Garmin - fēnix 8 Pro – 51 mm, MicroLED

MicroLed is draining battery… I would be careful with that one and consider Amoled instead

I am strongly considering upgrading to the fenix 8 pro amoled. I agree that the micro led version is really a proof of concept product where a brighter screen comes at too high a price ( poor battery, more girth, more weight, and $$$). The amoled offers what I have wanted for years though… the ability to call for help if needed without a phone… and I don’t carry my phone when running… so I run currently with full acceptance that if something happens I am on my own. So this is worth it to me completely… but I have been working towards completely ditching the phone for a few years, and this gets me a few steps closer… only other thing this watch could bring right now is even better battery life, but I can live with what it offers.

No, because 1. I do not, and will not, own an iPhone. 2. The battery still sucks. If I wanted to own a watch I have to charge every other day I'd buy a Fenix 8 Microled. 3. The sports features on AW are not even remotely comparable to the sports features on Fenix. 4. They still can't even do the thing that Garmin has been doing for a decade already - offline mapping and routing.

My watch is a tool, not a fashion statement, so I've always gone with 51mm even though yeah it's probably too big for me, don't care lol

Ah, so that’s where the real crazy comes in. 😜 For the most complete data, you’ve got to be willing to wear both, 24/7 (which I do). Garmin’s PhysioTrueUp (I think they just call it Device Priority now) helps keep everything in sync across the Garmin-verse. If I need to make things less showy for any reason I’ll sometimes keep the Garmin in my pocket’s coin pouch (less movement) since it’s reading from my Polar H10 anyways and doesn’t have to be on my wrist, and the entire point of the AWU3 for me is Tapbacks, SMS voice replies, and FindMy on my wrist via 5G. Sleep-wise, the Venu X1 barely feels like it’s even there, but even the Fenix8 MicroLED (the thickest of the lot) didn’t bother me for sleep comfort during the week that I was testing it, so perhaps I’m just an anomaly since I know many people (including my partner) don’t tolerate bigger watches during sleep - the Garmin Index Sleep band is a good workaround, but then you keep going further and further down this rabbit hole of more $ and niche tech.

I left AWU2 (and years of Apple Watch since gen 1) to get F8 Pro MLED and it’s wayyyy better lol. AWU3 doesn’t bring much to the table and their software for sport is average at best. Garmin streaks ahead

Any other company would've canned the microLED version. It doesn't even appeal to a niche. Even if you're a billionaire, you wouldn't want the version with much shorter battery life. Seems more like a public beta product they're offering because they can, not because they think it'll actually sell well. A lot of people would be happy with the LTE version but it's less capable than double wristing with an AW so it's not for me.

$100 more for the option to pay $96/year more for cellular and more still for satellite.

Except that Garmin is now attempting to compete with Apple and Android. If you look at the new releases like the Venu X1, Venu4, the Fenix 8 Pro, the batteries are getting fewer days than their predecessors. The VenuX1 is rated for 2 days with AOD, the Fenix8 pro MicroLed is rated for 4 days with AOD both in Smartwatch mode. To get the battery life users are accustom to you need to turn off features.

Took those stats straight from the Garmin site. Fenix8 pro MicroLed Smartwatch: Up to 10 days (4 days always-on), VenuX1 - Smartwatch mode: Up to 8 days (2 days display always-on) I use my U2 with AOD and I can easily get 48 hours, 3 full days if I wanted and that is with at least an hour of GPS and another hour of activity tracking each day.

I did not - did you actually read the whole post or just skip parts of it because someone stated facts you didn't like about Garmin? I used Garmin for many years, they were a great brand at one time. Further the Fenix 8 pro MicroLED is still a Fenix 8 pro - get over yourself.

But it is - speaker, microphone, calls, texts, watch assistant etc, it is marketed as a smartwatch and less an adventure watch. The Fenix 8 Pro maybe a bit more so as an adventure watch with the LTE and satellite but still also marketed as a smartwatch as well.

They don't have the processing power and you are seeing the repercussion on the F8Pro just by adding LTE - it drains the battery. Adding smartwatch features would drastically impact the battery and Garmin users would lose their minds.

I wouldn't say that Apple Watches and the Ultra in particular have light fitness features, I use Stryd pods to run and use the Stryd app, that makes the AW a powerful fitness watch, there are numeral apps that can replicate what Garmin provides. I use WorkOutDoors for all my other activities, fully customizable with the ability to use live and downloadable maps with routing. Users can take advantage of a plethora of apps and for those that don't want app there are websites like runalze and intervals.icu. To be truthful Garmin is bloated with data that just fluff and not needed by anyone, sure it is fun to look at but most don't take action on the majority of it. The ability to workout without a phone can't be overstated. Yes Garmin has the Fenix 8 pro with cellular but the LTE is provided by Garmin and it severely limited is scope and usage. No streaming, users have no esim so no dedicated phone number and others must use Garmin messenger to communicate with the user. It really is made for emergency situations.

