Latest news with #Fenix8
Tom's Guide
19-07-2025
- Tom's Guide
I wore the Garmin Fenix 8 vs. Garmin Forerunner 970 for over a week — which should you buy?
The Garmin Fenix 8 and Garmin Forerunner 970 are, in my opinion, the two best Garmin watches available, and I love testing both of them during my marathon training. They are laden with the same features to help you track and improve your training, and also boast best-in-class navigation tools as well as useful smart and activity tracking features. There are some important differences between them though, notably in their design, price and battery life, that will be key to picking between them. I've worn each for months at a time as my main sports watch, and compared the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970 directly with a week wearing them at the same time. Here are the key things to consider if you're picking between them. The Garmin Forerunner 970 is the newer watch, having launched in May 2025, and it costs $749.99 / £629.99. There is only one model of the watch with a 47mm case that comes in three colors — black, white and grey/gold. In contrast, there are a lot of watches in the Garmin Fenix 8 range. There are three sizes — 43mm, 47mm and 51mm — and two screen options — AMOLED and memory-in-pixel, with the latter having solar panels around the watch face. This $150 saving is on the 47mm sapphire model of the Fenix 8 AMOLED, but the other watches in the range are also reduced if you want a smaller or larger watch, or one with solar charging. The Fenix 8 is a durable, good-looking sports and adventure watch with all of Garmin's top sports and navigation features. The Fenix 8 launched in August 2024 and is the more expensive watch. It costs from $999.99 to $1199.99, depending on which model and size of the watch you opt for. For the purposes of this article, I'm mostly going to focus on the Fenix 8 AMOLED 47mm watch, which is the most directly comparable to the Garmin Forerunner 970. If you want a solar watch or a larger or smaller device, then the Fenix 8 range has you covered, whereas you don't get those options with the Forerunner 970. The Forerunner 970 is the top Forerunner in Garmin's range and a more affordable alternative to the Fenix 8. As a newer watch it's not yet in sales, but it's still cheaper than the reduced Fenix 8 and has almost all the same excellent features in a lighter, slimmer design. Garmin Forerunner 970 Garmin Fenix 8 (47mm AMOLED) Price $749 $999 (steel); $1099 (titanium) Case size 47 x 47 x 12.9mm 47 x 47 x 13.8mm Screen size 1.4 inches 1.4 inches Resolution 454 x 454 pixels 454 x 454 pixels Screen material Sapphire crystal Glass or sapphire crystal Weight 56g 80g (steel); 73g (titanium) GPS battery life 26 hours 37 hours Smartwatch battery life 15 days 16 days Touchscreen Yes Yes Speaker/Mic Yes Yes Built-in flashlight Yes Yes Waterproof rating 5ATM 10ATM (40m dive) There are some shared elements in the designs of the Fenix 8 and Forerunner 970, which are both round watches with 1.4in AMOLED displays, built-in flashlights and five buttons. The screen on the Forerunner 970 is a little brighter than the one on the Fenix 8, however, and the design is considerably slimmer and lighter than the Fenix 8, which I found made it more comfortable to wear 24/7. There are advantages to the bulkier Fenix design though. It's more durable, with a larger metal bezel and metal back — the Forerunner 970 has a titanium bezel but the case is otherwise plastic — and the Fenix 8 is more waterproof, with a 10ATM rating to the 5ATM for the Forerunner 970. The Fenix 8 is also diveproof to depths of 40m, and has leakproof buttons that feel a little different to the ones on the Forerunner 970, which are more clicky. With the Forerunner 970 a scratch resistant sapphire crystal display comes as standard, but you have to opt for a more expensive model of the Fenix 8 to get this. The base model has a steel bezel with a glass display, with the sapphire model having a titanium bezel and sapphire crystal display. Both watches have a mic and speaker, Garmin's latest Elevate v5 optical heart rate sensor, which I found accurate in my testing, and offer multi-band GPS tracking. There are pros and cons to each watch when it comes to design. The Fenix 8 is better-looking in my opinion, and more durable, but the sleeker design of the Forerunner 970 makes it more comfortable and it fits better on slim wrists. There are minimal