What it is advisable to know
- The Garmin fenix 8, beforehand MIP solely, now has AMOLED fashions as effectively, making the short-lived Garmin Epix lineup defunct.
- It comes with a 40-meter dive score, built-in mic and speaker with new voice instructions, new power coaching plans, and a revamped map interface with “dynamic round-trip routing.”
- The Garmin Enduro 3 now hits 90 days or 320 Global Positioning System hours with photo voltaic charging, about double what the Enduro 2 supplied because of a brand new photo voltaic panel.
Garmin has introduced its new flagship fenix 8 and Enduro 3 watches with a bunch of {hardware} upgrades and thrilling new software program methods. While each watches nonetheless include battery-saving MIP shows, Garmin continued its AMOLED transition by providing the favored fenix in three AMOLED sizes, as effectively.
Garmin beforehand offered the “Epix” line as an AMOLED various to fenix, so I requested my Garmin rep if this information means Epix is useless. She responded, “That’s appropriate, we’re combining each Solar/MIP and AMOLED beneath the fenix household — which has established itself as a really respected model over the previous decade.”
The Garmin fenix 8 AMOLED arrives right this moment in 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm sizes, whereas the fenix 8 Solar has 47mm and 51mm fashions. You’ll want 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 cost.
At the identical time, the MIP-only, 51mm Garmin Enduro 3 has arrived with a 90-day battery life and as much as 320 Global Positioning System hours or 120 multi-band Global Positioning System hours. Garmin attributes its “bigger, extra environment friendly photo voltaic lens” that “supplies greater than double the photo voltaic panel of the earlier Enduro mannequin.”
As at all times, the Garmin fenix 8 and Enduro 3 will price you a reasonably penny. The Enduro 3 is least expensive at $899, whereas the fenix 8 ranges from $999 to $1,199, primarily based on dimension and optionally available titanium bezel or Sapphire lens upgrades.
We’ll break down the brand new {hardware} and software program methods for each the Garmin fenix 8 and Enduro 3 under. Otherwise, Garmin is livestreaming its fenix and Enduro launch at Charmonix beginning at 7a ET right this moment, if you wish to get a more in-depth hands-on look.
Garmin fenix 8
Aside from changing the Epix sequence, the Garmin fenix 8 may even encroach on Descent territory: It’ll have “leakproof metallic buttons” and a “40-meter dive score” with scuba and apnea dive actions added. That’s along with the identical MIL-STD-810H score for thermal, shock, and water resistance because the fenix 7.
Like earlier than, it will have a built-in mic and speaker for telephone calls and passthrough instructions for Google Assistant, Siri, or Bixby. For the primary time, Garmin is including on-watch instructions like “set a timer for five minutes,” “save waypoint,” or “begin a power coaching exercise.” This characteristic is lengthy overdue, as less expensive health manufacturers have such instructions, and I hope Garmin will deliver this characteristic to the Venu 3 and last-gen fashions.
What I’m most enthusiastic about, nevertheless, is the brand new “Advanced Strength Training” replace. Garmin guarantees that athletes will obtain “focused 4–6-week power coaching plans to assist meet private objectives, plus sport-specific exercises for athletes of every kind, together with path runners, surfers, skiers, and extra.”
Many Garmin watches have hundreds of animated exercises with muscle maps, however Garmin’s indoor exercises are too restricted: creating your personal exercises is gradual and you will not discover a wide-enough vary of premade exercises. Garmin’s new superior power coaching feels like the answer, the equal of a Garmin Coach cross-training calendar that adjusts primarily based in your capacity stage, tools, and favourite sports activities.
While solely the fenix 7X and Pro had LED flashlights, it seems all fenix 8 sizes may have an LED flashlight on your nighttime exercises. And you will now have entry to the Garmin Messenger app on the watch itself, in case of an emergency.
Garmin additionally guarantees a “new map interface” for its TopoActive maps that permits you to “customise map layers,” however the press launch would not elaborate the way it’ll work.
What’s extra thrilling (in my thoughts) is the brand new “dynamic round-trip routing.” Basically, it seems you’ll select a mountain climbing vacation spot and supposed distance, and have Garmin present you potential routes again and the way lengthy every would take. This will assist maintain your native park trails contemporary, prevent time discovering new trails on Alltrails, and make sure you return to your automotive earlier than it will get darkish.
Those are the entire new Garmin fenix 8 options the corporate has revealed so far. Otherwise, you will discover loads of acquainted coaching instruments: Training readiness, endurance rating, hill rating, VO2 Max, TempoPro, ClimbPro, and Garmin Coach. You additionally get ECG readings, HRV Status, Pulse Ox, and sleep teaching with nap detection.
Compared to different Garmin watches, you will get extra superior sports activities modes, TopoActive Maps, multi-band Global Positioning System, longer battery life, and a extra sturdy design with the fenix 8 sequence.
Garmin Enduro 3
As talked about above, the Garmin Enduro 3 beats the Enduro 2 for solar-backed smartwatch days (90 vs. 46 days), Global Positioning System hours (320 vs. 150 hours), and multi-band Global Positioning System hours (120 vs. 81 hours), because of a brand new photo voltaic panel.
I assume it is the identical revamped photo voltaic panel added to the Instinct 2X Solar in 2023, because the Enduro 2 launched in 2022. For context, that watch lasts 145 Global Positioning System hours or 36 multi-band Global Positioning System hours. The Enduro 3 prices twice as a lot and lasts twice as lengthy, so you possibly can determine when you want that additional capability or not.
Of course, the Enduro 3 has different perks apart from battery life: A titanium bezel, sapphire lens, built-in LED flashlight, and a correct 1.4-inch MIP show that may show extra textual content than an Instinct’s low-res, two-window show.
Like the fenix 8, it has preloaded topographic, golf, and ski maps, plus the brand new dynamic round-trip routing and superior power coaching plan options. Also, you get ECG readings for AFib detection and a built-in LED flashlight for the primary time.
Garmin says the Enduro 3 weighs 63g (I assume with out the band) and ships with an UltraFit nylon band. The band-less Enduro 2 weighs 64g, so I assume the expertise will really feel comparable. It’s additionally essential to notice that the Enduro 3’s boosted battery comes from getting just a few hours of daylight per day. Depending on the situations the place you reside or hike, your Enduro 3 may not final so long as what Garmin guarantees on paper.
