Garmin - fēnix 8 Solar 47mm

I love Apple and Garmin products, and I've been waiting for the Ultra 3 release to replace my Apple Watch Series 9. Here's where my AWS9 falls short for me: camping and hiking because of battery, maps and navigation while biking and hiking, and the dynamic running workout suggestions that Garmin has. I can get Fenix 8 Solar for $880 through a discount with my health insurance which makes it comparable to AWU3. Things I like about Fenix 8 Solar: maps, battery, daily suggested workout, Garmin coach, MIP screen doesn't look like a mini phone on my wrist. Things I like about AWU3: being reachable by my wife and kids while running and cycling, running errands sans phone, love the design, my watch bands will fit, my Apple Music subscription works, etc. I feel like the AWU3 fits my actual day to day better than the Fenix; although, when I do make it out for that couple times a year backpacking trip, Fenix is the clear winner. But on the day to day I mostly am tracking running and weightlifting. And a weekend gravel bike ride. Anybody have both?

Tough decision for sure. I agree with both of you. I also have a Garmin biker computer and Varia lol. Enduro 3 is really the ideal Garmin watch for me - I just wish they made a 47mm variant which I why I was leaning Fenix 8 Solar.

The Fenix 8 47 feels a little bigger than my Venu 4 but I think it was worth the trade in. This one feels more like a watch than a fitness tracker and isn't as delicate as the Venu (confirmed after some accidental bumps). Sharing some love for the Quatix 8 watch face too; my go-to look for the office. Overall, quite happy with the trade in and looking forward to being more active now recovering from my spine related issues 🤞

I had the Venu 4 for exactly 10 days. They didn't deduct any amount at all, I just paid the difference. If you don't feel 100% satisfied with Venu, I'd recommend you go for a Fenix too, life's too short for what-ifs. I know it's twice the amount but you'll probably keep it for a few years so it's all worth it in the end. Venu is good option, don't get me wrong, and it will do the work it needs to. BUT you'll not really enjoy it

Tbh for my use there's not a lot of additional features in the Fenix that weren't there in the Venu. The sapphire vs gorilla glass is a big difference, so is the screen size. Venu has a more vibrant screen though. Battery life is similar. Presence of buttons on Fenix helps but it's not a game changer. There's no comparison in looks, this looks way better. Had Venu got a sapphire screen I probably wouldn't have traded it. I think if you want a premium feel then Fenix is the way to go.

I had a Fenix 5 for 7 years, which still works and never had any issues. Bought a Fenix 8 recently, till now also never had any issues. I have no idea how can be charging less convenient, if you have to charge it every 2-3 weeks as opposed to every day, lol

I use a Fenix 8 but only because I'm not on the Apple ecosystem, at ALL. If Samsung got their shit together, made a rectangle watch like the Ultra and battery lasted 3 ish days, i'd jump ship from Fenix 8 to the Samsung Ultra in a heartbeat.

I'm with you.... every time a new AW would come out, I'd upgrade, primarily for the better battery life. Last one I had (just sold it) was an AW Ultra 2. The more I used it, the more I realized I was primarily using it for cycling workouts and weekend rides. Did a boatload of researching and picked a Fenix 8 (got a nice deal on a barely-used one of off eBay).... should be hear by Saturday :)) From what I understand so far, there is truly a ton of metrics that the Garmin's track. Sensor, from what I've read, is pretty solid - but like anything, a HR strap would be better if you want the most accurate reading(s) - same goes for any AW. Another you should consider - the FR 970. Definitely a little more stylish than the Fenix lineup. Different strokes for.... well, you know the rest ;) Good luck!

The reason Garmin is so hyped on the cycling stuff you watch is because the Garmin cycling computers are gold standard in the industry. They aren't sleep tracking or counting steps and they always wear a chest strap. And they are really good. My husband uses a 1080 (I think) and it lasts him for several 40 mile bike rides. He uses his AW ultra for his other health stats. He frankly only cares about the cycling metrics. He cares about his power meters and his HR and his climbing and his speed a and gear. He lets apple and our bed worry about the rest. I'm primarily a runner and I have a Fenix 8 and I glance at all the other stuff. Is it perfect? Nope. In fact the sleep tracking is awful for me right now because I have a shoulder injury and I can't sleep normal and my arm falls asleep. What I do, though, is track my trends. How am I doing day to day, week to week. Honestly if you are a cyclist, I'd just get a lower end cycling computer. It will give you the data you want better than a watch for the same price. It takes a pretty high end watch to get the cycling metrics cyclists care about.

