intense) for the first 6 weeks & then it improved a little but it’s only come back to a normal place post 12 weeks & energy levels too only back to normal at 5 months …I didn’t have keyhole. But all that data correlates with the recovery pattern for major surgery & the fatigue was chronic for weeks ... the stress marker was defo the alarm bell for my sister in law and was indicative for me."
"What I love most are the customizable data screens. ... I’ve tailored the cardio profile specifically for my workouts. ... For example, in a “CrossFit Rounds” workout, I’ve set it up so I can track laps during an AMRAP and see if I’m going faster or slower than the previous round. ... The customization options are endless."
"2 miles of data sheets from all that tracking"
47
6
"They’re also pretty bullet proof ... taken multiple hits while mountain biking and it’s still going strong"
"the sapphire glass is super awesome, no more dealing with cracked glass protectors lol."
"The first lasted me 6 years, and I've had the second for 1 or so."
24
2
"The flashlight is the best ever on a watch."
"Flashlight on my Fenix is worth A LOT of money to me. ... Having had it, I could not go back. ... I would happily pay 200 extra for it I use it so much. ... Having a flashlight on your wrist is incredibly handy."
"The main thing saving the fenix for me over the 965 is the flashlight, I didn't even consider it when purchasing but it's massively useful, I use it every single day."
Disliked most:
8
16
"and I'm not getting as good of readings coming out of the optical HRM, leading to a lot of the stuff being off like sleep, stress, HRV, body battery. ... I don't know if the latest HRM hardware is a regression for me or if the chonkiness of the watch on my (tiny) wrist leads to light pollution or what."
"The discrepancy is much higher for HR than running dynamics. ... I think it is straight up irresponsible to rely on wrist-based HR is you’re using HR as a part of training"
"Their maxHR adjustment algorithm is crazy, it set my maxHR to 213 or something. And I feel like I am dying at 180+ (37M)."
5
22
"dancing with a fenix 8 will look & feel ridiculous."
"It feels double the weight of my 965 and bulkier as well"
"it is heavier and chunkier ... my wife would never wear a fenix/epix due to the size."
6
43
"fenix 8 pro has LTE and satellite connection which not working at all, or working in a very bad way. ... I made many runs, never had a possibility to send message via garmin messenger, call via garmin messenger, even livetrack, on LTE, has big lags, stuck in random places, etc."
"I miss the smart watch features and being able to leave my phone at home. ... 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."
"Garmin’s notification integration with iOS is dogshit."
0
7
"During runs and activities, the Garmin watch cannot maintain bluetooth connection to the Airpods, and music starts cutting out. It gets resolved temporarily by pressing play/pause in the Spotify app on the watch, but the connection will cut out again within 5 minutes. I've searched Garmin forums and found that this issue has persisted since the Fenix 6, with no indication that Garmin plans to fix it. The #1 feature I bought a fitness watch for is essentially broken."
"I also missed cellular and having the full catalog of Spotify music to stream through cellular or live radio to stream from. Also I like the ability to remain contactable without a phone."
"when i am listening music from my phone: no interface for watch, no next / skip, or the most important the wheel for volume 😂"
1
11
"the garmin has inferior HR tracking and the sleep tracking is terrible ... if garmin can’t track optical hr or sleep properly, guess what- all those metrics it spits out are junk lol. ... the optical sensor on the garmin is garbage- again confirmed ... garmin and Samsung garbage for metrics, sensors and sleep tracking ... inaccurate sensors of garmin"
"the sleep app on garmin, sucks, for example it I wake up at 6am and stay up for 2 min, or les idk who it works, it stop reading the sleep.."
"The sleep tracking on Fenix 8 is horrible. I get up in the middle of the night like many folks. That seems to reset my sleep so I only get counted half of the amount of sleep."
Algunas 1.0Fenix 8 Solar 51mm. 22d. No workout tracking, no notifications. Just passively tracking my life.
alycks 1.0I would probably say the 965 or, if you want a flashlight, the Fenix 8. * **Fenix 8 Solar vs. Fenix 8 AMOLED** * Solar charging is not going to make a difference in your battery life unless you spend a *huge* amount of time outside in very bright sunlight. * Most users here seem to be reporting excellent battery life with the AMOLED version of the Fenix 8. * I have the Fenix 8 Solar 51mm, supposedly the best Garmin has to offer in the Fenix 8 lineup for battery life. I usually get 10-14 days with heavy smartwatch usage and heavy endurance training usage. I charge the watch between 20 and 80% every 10-14 days. You'll easily be able to match that with an AMOLED version, with AOD, if you just throw it on the charger when you shower * **Flashlight** * If you can afford it, get it. The flashlight is amazing. * **Auto-tracking activities** * Every Garmin I've ever had will track these kinds of workouts fairly accurately through the MoveIQ functionality. * That said, I usually track everything manually, because why not? My Fenix 8 has a separate "Bike Commute" profile which I use for errands, commuting, etc. I am a triathlete, runner, bike commuter, etc. I swim, bike, run, walk, strength train, yoga, SUP, OWS, ski. The Forerunner 965 or the Fenix 8 will be an outstanding choice for you.