I used Garmin for a number of years, often switching back and forth with Apple. Once the Ultra came about I was hesitant but when the U2 was released and after I just became fed up with the more and more frequent software updates to fix bugs that actually just created more I left Garmin for good and I won't ever go back. The U2 and the ability to run and leave the phone at home can't be over stated. Yes the F8pro has LTE but it is so limited that for daily use it is not going to cut it - I am not going to be able to unlock my door with it, turn on my lights, check my dog camera, check the transit schedule, stream my podcast, pay for things (no Garmin pay where I live) etc. As for the folks who go on about all the data that Garmin has - I say no one needs all that data, not even profession athletes (despite what Garmin wants us to think). How many users even understand what it all means let alone take action on all or any of it? They are very few actual metric that anyone needs to train 'seriously' and you don't even need a watch to do that, but it sure makes it easier. I run several marathons a year and the Ultra is more than enough for my needs, I also hike pretty extensively and WorkOutDoors meets my needs for that. As for metrics the health app is rich with data, one needs only learn how to use it. HeathFit is a great app as well. I don't need more than that.

No, they are well overpriced for what you are getting. Outdated, laggy, buggy software, with watches that for the most part are made of plastic/resin and look cheap. The Connect app is a disaster. You will need a chest strap if you are interested in accurate heart rate data for activities. The bluetooth antennae range is short and has issue connecting for many - android and iPhone users alike. Yes they give you a great deal of data, is it fun to look at, absolutely, is it needed, absolutely not. There is so much of it that folks either don't understand or don't know what to do with it so they never action it. Further if the heart rate data is not accurate or consistent is any of the data valuable anyway? Garmin is falling behind its competitors, changing its focus in an attempt to add more smartwatch feature - doing so poorly it seems - and not staying true to being a great fitness tracker. They are relying more and more on their reputation and their prices are going up and up for watches that are going down in quality and usability due to software issues/bugs. Just have a look at all the issues that occurred when the Fenix 8 was released, the FR970/570 and VenuX1 are currently having software issues too.

You are going to get downvotes from those who are in denial, loyalists who will never say a bad word about the brand, or from those who are so invested in the brand they are either so locked in that they won't change or they truly believe that Garmin is the best available. That said, what you have stated is true, they are just selling old models with new faces, the internals are the same. They haven't really changed for years. Garmin's software is outdated, laggy and so buggy it is an embarrassment. The Fenix 8 release was a catastrophe. Most folks know not to buy a new release Garmin for at least 6-8 months these days or they are just going to have paid to be a Garmin beta tester for months. You didn't even mention the laggy heart rate data for activities. Other brands have caught up to what at one time was the best in the business - not anymore. Garmin has been relying on the reputation for a while now. Prices go up, features get more gimmicky, and UX and UI go down.

I would say that the Fenix used to be geared toward the people who are going to use the 'adventure' watch as intended but the Fenix 8 is no longer an adventure watch, it is a daily driver for the everyday Jo who hikes on the weekends and goes on one or two multi-day adventures a year. It isn't what it used to be, it has a speaker and mic now, come on, it is trying to be a smartwatch. The Enduro is the Adventure watch meant for trekking and extreme conditions.

That's a good and fair comparison. I would even say that the Apple Watch Ultra is 90% fitness tracker, especially if you get an app like Workoutdoors which fills in the gaps left by the stock sports tracking. It's incredibly flexible and costs next to nothing and it's a one time fee, no subscription. I won't say 100% because the battery life is just not there yet on Apple. Although strangely enough, the top of the line flagship Garmin (Fenix 8 MicroLED) gets 48 hours of battery life to Apple's 42 hours and it's also more than twice the price.

Yes I wouldn’t go for the MicroLED version. The majority who really value the satellite/LTE will also want the better batter life and go for the AMOLED.

There have been quite a lot of people who wanted the LTE/ Satellite feature. It’s basically for those who do outdoor trips and may find themselves in quite remote areas, particularly those with little or no phone signal. A phone also won’t have anywhere near the same battery life. To be honest this should really be a reasonably significant proportion of Fenix users as it’s an adventure watch (plenty of other watches available for those that don’t do this). A bit of a disappointment is that the emergency feature still needs the subscription. Could easily have made that free like other services have. It’s really having that reliable back up to call for help when you really need it that is highly valuable although low incidence (hopefully). Also can include those who do a lot of running and don’t always want to take their phone as it’s a bit hefty, that fund this valuable. Note at point cant see much of a point getting the microLED version though as significant extra costs also comes with lower battery life!

The older OLED fenix 8 model has even better battery life than the micro-led fenix 8 pro. It's not the display tech, it's a combination of physical battery size and garmins having relatively underpowered hardware and not as many smartwatch features running in the background.