8.7Staff pick
Garmin
Forerunner 970
$750AMOLED, offline maps, a flashlight and training metrics you'll actually read.
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GPS Watches · Garmin
Fenix 8
Dive-rated, map-loaded and built to outlast the mountain.
8.1 Strong
Runsletter Score out of 10. Excellent, with a trade-off or two worth knowing.
Buy it if
- Every feature Garmin makes
- Tough build with dive rating
- Fast, detailed offline maps
- Flashlight, speaker and mic built in
Skip it if
- Very expensive
- Heavy for road racing
$1,000
List price; often discounted in seasonal sales
Check price at retailers ↗When does it go on sale?We may earn a commission
- Battery
- Up to 29 days
- Display
- AMOLED
- Maps
- Offline topo
The verdict
The Fenix 8 is Garmin's do-everything adventure watch. Offline maps, dive rating, a built-in flashlight and a speaker and mic for voice commands, all inside a case built to take a beating.
It's for trail runners, hikers and multisport types who need one watch for the lot. Against the Forerunner 970 it's heavier and pricier with similar running metrics; against the Enduro 3 it has the brighter screen and more features but less battery.
Multi-band GPS is as good as it gets, maps are fast and detailed, and battery runs from around two to four weeks of normal use on the AMOLED version, depending on size. On the track, though, it's a lot of watch to carry.
“Overkill for the track, exactly right for the long way round.”
Specs
| Battery | Up to 29 days |
|---|---|
| Display | AMOLED |
| Maps | Offline topo |
| Weight | 80 g (47 mm) |
| GPS | Multi-band |
| Heart rate | Elevate Gen 5, with ECG |
| Water rating | 10 ATM, dive-rated to 40 m |
| Lens | Gorilla Glass or sapphire, by edition |
| Case | Stainless steel or titanium bezel |
| Music | Onboard storage |
| Sizes | 43, 47, 51 mm (AMOLED); 47, 51 mm (solar) |
We may earn a commission if you buy through our links. Scores are sample editorial data.
How it stacks up
Compare side by side →| Product | Score | Price |
|---|---|---|
| Garmin Fenix 8 · this one | 8.1 Strong | $1,000 |
| Garmin Forerunner 970 | 8.7 Elite | $750 |
| Coros Pace 3 | 8.4 Strong | $229 |
| Garmin Forerunner 570 | 8.3 Strong | $550 |
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