Yep. I have an AWU2 and a Fenix 8 Solar. Probably selling the AWU2 soon because it failed me so badly on a recent 70M ultra. People knock the Garmins for their poor smartwatch features, but honestly the differences have really minimized over time. On both watches I can: * use voice commands to quickly set timers and alarms * check the weather, my calendars * respond to text messages with Siri * this is much, much better on Apple Watch, but the Garmin has gotten it done for me, including when I'm going 20 mph on a bicycle or flying down a ski slope * contactless pay The only real advantages Apple Watch have are cellular, a few niche app things like unlocking my Level app, and better speech-to-text/Siri performance. The UI is also nice on Apple Watch, but the revamped UI for Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 is better than before and I quite like it. I'm not apologizing for Garmin Connect, however. That's still pretty rough. The Garmin Fenix 8 really does have a better training/wellness package. Sleep tracking works well for me, and Body Battery and Stress are actionable items for me that Apple Watch cannot replicate, not even with 3rd party apps, and I'm a Bevel subscriber. The AWU2 is a nice to have, but as a guy who does ultras north of 50 miles and long, off-grid hikes, the Garmin is the better device.
Conscious-Archer-816 1.0I was holding out for the 8 Pro, but after the reveal I went with the 8 51mm Solar. I am team MIP display and that not being an option on the 8 Pro I was immediately turned off on it.
FireFighter-116 1.0Im in garmin ecosystem for 1 year and I dont see such problems as other users. I mean, im using a Fênix 8 51mm solar now and didnt notice bugs and the battery doesnt reach as much as advertised, but performs very well. My former epix 2 had some bugs, but Garmin fixed. Charging port its ok. However, my old t Rex 2 from amazfit had magnetic charging port, which was nice.
NevaljaliPerica 1.0Fenix 8 51mm AMOLED around 14-16 days - no activities at all. Fenix 8 51mm MIP around 18-19 days - no activities. MIP should be double battery life. It sucks
notinsuit 1.0I have a Fenix 8 Solar and I have to charge it weekly. That’s 52 times a year
The hyperbole is unwarranted since the Fenix 8 Solar 51mm, which is basically the best Fenix, battery-wise, is so far from charging it once a month, that it’s ridiculous. It’s not a smartwatch (unlike the Apple Watch, for example) and the battery everyone brags about is perhaps if you’re not using it to track anything. I’ve had mine for 11 months now and I’m literally charging it weekly. I like the running metrics, especially since the last update, but still, where’s my one month battery?
Ok_Organization8849 1.0I replaced my Fenix 8 51mm solar a few days ago and I'm totally happy. I like the app much better. My Suunto works much better with rouvy than Garmin (there I always had to run two activities) and also when running Zone Sense is a game changer So from my side: I'm glad to have changed and don't look back anymore
Pohq 1.0Be aware you will be losing a lot leaving Apple Watch. You’ll get lots of benefits of course but the UI / Apps / Software / Music Streaming are pretty bad. It’s going to feel especially bad coming from a polished OS experience. Having said that loads of pros. Top notch fitness tracking. Battery for days. Flashlight. Super rugged looking and performing hardware. No phone on your wrist distracting you lighting up like a Christmas tree all the time. The software and the bugs are what let Garmin down. If you can cope with that I have an Enduro 3. IMO best watch Garmin make. Second Fenix 8 (non pro) 51mm solar.
The fenix has a few of the Apple safety features but nowhere near as good. They have the main one high / low heart rate alerts when not exercising. I think they have some sort of fall detection but it's not as good or polished as Apple. With Garmins buggy software not sure I'd trust it anyway. AW also has sleep apnea alerts and hypertension alerts (new) which the Garmins do not have.........yet.
PronouncedNuculur 1.0Fenix 8 51mm MIP and Forerunner 970. The Fenix 8, because it will do anything I want and the battery lasts forever, but it was just too big for daily wear and so bought the 970. The 970 is great for daily wear and has the same sapphire display to be just as durable and would be fine as my sole watch, but I can’t be bothered to sell the Fenix and so now it’s my workout watch and vacation watch.
I have the fenix MIP 51mm and a forerunner 970. Unless you are diving, I don’t think the fenix adds much. It’s quite a bit thicker too and so has a feeling of sitting up on your wrist whereas the forerunner, I think fits more natural. I wear the forerunner as my daily and wear the fenix for workouts and take it on vacations so I don’t have to worry about charging.
If you are set on 47mm and AMOLED, go with forerunner unless you dive. The forerunner has basically the same features and is lighter and considerably thinner. If you’d consider MIP, it’s only available on the fenix and makes for significantly longer battery life, but I get ~6 days on the 970 with AOD and I can’t imagine needing more than that. I do take my MIP Fenix 8 on vacations though so I don’t have to worry about charging, but it’s just too thick for daily wear.
RoutinePermit9226 1.0For me it is the Fénix 8 solar 51mm
I have a Fénix 8 solar and I recommend it to you. It's the best watch I've ever had
I have a Fénix 8 solar and it is the best Garmin watch I have ever had. I recommend it to you
I have a Fénix 8 and for me it is quite reliable in sleep and cardio. And if you want more precision in your sleep, I recommend the Index Sleep Monitor
I have a Fénix 8 but for the use you are going to give it, the Forerunner 255 or 265 would be good for you
Since the differences are not many, both watches will serve you perfectly but I would go for the Fénix 8 which is aesthetically more beautiful and resistant
I have a Fénix 8 and it is the best Garmin watch I have ever had. I recommend it to you
I have a Fénix 8 and it is the best Garmin watch I have ever owned. I recommend it to you
Yes the 5 buttons are essential. I have a Fénix 8, it is touch-sensitive and has 5 buttons. I never use the touch screen, I always use the buttons.
Buy a Fénix 8, I have one and I recommend it 100%
I would buy the Fénix 8
The Fénix range is Garmin's top one and therefore when new functions come out they will surely put them first and for me it is also aesthetically pleasing, the Fénix 8 is beautiful, I love it. I have a 51mm Fénix 8 solar. También por la duración de la batería que es impresionante
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