Garmin launched the fēnix 8 at the end of last summer, breaking the $1,000 barrier for entry into a GPS watch model line. I expected a lot from this watch, not only because of the price, but because I had been using the fēnix 7 for a year and found it to be an excellent tool for every activity I do.
Garmin has been a leader in the GPS game for what seems like eons, and the fēnix line has been one of the most coveted and feature-laden models for outdoor adventurers. I was keen to find out just how much better the fēnix 8 Solar was compared to the prior version, given the $300 price increase.
Garmin’s outdoor sports-oriented GPS devices have been a staple for me and almost everyone I know for decades. From motorcycle navigation to climbing, cycling, and even sleeping, I’m almost always using a Garmin product — and at times, I have three going at once.
Whether on roads, mountains, or wide-open backcountry, I have trusted these gadgets to guide me home, inform me of dangers, communicate, and monitor my well-being. To say that Garmin is entrenched in my life is not an overstatement.
Now that I’m thinking about it, it’s almost scary how much I depend on Garmin.
GPS watches are the only electronic items, other than a Whoop, that I wear 24/7. These marvels of technology do so many things for me every day. From getting me up to reminding me of appointments to informing me of the weather, monitoring my sleep and health, and measuring my performance outdoors, the watches act as my support staff. The permanent tan line around my left wrist is proof.
I constantly wore and used the Garmin fēnix 8 Solar for 4 months. It got me up in the morning, informed me of the day to come, tracked every workout and outdoor activity, and kept an eye on my health status.
I didn’t baby it despite the high price. It stayed on when I went rock climbing, rode dirt bikes, or did chores around my property. It got hit, scratched, and exposed to extreme temperature ranges and so much dust.
In short: The Garmin fēnix 8 has every feature that any outdoors enthusiast could want. It can do everything, and I mean absolutely everything, with precision, and it has proven durable in doing so. It’s difficult to poke holes in the premium GPS watch, and most won’t use all of what it can do. But this comes at a high price — $1,200! To me, it’s not if the watch meets a feature list or performance standard; it’s whether it’s worth upgrading or buying over the fēnix 7 or other, less expensive models.
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- Battery life: Up to 48 days with Solar
- Weight: 95g, 51mm Solar
- Case size: 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm
- Display size: 1.4", 51mm Solar
- Bezel material: Stainless steel or titanium
- Water resistance rating: 10 ATM (100 me)
Pros
- Incredible number of functions
- Excellent data reporting through Garmin Connect
- Super-long battery life
- Functions as a dive computer
Cons
- Have to choose between AMOLED and solar
- Bulky for an everyday watch
- Expensive
Garmin Fēnix 8 Solar Review
Most GPS watches are relatively hefty, and the Garmin fēnix 8 Solar is no different, especially the 51mm-diameter version I tested (Garmin also offers 43mm and 47mm sizes). At 15.4mm thick and 95 g, it was visibly and physically noticeable on my wrist coming from the 47mm fēnix 7 Pro Solar.
The titanium bezel mates with a fiber-reinforced polymer case. A Power Sapphire lens protects the 280 x 280-pixel transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) display, which also houses an improved solar panel. A silicone strap rounds out the hard-to-miss watch.
The metal back cover has the same optical heart rate sensor that was new on the fēnix 7. The back also has a port for a proprietary charging cable. Keen observers will notice a tiny anodized cover on the right side of the watch between the buttons. It protects the barometer and, for the first time, a speaker and microphone.
And speaking of buttons, the Garmin fēnix 8 uses inductive buttons. This means the physical buttons on the bezel don’t press through it, eliminating the need for seals and the risk of potential leaks.
What’s New
The Garmin fēnix line has always had an extravagant number of functions. The newest version retains all of them and adds a few others, some significant.
Big Additions
First, the fēnix 8 has a depth sensor that allows it to perform as an EN13319-certified dive computer that works down to 40 m.
Next, the new speaker and microphone allow these functions: access to a phone assistant when connected to a smartphone, offline native voice assistant, taking phone calls, and a native note voice recorder.