differences in the sports tracking and training analysis on the two watches, and both will be kept up to date with new features in software updates for the foreseeable future, as they are the latest models in their respective ranges. One difference is the scuba diving (single gas) and apnea diving modes available on the Fenix 8, and it also has a depth app. If you're a diver, it's clearly the one to go for. I've hundreds of miles with both watches and both have proved reliably accurate for heart rate and GPS tracking throughout my testing. They are both as good as sports watches get for tracking and analysis, and there's nothing to split them on this front. The Fenix 8 offers better battery life than the Forerunner 970, especially if you opt for one of the larger 51mm or solar-charging models of the watch, but also when comparing the 47mm Fenix 8 AMOLED to the Forerunner 970. For most of my use I had the display set to always-on with both watches, and I used them to track daily runs and other workouts. The Forerunner 970 lasts me four or five days on a charge, and the Fenix 8 lasts me six or seven days. If you set the screen to raise to wake then both will last longer and the gap between them grows larger. Both are pretty long-lasting for AMOLED watches, but the Fenix 8 wins this battle. For me, the lighter, slimmer design and lower price of the Garmin Forerunner 970 makes it the better option, and it's the one I'd get, especially as I don't need the extra battery life you get on the Fenix. However, there are some distinct advantages to the Fenix 8 such as that battery life, and the design is more premium and rugged, which might be enough to sway you to pay the extra if you don't mind wearing a larger watch.
WIRED
13-07-2025
- WIRED
The Garmin Forerunner 970 Celebrates Your Race Finish With You
It has 15 new sport profiles compared to the Forerunner 965, including things like Backcountry Snowboarding, Pickleball, and even some motor sports. The list isn't as extensive as the Fenix 8, though, which can track surfing and now works as a full-on dive watch for recreational scuba and freediving. It really feels like the lack is just to differentiate between the Forerunner and Fenix lines, because a software update could do it. Fortunately, the map features have been cribbed from the Fenix 8, and they're excellent. It comes with extensive topographical maps installed. The maps are colorful, bright, and easy to navigate by pinching and tapping. A new feature is Round Trip Routing, with corrections (theoretically). If you're in an unfamiliar city, you can tell the watch that you want to do a 5-mile run and it will suggest a loop for you. If you accidentally take a wrong turn or see some pretty thing you want to go check out, it will fluidly reroute you to get you back to your hotel while hitting your goal distance (within reason, of course). It's such a great idea, but I could never get it to work. If I went off the route, the whole watch would crash, and I had to power cycle it. Hopefully this is something Garmin can fix in a future software update (the updates come roughly once a month). On the upside, I found GPS performance to be accurate, even among trees, cliffs, and tall buildings. A Lot of Competition Photograph: Brent Rose It's worth mentioning that Garmin also launched the new, midrange Forerunner 570. It has a shorter battery life, less-premium materials (Gorilla Glass 3 vs. Sapphire, aluminum bezel vs. titanium), less memory at 8 GB vs. 32 GB, no built-in mapping, and no flashlight. You get the speaker and mic though, and there's the option of a 42 mm display instead of just 47 mm, which is nice for those with smaller wrists. With all that said, a lot of these features are available on the Fenix 8. The Fenix 8 has more expensive materials, like a full titanium body; some of the same hardware, like the mic and speaker, and better battery life. There are some features that aren't currently available, like Running Tolerance, but those are coming via a huge new software update that Garmin just announced. The Fenix 8 is way more expensive than the Forerunner 970, but it's also much older. If the Fenix 8 goes on sale, as it occasionally does, it's a no-brainer to get it instead. The Forerunner 970 is a premium watch with advanced features that will give you a lot of insight and assistance if you're trying to go pro, but it might be overkill if you're not and you occasionally like to surf instead.
