Garmin Fenix 8 family
Garmin
A bunch of Garmin Fenix 8 features have been revealed ahead of the watch’s release date.
According to German retailer Uhrenlounge, the Fenix 8 is going to be available in a bunch of variants, including multiple sizes and two screen options. Its listing has since been pulled, but the details are now out there.
Garmin’s wider watch range is always out fill possible gaps in the line-up, and the Fenix 8 represents this whole concept in a single product. Here are seven of the key upgrades you should know about.
It Comes In MIP And OLED Screen Variants
Garmin has rapidly expanded its line-up of OLED watches across the last couple of years. It seemed feasible the Fenix 8 would go all-in on OLED, but the watch will apparently come in both OLED and MIP variants.
MIP, memory in pixel, is the older style of screen that was the standard across all the higher-end Garmin lines. It thrives in bright conditions, where an OLED has to compete with ambient light by increasing display power.
OLED and MIP Garmin watches will often have somewhat comparable battery life figures on a spec sheet these days. But an MIP watch will drain far less quickly than an OLED used outdoors a lot, with the “always on” display mode activated.
The Fenix 8 Has Up To Three Sizes
There are three sizes of Fenix 8: 43mm, 47mm and 51mm. These are familiar millimeter counts, similar to the 42mm, 47mm and 51mm of the Fenix 7.
I wouldn’t be surprised to see Garmin use the S and X model names the Fenix 7 series uses, alongside other Gamin ranges.
Not all sizes are available in both OLED and MIP screen styles, though. The MIP version only comes in the larger 47mm and 51mm versions.
Solar Charging Is Only For MIP models (Again)
Just like the Fenix 7 series, the Fenix 8 comes with solar charging skills. But only the MIP editions get that ability.
Garmin is yet to release a watch with an OLED screen and solar charging. While I expect Garmin is trying to get such a watch on its roster, it makes the most sense for an MIP screen wearable, which can be super-frugal on power.
Solar charging is expected to be 50% more effictive too. It’s not clear whether this is down to a new solar cell design, or just a larger solar charging area. Current designs use a dedicated area around the screen, and less effective solar charging across the entire display glass.
Mega Battery Life Of Up To 48 Days
Battery life is even better than that of the Fenix 7 range, at up to 48 days for the MIP with solar charging versions, and up to 29 days for the OLED version.
The Fenix 7 Pro’s longest-lasting model is rated for up to 37 days use, for the 51mm model.
Bezels Go Down, Screen Size Up
While the Garmin Fenix 8’s casing sizes are largely familiar, some of the actual screens get a size upgrade.
The 47mm Fenix 8 reportedly gets a 1.4-inch screen, to the 1.3 inches of the 47mm Fenix 7 Pro. The largest 51mm designs stick to 1.4 inches across generations, though.
Speaker And Microphone Are On-board
The Fenix 8 reportedly has both a microphone and speaker. This may let it use the digital assistant integrated Garmin first tried out in the Venu 2 series.
It also means likely you’ll be able to take hands-free calls with the Fenix 8 — not possible in the Fenix 7 Pro.
Garmin’s Fenix 8 is dive-ready
Watch out Apple Watch Ultra. The Garmin Fenix 8 is reportedly dive-ready.
Mainstream high-end Garmin watches to date typically have 10ATM water resistance, which is fine for surface-level swimming but not for actual diving. The Fenix 8 can apparently handle diving to up to 40m, just like the Apple Watch Ultra.
The Garmin Fenix 8 is expected to get its official announcement on August 27.
