Garmin Fenix 8 Review: Is it a Better Buy Over the New Fenix 9?

When I originally published this review in September 2024, I called it “The Best Golf Watch You Probably Shouldn’t Buy.”

That wasn’t because the Garmin Fenix 8 wasn’t fantastic. It was. And after wearing mine nearly every day for two years, I feel even more strongly about just how good it is.

The problem was value.

At launch, you could buy an Epix Gen 2, and sometimes even an Epix Gen 2 Pro, for a few hundred dollars less. The Fenix 8 brought a newer design, a revamped interface, better heart-rate hardware, a microphone and speaker, dive functionality, and plenty of smaller refinements. But compared with the Epix Gen 2 Pro, many of the most important golf and fitness capabilities were still very similar.

So for most people who wanted a full-featured Garmin fitness watch with Garmin’s complete golf suite, one of the older Epix models was the smarter buy.

Two years later, that recommendation has changed.

The Epix watches can still represent a solid value, but they’re beginning to feel a little long in the tooth, especially now that the Fenix 9 has arrived. More importantly, the Fenix 8 is finally getting meaningful discounts. Depending on the size and configuration, I’m seeing prices as low as $749.

At $749 for a Fenix 8 versus $699 for Garmin’s flagship Approach S70 golf watch, the decision is easy for me: The Fenix 8 is now worth the upgrade for most golfers who also want serious fitness, health, and everyday smartwatch features.

I’ll break down everything the Fenix 8 offers for golf, share what it’s been like to live with for two years, compare it with the Epix lineup and Approach S70, and explain where the brand-new Fenix 9 fits into the decision.

If you’re in the market for a Garmin golf watch, and you’re not sure which model is right for you, I think you’re going to get some value out of this one.

First, the Obvious Reasons the Fenix 8 Might Not Be Right For You

Before we dive head-first into all the ways in which the Fenix 8 could be the perfect watch, let’s identify who still doesn’t need to spend $749 or more on one.

If you’re looking for a golf-first-and-foremost watch, something you’ll wear mostly on the course and not day-to-day, the Fenix 8 is definitely not the one. Don’t get this watch.

You’re probably better off with a smaller and less expensive model. The Approach S44 and S50 give you a more golf-focused experience without the bulk or cost of a Fenix.

And if all you want is front, middle, and back yardages plus a digital scorecard, the Approach S12 remains a wonderfully simple option.

Or you can consider something like the Voice Caddie T11 Pro, which is about half the price of an S70 and has many of the same useful features.

Most people still don’t need to spend $749 on a golf watch.

But here’s the thing: Golf is just one piece of the Fenix 8 puzzle.

If you’re buying this watch, it’s not just for your time on the course. It’s for everything else, too.

So let’s get into the details: What I love, what I don’t, how it performs for golf, and how the landscape in late 2026 has completely changed my recommendation here.

Unboxing and First Impressions

The unboxing experience is exactly what you’d expect from Garmin. Gray box. Watch front and center. No frills. Nothing fancy. If you’ve ever unboxed another Garmin product, this is the exact same packaging design.

So, about the Fenix 8 and what it actually is…

Garmin’s sunsetting their Epix line, and the Fenix 8 is essentially what would have been the Garmin Epix Gen 3.

Before trying out the Fenix 8, I had been wearing the Epix Gen 2 for the previous year-and-a-half.

Physically, the Fenix 8 is nearly identical to the older Epix models. Slightly smaller bezel, slightly larger screen. And compared to my Epix Gen 2, I will say the screen on this Fenix looks sharper. It’s on par with the Epix Pro. So if you’ve used that, you know what to expect.

One of the first things you’ll notice with the Fenix 8 is a revamped user interface. It’s cleaner. More modern. And once you get the hang of it, it actually looks really good. If you’re coming from an older Epix, this feels like a nice upgrade without being jarring.

The Fenix 8 also introduced waterproof inductive buttons, which have a different feel to older models. It can be a little odd at first, but I’ve grown to really like this style.

And while the buttons and interface felt like nice updates at the time, when I now go back and look at an Epix, it feels much more outdated than it did at the time.

One thing I’ve always found frustrating about Garmin watches is their default watch faces. Coming from an Apple Watch, I missed the easy customization and being able to swipe through different layouts depending on what I was doing. With Garmin, that functionality is really clunky.

But with the Fenix 8 user interface, there are two meaningful improvements:

1. The new default face, called “Iron Grit,” is the best stock option I’ve seen from Garmin.
2. Customization is easier — both in terms of the data fields and the color schemes.

It took me just a couple of minutes to dial in a watch face that shows exactly what I want day-to-day.

So yeah, it’s not perfect, but it’s a lot better. And if you’re already familiar with Garmin’s UI, these tweaks won’t throw you off. The learning curve here is pretty minimal.

