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Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Love this watch
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Posted . Owned for less than 1 week when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love this watch. Came from AWU, it’s an upgrade for sure. The fitness metrics are so much more detailed. Feels like a watch. Not a iPhone.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve used Garmin watches for years, and the fēnix 8 AMOLED is easily one of the best on paper—but in reality, it still has some major flaws. The AMOLED display is a huge improvement—brighter, clearer, and much easier to read in all lighting conditions, whether I’m in the gym, on a run, or under a ruck. Despite the upgraded screen, battery life is still solid—I’m getting around 10 days with mixed GPS and smartwatch use, which is impressive.
Fitness & Training Features:
The heart rate tracking, VO2 max, and training load features are on point. HRV status and recovery time estimates actually feel useful, unlike some wearables that just throw random numbers at you. GPS is accurate even in dense terrain, and the multi-band GNSS support makes a real difference when tracking rucks and runs in wooded areas. The PacePro and real-time stamina tracking are great additions for long-distance training.
Durability & Usability:
As expected from a fēnix, this thing is built like a tank. I’ve taken it through gym sessions, rain, and even airborne ops—no scratches, no issues physically. The buttons + touchscreen combo works well, but I still prefer physical buttons for quick inputs during workouts.
Major Issue: Watch Freezing & Restarting
For a watch that’s supposed to be rugged and reliable, it randomly freezing or restarting mid-workout is unacceptable. This happened to me multiple times, and when it rebooted, all my workout data was completely gone. No recovery, no syncing—just lost progress. For anyone serious about tracking runs, rucks, or lifting sessions, this is a dealbreaker.
Garmin IQ Still Feels Like a Joke
For all the hardware improvements, Garmin still hasn’t figured out its app store. Garmin IQ is still a bare-bones ecosystem—there aren’t enough useful apps, and most of what’s available feels outdated or unnecessary. Compared to Apple’s or even Wear OS’s app stores, it’s not even close. If Garmin wants to compete beyond fitness, they need to take app development seriously.
Minor Gripes:
• Random Freezing & Restarts—ruins workouts.
• The watch is big—not an issue for me, but smaller wrists might find it bulky.
• Price is steep, but you get what you pay for.
• Garmin Pay is still hit or miss depending on your bank.
Final Verdict:
The fēnix 8 AMOLED should be the best multisport watch on the market—but software bugs ruin the experience. If you’re spending this kind of money, you shouldn’t have to worry about your watch crashing during a workout. Garmin needs to fix these issues ASAP, or they’re going to start losing serious athletes to other brands.
3/5 stars—Amazing hardware, but unreliable software. Not worth the risk until they fix it.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Garmin Fenix 8 is an outstanding multisport GPS watch that exceeds expectations in every way. The build quality is premium, with a durable yet stylish design that feels comfortable for all-day wear. The display is bright and easy to read in any lighting. GPS accuracy is excellent, and the tracking features are incredibly detailed for running, cycling, hiking, and more. Battery life is impressive, lasting days even with frequent GPS use. The watch’s smart features, health metrics, and training insights are top-notch. It’s the perfect blend of performance, durability, and style—worth every penny for athletes and outdoor enthusiasts alike.
The Ultimate Smartwatch – Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED Sa
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Posted .
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I’ve been using the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED Sapphire DLC for a few weeks now, and I can confidently say this is one of the best smartwatches I’ve ever owned. The AMOLED display is stunning—bright, crisp, and vibrant, making it easy to read even in direct sunlight. The sapphire crystal lens and DLC titanium bezel make it feel extremely premium and virtually scratch-proof.
Functionality-wise, it’s a powerhouse. It tracks heart rate, stress, sleep, and Body Battery, giving me real insight into my recovery and energy levels. For fitness, it’s perfect—whether I’m bodybuilding, running indoor, or doing HIIT workouts, the watch accurately tracks my sessions, reps, and calories burned. The GPS is precise, battery life is impressive, and the watch even handles notifications, music control, and Garmin Pay seamlessly.
The only small downside is the learning curve—there are so many features that it takes a little time to master them all. But once you do, this watch becomes an indispensable part of your daily life.