Former AWU2 user, who migrated to a Fenix 8. Battery life is just ridiculous - with all the bells and whistles working, she gives me 2 weeks of lovin'. The AWU? Always ready to die at the end of the day, or barely cover a century ride. Yes, you can likely get some 3rd party apps for the Apple Watch, but most pertinent analytics are built into the Garmin - at least Hanover seen so far (still getting used to it). I also do cycling, with gym workouts / strength training for cyclists. Was also looking at the Epic Pro but then really came down to the Fenix 8 or a FR 970. They are similar yet pretty different - but I would have these as my "finalists".... Happy hunting!

Tbh for my use there's not a lot of additional features in the Fenix that weren't there in the Venu. The sapphire vs gorilla glass is a big difference, so is the screen size. Venu has a more vibrant screen though. Battery life is similar. Presence of buttons on Fenix helps but it's not a game changer. There's no comparison in looks, this looks way better. Had Venu got a sapphire screen I probably wouldn't have traded it. I think if you want a premium feel then Fenix is the way to go.

Yes im curious as well. I have the Fenix 8 and I quite like it. I don't have any comparison since it's my first Garmin. I'm curious to know what for me looks normal, maybe shouldnt be normal.

I just bought a f8 and don't exercise Much, a little bit of hiking and the occasional walk from time to time and fishing, always wanted a Fenix so I did it and not regretting it one bit

I've spent countless hours reading all sorts of articles, subreddits, and watching videos on watch pros and cons. After all that I figured I'd come to my fellow CrossFitters and see what you all do. I'm a long time Apple Watch user, having had 3 different versions over the years and currently using a Series 8. My work has a program that I can get sweet deals on select Garmin watches (like the Fenix 8) or Apple Watch Ultra 2. In addition to CrossFit 5-6 days/week, I also hike and bike, and occasionally like tracking long walks and other random activities. Phone like features aren't something I care too much about. My primary concerns are the fitness, gps, sleep and recovery aspects. I'm torn between the Garmin Fenix 8 and the Apple Watch Ultra 2. At the end of the day, most of the activity I track is in a gym and I want something that can handle that well. I don't care about logging activity via the watch. Anyone using either of these and have advice or experiences to share?

I started with the Fenix 8 Solar. Hated it right off the bat. The solar feature is a crappy gimmick. I debated between the Fenix 8, Fenix 8 pro with either screen. I decided to go with the best battery life of the 3 which is the Fenix 8.

Actually the buttons on apple watch ultra are far better. The buttons on my new Fenix are spongy crap with no click.

I bought the fenix 8 about a month ago for golf and to get into running. I liked the fenix 8 because you can do just about everything on it.

Used first AWU and now the Garmin Fenix 8. Both do their job but AWU is better and more flexible. Garmin on the other hand is better for all other stats and battery life. I am using a custom data screen next to the Running app data screens (https://apps.garmin.com/nl-NL/apps/a2441923-d2f1-4759-bc99-e9401ae54f8e) which is better as an overview. The only thing I am missing a lot on the Garmin is the map guidance. In Runna, you can select the route/track you will follow. While you are running, you can also see this route on the AWU. This is not possible on the Garmin which is a pity. I solve this by loading the track to the watch separately and make it visible. I have no guidance, but I can see at least where I have to go. Hope this helps!

I just bought a Fenix solar last night and so far it's a giant POS. The UI is ass, syncing Bluetooth is stupid, Garmin pay is garbage and the battery life isn't anywhere close to advertised.

Garmin watches are better for running, cycling, swimming. Basically any serious endurance training. Apple watches feel higher quality and are better for lifestyle features like calls, texts, nicer screen etc. That being said, the Fenix 8 is kind of overkill if you are just training for a half. I would return it and get a 265, which is half the price of the Fenix 8.