Tom's Guide
07-07-2025
- Business
- Tom's Guide
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro hits lowest ever price for Prime Day — here's why I'd get it ahead of the Fenix 8
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is a regular in sales, having been released two years ago and since superseded by the Garmin Fenix 8. However, I've never seen the price of the sapphire solar model of the watch drop as low as $499, which it's going for on Amazon right now just before Prime Day technically starts. That's a $400 saving on its full price and half the price of the equivalent model of the Garmin Fenix 8. The Fenix 7 Pro might not be the newest option in Garmin's range, but there's no better sports watch available for $499. The Fenix 7 Pro has crashed to its lowest ever price just ahead of Prime Day, with this deal on the sapphire titanium model of the watch making it half the price of the equivalent Fenix 8. You won't find a better sports watch for $499, with the Fenix 7 Pro offering top-tier sports tracking, training analysis and navigation features, plus outstanding battery life, all in a durable and attractive watch. The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro was once the flagship watch in the brand's range, and it still has almost all of the key sports tracking features you get on the best Garmin watches. It offers precise tracking, the best navigation tools available from any brand including offline maps, detailed training analysis and a rugged but lightweight design. Compared with the Garmin Fenix 8 Solar model, you don't get the mic and speaker and diveproof design of the new watch, and you also miss out on some running analysis features like running economy estimates, but the core tracking experience is still the same. This deal is on the sapphire titanium model of the Fenix 7 Pro, which has a more scratch-resistant screen and durable bezel than the standard steel watch. This deal is on the sapphire titanium model of the Fenix 7 Pro, which has a more scratch-resistant screen and durable bezel than the standard steel watch, which actually isn't available in a deal for less than the sapphire watch right now. I wore the Fenix 7 Pro for over a month during my testing and the key advantage it offers over Garmins with an AMOLED display like the Epix Pro is battery life. The Fenix 7 Pro has a memory-in-pixel display, which means it lasted three weeks on a charge for me even when running 60-70 miles a week. That battery life can be boosted significantly in sunny conditions too, with the solar panels that run around the watch face able to add several days of battery life if you're out in the sun for three hours every day. To put this deal price into perspective, right now the Fenix 7 Pro is cheaper than the Garmin Forerunner 570, a mid-range watch with far fewer sports features that also doesn't have maps. It's a fantastic deal and a price I doubt will be bettered even when Prime Day gets into full swing.
Tom's Guide
25-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
Garmin Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 get 28 upgrades in free software update — here are the 6 best new features
Garmin Fenix 8 owners are unlikely to have had any interest in buying the new Garmin Venu X1 and Garmin Forerunner 970 watches — they already own one of the best Garmin watches, after all. They should have been paying close attention to those new launches, however. Both the Venu X1 and Forerunner 970 arrived with new features that weren't yet on the Fenix 8, like running economy measurements and a smart alarm. Those upgrades are now heading for the Fenix 8, along with the Garmin Enduro 3 and Fenix E, courtesy of a free software update that is now available as part of Garmin's Public Beta program, and will go on wider release in due course. There are 28 new features in total in the software update, along with 30 fixes and other improvements for the watches. You can see the full release notes on the Garmin Forum, and if you're signed up to the Public Beta program you can get it now by hitting 'check for updates' in the settings menu on your watch. The flagship sports watch in Garmin's range now has the features introduced on the Forerunner 970 and Venu X1. It's a fantastic sports and adventure watch that lives up to its high price, and should start to appear more regularly in sales in the second half of 2025. I've been testing the Forerunner 970 and Venu X1 since they launched and have tried the new features heading for the Fenix 8/E and Enduro 3. Here are the ones you should be most excited about. This is my favorite new feature from the Forerunner 970. Running tolerance estimates how much mileage your body can handle in a week based on recent training, and takes into account how hard your runs actually are. For example, when I did a flat-out 10K race, and the impact deemed to be 15km of running. So my acute impact load for that week was higher than my actual mileage — a helpful reminder that hard runs have more of an effect on the body. Get instant access to breaking news, the hottest reviews, great deals and helpful tips. You can use this feature to build up your mileage gradually and safely, and ensure not doing more running than your body can handle in total. While avoiding excessive fast or hard running, which increases your risk of injury. Each evening your watch will now give a breakdown of your day's activities and things like your stress levels throughout the day, and give a sleep suggestion from Garmin's Sleep Coach feature, which basically amounts to saying you need more or less sleep than usual. The report also shows upcoming