Verdict:
If you want a premium, durable, and highly capable smartwatch that does it all—from fitness tracking to adventure navigation—this is it. Hands down, the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED Sapphire DLC is worth every penny.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Fenix 8 is great in every situation. As a smartwatch, it does everything I need it to. As a fitness watch, it does everything. It maps, it tracks every metric imaginable and it looks good doing it. I use it for running, strength training, hiking and hunting. It does everything well. After switching to Garmin from Apple, there’s no way I could go back. Battery life is crazy good even when using GPS and every sensor. The display is very bright and looks great. I highly recommend it for anyone who wants to track their fitness levels and overall health. This watch does it all. You will not be disappointed in it.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love my Garmin Fenix 8 Sapphire! Stunning AMOLED display, super accurate GPS, and heart rate tracking. Over 100 sports modes, plus new dive features. Voice commands and calls are handy. Battery lasts weeks. Rugged, stylish titanium design. Beats Fenix 7 with brighter screen and better waterproofing.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Upgraded from a Fenix 5X and I enjoy the new features on the watch. So far I’ve not had any issues with the watch. I specifically use it for running, mountain biking and road biking. Works great and the battery is just as good as the Fenix 5X.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This is an outstanding watch. I was using Apple Watch Altra but this is better in terms of GPS accuracy and battery life is significantly better, Give you a run for your money.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I've been using the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro for several months and find if extremely reliable. The addition of a bright AMOLED screen finally make this device great for indoor and outdoor use, all without sacrificing battery life. In addition to this, a built-in light makes this device a perfect companion for practically all occasions.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
This was a purchase for my son’s Christmas present. We both had smart watches from a computer and phone giant. Our real life experience was, barely a day’s worth of charge. I quit using that watch and went back to my Garmin, it lasts for days. I went with this wat h for my son as he had a bigger need than I did. He received it Christmas Day and can’t say enough good things about it. It has been twenty days and he still hasn’t put a charge on it. This includes workouts and other needs this watch takes care of. I am glad Best Buy had this particular watch available when I went looking. Thank you Garmin and Best Buy.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
writing this review after getting frustrated with whoop subscription , apple watch letting me down with only single band accuracy for runs and only basic health info. Garmin Fenix 8 is by far most accurate watch in terms of all data , maintaining 95-98% . while apple watch at 89-94% accuracy . Compatible with strava , has offline maps with topo , and mic , speakerphone . ECG app is not FDA approved . NASA just partnered up with Garmin and planning Fenix 8 for astronauts . Battery life ? well you will forget charging
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I came from a Fenix 5x and this is leaps and bounds ahead of it. Wrist HR is great, Activity tracking is fantastic, smart features rival those of phone brands and the battery life somewhere around 20-30 days depending on how much i use the GPS functions. Closer to 20 days since I walk for about 1.5 hours daily using the GPS.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Love the battery life of this watch. 28 days is amazing. I’m an avid outdoorsman and really appreciate the integrated maps and improved navigation features
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have many watches, but this is my favorite one for work. I’m actually a firefighter and allows me to roam around the mountains without getting lost. Best thing about this watch, that it assisted me with saving one of my firefighters when he went down on a fire assignment. I had no GPS on hand and this watch allow me to give coordinates to air attack and dispatch a helicopter to my location. I was able to short haul my guy to safety.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Watch face is bright even in direct sunlight, the AMOLED display uses more battery than my old garmin Fenix 7X, but it still lasts 16 days of.battery life.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I returned for the same watch but the 47mm. I want it more for golf and I thought the 51mm and band width would become an issue during the summer heat. The 47 mm seems to be a perfect size, very light weight and the face size is perfect. For the 47mm I’d give it a 5 star. Just got the Garmin Range finder z30 which will Bluetooth to the Garmin Fenix 8 watch.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
After using an Apple Watch for over a decade, I like this one. My Apple Watch's ability to monitor my pulse rate when working out is always a challenge for me.The Garmin watch has now resolved the issue.Additionally, the run's accuracy is superior to that of the Apple Watch.I also enjoy the statistics on the watch and the Garmin Connect after working out.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I bought this watch for weight training and calorie tracking and it has exceeded my expectations. You can set your workout in the app, send to the waych and it guides you through everything including rest periods! It is so simple to set treadmill running intervals directly from your wrist. The battery life is so long you rarely have to charge it.