I have a fenix 8 and previously forerunner 645 and in both I have the smart part turned off. I don't like reading or seeing or being notified in my watch. So you just turn it off

I had a Fenix 5 for 7 years, which still works and never had any issues. Bought a Fenix 8 recently, till now also never had any issues. I have no idea how can be charging less convenient, if you have to charge it every 2-3 weeks as opposed to every day, lol

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.

Used the same but switched to Fenix8 and I am very satisfied with all features it provides

Which new running metrics are?I rhink enduro 3/fenix8 have all of them.

Garmin really isn't that good for the gym, as they outright refuse to sync with ANY lifting apps, such as Hevy. I have a Fenix 8 and I went ahead and manually made lifting routines in the app on the phone, which then carries them onto the watch. It isn't that hard to do, but it does annoy me that they refuse to allow third party lifting apps to work as if they actually have a good lifting platform. I personally alternate between two different lifting workouts, so I just select the one I'm doing and go from there. I hate rep detection, so I have it set to where I click a button on the watch to start a set and then when I finish the set to start a rest period, unless I have something set as a superset. I still use Hevy while also running this, as I just find the interface and tracking as a whole to be superior, especially if you want to modify something mid-workout. My main reason for still bothering to also do it on my Garmin is so that it factors my lifting sessions into the overall health picture. My Fitness Pal and Strava are the only apps it sync with.

Fenix 8 owner here-the AMOLED Pro model has me feeling FOMO. $100 increase (from the titanium/sapphire fenix 8) for cellular, satellite, and still 2x brighter screen isn't bad. Not worth switching but if I was in market for a new watch the decision would be easy.

I changed a galaxy watch4 for a Garmin Fénix 8 and there is no color.....no point of comparison.

The Fenix 8 100%. The tracking is insane, it doesn't look like a super techy watch IMO and the dive functionality has been great for me (although I'm new).

I got mine pretty close to a week ago now. The Garmin express program on PC is garbage, the Bluetooth headphone setup and use is trash too. But once you get used to it it's actually really nice. The insights, the tracking are so useful. I really like the app. I consider the watch screen an afterthought. I wish Garmin sold a bicep tracker that had no screen and only interacted with the app. Then you can continue wearing a normal watch on your wrist.

Right on! I went from an AWU2 to a Fénix 8. Battery life is silly....

I'm in the same boat. The Fenix 8 lag, mapping, waypoints, searching for courses, etc. is a dumpster fire. I did pre-order the vertical 2 and have high hopes.

FWIW, I just went on a week long hike. I ended up recording each day as individual activities, because the risk of a big/crash binning the whole hike was too high for me. Regarding battery life, I was fine on a single charge with my Fenix 8 (it was pretty low towards the end). I recommend a portable solar panel. They are pretty cheap and lightweight these days. These will be much more effective than the watch based solar (small surface area) and can charge your other devices as well (phone). Good luck!

My experience is that I owned a Fenix 6 for 2 years then upgraded to a Fenix 8 last year. I broke my ankle in March but continued wearing my Garmin during what turned out to be roughly 6 months of rehab and healing. I realized at a certain point that my Garmin was constantly disappointed in me because I was so sedentary during this time. I bought an Apple Watch ultra 2 open box about a month ago and I've been loving it for where I'm at in life. It motivates me to just move every day and close my rings. I still have the Garmin and might switch back once I start training seriously again but in the mean time I'm very happy with the AW. It's more gentle with me and doesn't treat me like an athlete

I just switched to the Apple Watch Ultra 3 from the fenix 8. I use an app called WorkOutDoors. That was a one time purchase of nine dollars totally worth it. It does off-line maps and everything. Lots of good data in there. I guess what drove me away from the Garmin line is it's just so clunky. The Apple Watch is extremely smooth. The other thing I like is when I'm jogging I can use my AirPods with it and stream, Spotify or Apple Music. That's just me overall. It's been a pleasant experience. I'm getting about 70 hours of battery life, which is plenty for me.

Completely agree. I ran with both my AW and F8 the other day. To summarize: AW: You did an amazing job. Keep it up! F8: My grandma runs faster than you.

Get a chest strap for triathlons, one that works in water. The 965/Fenix/Epix are the same or minimal difference. The latest are the Fenix 8 nad forerunner 970. Get what looks good to you, because features are 99.9% the same. Also Fenix is a big bigger