Finally, the improved solar panel extends battery life. For my 51mm version, GPS-only run time is now a claimed 149 hours, up from 122 on the fēnix 7. With all GPS systems running, the claimed battery life went from 77 hours to 92 hours. And, with all GPS systems and multiband active, run times improved from 41 hours to 65 hours.
User Interface Updates
Stuffing so many features into a phone, even one with five buttons and a touchscreen, sometimes requires complicated and clunky interfaces. Garmin updated the UI in minor but noticeable ways and added some software-driven features.
General UI Updates
- A quicker way to temporarily unlock the touchscreen
- A one-touch toggle to orient the map with north up or track up
- Updated map zoom interface
- An updated, more centralized way to save waypoints, routes, etc.
- Map layers selection quick access menu
- Menu to alter active navigation
- New watch faces and watch face editor
- New “focus” modes similar to iPhone modes
- Updated notification system
- Updated access to widgets, settings, activity pages, and workout pages
New Software Features
- Strength training plans via Garmin Connect
- Correction/updating of GPS tracks via watch sensor data
- Dynamic round-trip routing — watch will update the active route to maintain a specified distance even if you go off course
- A reminder to turn around at the halfway point of a set distance
- Ski difficulty tracking
- Countdown app for dates or events
The Garmin Fēnix 8 Solar in Use
The Fēnix 8 does so many things; writing a fully comprehensive review would be way too long. I believe the best I can do for a potential buyer is describe how I used the watch as a climber, cyclist, and general fitness and wellness enthusiast.
Rise and Shine
When I got up during the testing period, the first thing I did was look at my daily summary on the home screen. It outlined my schedule for the day, recovery and sleep status, training readiness, suggested training, and weather. I’ve been a long-time user of Whoop and consider its monitoring and scoring accurate. The Garmin fēnix 8 proved reliable in tracking my sleeping time compared to the Whoop.
While I drank my morning coffee, I routinely checked my heart rate variability (HRV) and heart rate over the last 12 hours to further assess my ability to train. Occasionally, I used the health check function. This 2-minute scan delivers average heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, average respiration rate, an average Garmin stress score, and current HRV. I also occasionally used the FDA-approved ECG function, just out of curiosity.
Training
The Garmin fēnix 8 Solar accompanied me on all training activities during the test period. It was a constant body monitoring and navigation device.
Cycling
For cycling, I kept my heart rate showing on my watch and power on my Garmin cycling computer. I used to be distrustful of optical heart rate monitors. But the one on the fēnix 8 was reliable almost all of the time compared to readings from a chest strap.
There were occasional deviations, which I attributed to going over very rough terrain and the watch vibrating off and on my wrist. I liked keeping my heart rate out of my visual field because the wattage is what really matters, and I wanted less mental input.
I didn’t utilize any of the training programs Garmin supplies, as I was on a separate program. But a climbing partner of mine who was embarking on his first real cycling training program used a Garmin plan with my fēnix 7. He has been updating me on his progress and asking for my professional opinion. In general, the program was fundamentally solid, but I thought it underestimated his capacity for work and recovery.
It was safe and produced gradual, consistent, and sustainable gains, though. In the end, I deemed the program appropriate for novices or general fitness but not for competitive cyclists.
Hiking
During my rucks, I really liked using the dynamic round-trip routing. I entered the desired mileage, and the watch would define a route and actively adjust it if I deviated to check creeks, views, or other entertaining distractions.
I felt a little freer while doing the least exciting training for me while still adhering to my scheduled distance, which made it much more bearable. The reminder to turn around at the halfway point came in handy as well on out-and-back rucks.
Climbing
For climbing training, I used the bouldering or indoor climbing modes to log my workouts. Toggling the start and stop and entering the grade was a bit cumbersome.
If I wasn’t a data dork or an exercise physiology graduate, I don’t know if I’d go through the trouble. I felt the same for strength training. Although some of the data is auto-calculated based on motion, it wasn’t accurate much of the time.
I foresee things like automatic toggling of activity start and stop and rep counting to improve with time. Even during my test period, the data entry for strength training was updated and improved.