weather and appointments, along with your suggested workout for the following day. It's a handy way to get your data from the day shown to you without digging through a load of menus or widgets. To get these new stats you'll need to use your watch with the Garmin HRM600 chest strap, which enables measurement of your step speed loss during runs. This shows how much you slow down with each step, with a lower number being better as it takes less effort to then speed up again during a stride. These step speed loss measurements feed into an overall running economy estimate, which says how efficient you are as a runner. It takes a few runs to get the running economy measurement on the watch, but once you do it's another handy way to look at the impact of your training in making you a better runner. In general, running more and doing structured training will help to improve your running economy, and a more efficient runner is a faster one, because it takes less effort to maintain higher speeds if you're running more economically. The smart alarm feature initially launched on the Garmin Vivoactive 6 and is also on the Venu X1, and basically involves the watch tracking your sleep and waking you up when you're not in deep or REM sleep so you don't feel groggy. You set a 30-minute window when you want to be woken up, and your watch will then detect when you're in light sleep and buzz to wake you. As someone who has two young children I haven't needed an alarm in years, but lately my youngest has decided to sleep in on rare occasions — usually when I need to be up early myself — so I've tried the smart alarm. I wouldn't say I've felt less groggy while using it to wake up, but that could be because it's summer and I'm generally waking up early naturally as it's lighter. Once the dark days of winter arrive it should be a handy addition to my watch, and it will be more useful for those with less consistent sleep schedules. Turning your $1000 smartwatch into a retro Casio calculator watch is surprisingly enjoyable, and the calculator app available in the update also includes a useful tool to work out tips and split bills between people. Focus modes allow you to say which notifications you want coming into your watch at certain times, if any. Standard focus modes on Garmin watches include sleep and activity, and since this update you can now create your own modes to turn on in certain situations, like when you're watching a movie. To get the update now you have to enroll in Garmin's Public Beta program through the Garmin Connect website. Navigate to your device page there and click 'Join Beta Software program'. This will give you access to early updates, but it does also mean that you won't be getting the finalized versions of that software, so it can mean less stable performance, though I haven't had any real problems using the program myself. However, there is a downside if using the program as a Fenix 8 user. The watch's ECG and Dive features are disabled when using the current beta software, so you'll have to wait for the full update if you want to keep those features.
Tom's Guide
19-06-2025
- Tom's Guide
I used the Garmin Epix Pro for a year and it just hit its lowest ever price on Amazon
While I love testing out the latest Garmin watches like the Fenix 8, the high price of new sports watches means there is always value to be found in hunting for deals on older models. That's made abundantly clear by this incredible discount on the 51mm model of the Garmin Epix Pro, which is reduced to $689 at Amazon right now, a $410 saving that brings the watch down to the lowest price I've ever seen it. LOWEST PRICE! This deal reduces the 51mm Epix Pro to its lowest ever price, and for $689 you're getting an incredible AMOLED sports watch that has best-in-class navigation tools on top of the tracking and training analysis it offers. As this is the largest watch in the Epix Pro range, you also get excellent battery life, and the titanium case and sapphire crystal screen mean that it's light and durable too. The Garmin Epix Pro is the predecessor to the Garmin Fenix 8, which is undoubtedly a fantastic sports watch but costs over $1000. As someone who has used both watches extensively, running marathons with both and using the Epix Pro for a year, I'd say the older model definitely offers better value right now. That's especially true because this deal is on the titanium model of the Epix Pro, which is lighter and more durable than the standard steel watch, and it has a scratch-resistant sapphire screen, so you can be sure it will last you many years of heavy use. My Epix Pro barely has a mark on it after a year of everyday use, and I preferred using the larger 51mm model of the watch because of its bigger screen and impressive battery life — even with the always-on AMOLED screen enabled it lasted me 10 days on a charge when running 70-80 miles a week. Newer Garmin models like the Garmin Fenix 8 and Garmin Forerunner 970 have some upgrades like the addition of a mic and speaker and some new training analysis, but the core experience of using the Epix Pro is similar, and it's just as accurate a sports tracker. It also has Garmin's latest heart rate sensor on board, which is one of the most accurate optical sensors I've tested on a sports watch, and a built-in flashlight, which I've found incredibly handy throughout testing. If you'd prefer a smaller watch the Garmin Epix Pro 47mm is reduced to $699 in the Amazon sale. It has a slightly smaller display and shorter battery life than the 51mm watch, and is $10 more expensive, but that's still a great price if you feel the 51mm is too large for your wrist.
