What you need to know
- The Garmin fenix 8, previously MIP only, now has AMOLED models as well, making the short-lived Garmin Epix lineup defunct.
- It comes with a 40-meter dive rating, built-in mic and speaker with new voice commands, new strength training plans, and a revamped map interface with “dynamic round-trip routing.”
- The Garmin Enduro 3 now hits 90 days or 320 GPS hours with solar charging, about double what the Enduro 2 offered thanks to a new solar panel.
Garmin has announced its new flagship fenix 8 and Enduro 3 watches with a host of hardware upgrades and exciting new software tricks. While both watches still come with battery-saving MIP displays, Garmin continued its AMOLED transition by offering the popular fenix in three AMOLED sizes, as well.
Garmin previously sold the “Epix” line as an AMOLED alternative to fenix, so I asked my Garmin rep if this news means Epix is dead. She responded, “That’s correct, we’re combining both Solar/MIP and AMOLED under the fenix family — which has established itself as a very reputable brand over the past decade.”
The Garmin fenix 8 AMOLED arrives today in 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm sizes, while the fenix 8 Solar has 47mm and 51mm models. You’ll need the 51mm AMOLED to match the 47mm Solar with a 29-day battery life; the 51mm fenix 8 Solar hits a whopping 48 days per charge.
At the same time, the MIP-only, 51mm Garmin Enduro 3 has arrived with a 90-day battery life and up to 320 GPS hours or 120 multi-band GPS hours. Garmin attributes its “larger, more efficient solar lens” that “provides more than double the solar panel of the previous Enduro model.”
As always, the Garmin fenix 8 and Enduro 3 will cost you a pretty penny. The Enduro 3 is cheapest at $899, while the fenix 8 ranges from $999 to $1,199, based on size and optional titanium bezel or Sapphire lens upgrades.
We’ll break down the new hardware and software tricks for both the Garmin fenix 8 and Enduro 3 below. Otherwise, Garmin is livestreaming its fenix and Enduro launch at Charmonix starting at 7a ET today, if you want to get a closer hands-on look.
Garmin fenix 8
Aside from replacing the Epix series, the Garmin fenix 8 will also encroach on Descent territory: It’ll have “leakproof metal buttons” and a “40-meter dive rating” with scuba and apnea dive activities added. That’s in addition to the same MIL-STD-810H rating for thermal, shock, and water resistance as the fenix 7.
Like before, it’ll have a built-in mic and speaker for phone calls and passthrough commands for Google Assistant, Siri, or Bixby. For the first time, Garmin is adding on-watch commands like “set a timer for 5 minutes,” “save waypoint,” or “start a strength training activity.” This feature is long overdue, as much cheaper fitness brands have such commands, and I hope Garmin will bring this feature to the Venu 3 and last-gen models.
What I’m most excited about, however, is the new “Advanced Strength Training” update. Garmin promises that athletes will receive “targeted 4–6-week strength training plans to help meet personal goals, plus sport-specific workouts for athletes of all types, including trail runners, surfers, skiers, and more.”
Many Garmin watches have thousands of animated workouts with muscle maps, but Garmin’s indoor workouts are too limited: creating your own workouts is slow and you won’t find a wide-enough range of premade workouts. Garmin’s new advanced strength training sounds like the solution, the equivalent of a Garmin Coach cross-training calendar that adjusts based on your ability level, equipment, and favorite sports.
While only the fenix 7X and Pro had LED flashlights, it appears all fenix 8 sizes will have an LED flashlight for your nighttime workouts. And you’ll now have access to the Garmin Messenger app on the watch itself, in case of an emergency.
Garmin also promises a “new map interface” for its TopoActive maps that lets you “customize map layers,” but the press release doesn’t elaborate how it’ll work.
What’s more exciting (in my mind) is the new “dynamic round-trip routing.” Basically, it appears you’ll be able to choose a hiking destination and intended distance, and have Garmin show you possible routes back and how long each would take. This will help keep your local park trails fresh, save you time finding new trails on Alltrails, and ensure you return to your car before it gets dark.
Those are all of the new Garmin fenix 8 features the company has revealed thus far. Otherwise, you’ll find plenty of familiar training tools: Training readiness, endurance score, hill score, VO2 Max, PacePro, ClimbPro, and Garmin Coach. You also get ECG readings, HRV Status, Pulse Ox, and sleep coaching with nap detection.
Compared to other Garmin watches, you’ll get more advanced sports modes, TopoActive Maps, multi-band GPS, longer battery life, and a more durable design with the fenix 8 series.
Garmin Enduro 3
As mentioned above, the Garmin Enduro 3 beats the Enduro 2 for solar-backed smartwatch days (90 vs. 46 days), GPS hours (320 vs. 150 hours), and multi-band GPS hours (120 vs. 81 hours), thanks to a new solar panel.
I assume it’s the same revamped solar panel added to the Instinct 2X Solar in 2023, since the Enduro 2 launched in 2022. For context, that watch lasts 145 GPS hours or 36 multi-band GPS hours. The Enduro 3 costs twice as much and lasts twice as long, so you can decide if you need that extra capacity or not.
Of course, the Enduro 3 has other perks besides battery life: A titanium bezel, sapphire lens, built-in LED flashlight, and a proper 1.4-inch MIP display that can display more text than an Instinct’s low-res, two-window display.
Like the fenix 8, it has preloaded topographic, golf, and ski maps, plus the new dynamic round-trip routing and advanced strength training plan features. Also, you get ECG readings for AFib detection and a built-in LED flashlight for the first time.
Garmin says the Enduro 3 weighs 63g (I assume without the band) and ships with an UltraFit nylon band. The band-less Enduro 2 weighs 64g, so I assume the experience will feel comparable. It’s also important to note that the Enduro 3’s boosted battery comes from getting a few hours of sunlight per day. Depending on the conditions where you live or hike, your Enduro 3 might not last as long as what Garmin promises on paper.