Activity Tracking
The number of activities the Garmin fēnix 8 will track is astounding. It’s been updated, and now you can even add your own.
Navigation
I’ve always found Garmin’s navigation to be the most reliable among outdoor GPS devices. The Garmin fēnix 8 Solar was no different. Whether I was randomly wandering trails on a ruck or road riding out of town, the watch instilled confidence that my navigation needs would be precisely delivered.
On long gravel routes that I’ve used for years, I compared the track the fēnix 8 produced with every other GPS device I was using or had used in the last few years. The Garmin track was the most accurate and had the highest resolution. I could tell what side of the dirt road I used when I zoomed in, and it always reflected the lines I knew I had taken. It was the same for the off-road rucks.
I experienced the same accuracy and reliability when following routes I’d loaded from Trailforks or Ride with GPS. I never once got steered the wrong way, and there was no ambiguity about where the turn was (which I’ve had plenty of with some other brands’ cycling computers).
Although I felt the watch was big on my tiny wrist, I appreciated the size of the screen when navigating. This was especially so when I was in motion. On smaller GPS watches, map views were sometimes nearly unusable, even zoomed in or out, just based on the limited screen size. Finally, regardless of tree coverage, the watch never once dropped a GPS signal, which was reinforced by every detailed, continuous track.
Other Performance Attributes
Battery Life
Battery life is a major concern for most people, both for usage and convenience reasons. I found Garmin’s claims about battery life accurate, but sometimes, I felt like they underestimated it. I know I got more solar charging than others due to my Texas location, but even then, the battery life blew me away.
With almost daily GPS use and exercise logging, I could go 3 weeks as long as I rode outside two to three times a week during the day. I’ve only had one other GPS watch go that long, a Coros.
Display and Operating System
The MIP display is not as bright or vibrant as the AMOLED displays I’ve seen, but I never had any issues reading any screen. Garmin does offer the fēnix 8 with AMOLED but without solar charging. For me, battery life was more important than what I consider an aesthetic improvement.
I still found the OS to be clunky compared to others. This has been Garmin’s trait for as long as I can remember. But, like Garmin cycling computers, I quickly got used to it, and it barely registered.
Other Convenient Features and Durability
I cannot omit the flashlight that debuted in the last generation of the fēnix. I used it often, as it was faster and more convenient than the one on my phone. Additionally, inReach connectivity was a convenient asset. I could leave my phone at home or in camp, as messaging could be done right from the watch face.
Finally, the Garmin fēnix 8 Solar proved remarkably durable. During the 4 months of almost constant use, the only visible signs of wear were minuscule scratches on the bezel that you’d have to look for to see. And somehow, there are a pair of deeper scratches on the back, which must have come from it being tossed into a bin full of watches for charging.
The Final Say: Garmin fēnix 8 Solar
The Garmin fēnix 8 does so many things and did them well. I didn’t have space to cover the extensive list of functions and capabilities. What I can say is that I participate in several outdoor endeavors and test gear across all of them.
I’m also a former trainer and Exercise Physiology graduate who verges on biohacking. Finally, I measure everything about health and wellness in multiple ways and train to support all my athletic endeavors.
The fēnix 8 Solar logged, measured, and, along with the Garmin Connect app, displayed every detail of my activities and physical status. I didn’t want more data, and don’t foresee ever needing more functionality. It was admittedly overkill for me. The watch even logged motocross, and I saw a pickleball function.
I would love to say 100% that the Garmin fēnix 8 Solar is what you should get. However, the price hike over the fēnix 7 and the cost difference to other high-end GPS watches prevent me from doing so.
The $1,200 (base models are $1,000) price tag cannot be ignored, especially when Garmin is currently selling an almost equally capable fēnix 7X Pro Solar for $300 less.
The only caveat to that is if you are a serious diver. The fēnix 8 could potentially eliminate the need for a separate dive computer.
If money is no object and you want the latest and greatest GPS watch, this is one of the few contenders for the top spot. But if money is a concern, like it is for most, a fēnix 7 or another high-end GPS watch may serve all your needs, saving you money for other gear.