I recently tried Garmin’s new Venu X1. And its square, touchscreen-heavy design really leans into the Apple Watch vibe. Brilliant 2-inch display, super responsive. If sharpness and modern interaction matter to you, that’s worth noting.

Comparing the Fenix 8 and S70

If you’re just looking for something to wear during a round, the Fenix 8 is probably still overkill. But if you want both a premium golf watch and a full-time fitness smartwatch, this is exactly where it shines.

When it comes to golf-specific functionality, the Fenix 8 has everything the S70 does. PlaysLike distances, shot-tracking, club recommendations, compatibility with Garmin’s CT10 sensors, Z30 rangefinder integration — the Fenix 8 can do all of that.

It’s also compatible with Garmin’s newer CT1 sensors, along with the CT10 sensors and Garmin rangefinders such as the brand new Approach Z10 and its big brother, the Approach Z30. If you’ve bought into Garmin’s golf ecosystem—or plan to—everything works together remarkably well.

But there are a few subtle differences that might matter to serious players:

• Buttons vs. Touchscreen: The S70 has three buttons and leans heavily on touchscreen navigation. The Fenix 8 has five buttons and gives you more control without relying on swipes or taps. If you prefer physical buttons, the Fenix layout is far superior.
• 1-18 Hole Bezel: One unique visual feature of the S70 that I really like is the bezel around the watch face, numbered 1-18. During a round, it visually tracks your performance hole-by-hole, something the Fenix doesn’t do.
• UI Tweaks: Entering stats on the S70 includes visual cues like arrows for fairways hit or missed. The Fenix skips that and leans more text-based. Minor detail, but some may prefer the S70’s cleaner, golf-forward design.
• Strap Design: The S70 features an integrated bracelet, which gives it a sleeker look but won’t lay flat. The Fenix 8 uses a traditional QuickFit band, which is easier to swap and lays flat when charging or sitting on a desk.
• Fitness Tracking: This is where the Fenix 8 leaves the S70 in the dust. The fitness suite is more robust than the S70. If you’re someone who works out, hikes, skis, or trains regularly, the Fenix gives you deeper insight and motivation.

So yes, for golf alone, these watches are nearly identical. But the Fenix 8 gives you the newer heart-rate sensor, far deeper fitness and training tools, the more useful five-button layout, voice calling, dive functionality, and a much broader set of outdoor and multisport features.

The price comparison has changed dramatically as well. The S70 now starts at $699, while certain Fenix 8 configurations can be found for as little as $749 after the release of the Fenix 9. At only about a $50 difference, the Fenix 8 is the obvious choice for me unless you specifically want the S70’s lighter, golf-first design or its excellent 1-18 hole bezel.

The S70 is now more than three years old. It remains a wonderful and highly capable golf watch, but the Fenix 8 delivers nearly all the same golf functionality while giving you substantially more everywhere else.

On the Course with the Fenix 8

The Fenix 8 is everything I expected it to be on the golf course. You get full-color maps, fast satellite lock, and GPS distances that are spot-on.

Tap the number on your screen, and it toggles between raw yardages and enhanced PlaysLike distances.

Swipe up, and it shows you exactly what’s being factored into those calculations, like slope, wind, temperature, and altitude.

That’s a level of nuance you used to only see in the S70. Now it’s baked into the Fenix 8, and it’s outstanding.

You also get smart visuals that help with club selection. On tee shots, you’ll see a projected landing line based on your average drive distance. On approach shots, the map displays a shaded landing zone to help you visualize where your ball is likely to end up.

Built-in shot tracking is here, and I can say it’s more reliable than it was on my older Epix Gen 2. It’s about on par with what I experienced on the S70. Which is to say, excellent.

And once you log five rounds, you unlock Garmin’s Virtual Caddie, which gives you genuinely accurate club recommendations based on your actual data.

Say it knows you’re a disaster out of the bunkers. It’ll factor that into its suggestions, nudging you toward a club that avoids trouble. That kind of nuance? No other system I’ve tested does it quite like Garmin.

The watch does a great job of prompting for score entry and knows when you’ve moved to the next hole. And on the rare occasions when it gets confused, the menu makes it easy to switch holes manually.

Really, that’s where Garmin continues to shine. Menus are intuitive. Score adjustments, stat views, hole changes- they’re all really simple.

It’s the little things that separate Garmin from the pack. The Voice Caddie T11 Pro, for example, technically does most of what an S70 can do golf-wise, for less than half the price. But using it feels clunky by comparison. With Garmin, it just works.

If you’re someone who’s already in the Garmin ecosystem and using or interested in the Z30 rangefinder, the Fenix 8 pairs perfectly with that. You shoot the pin, and the Fenix 8 drops that flag position into your green view, which is super cool.

If you already own the Garmin S70 or Epix Gen 2 and are eyeing the Fenix 8 strictly as a golf upgrade, you can probably save your money. There are UI improvements, more button navigation, better accessory compatibility, and a little extra zip. But the core golf experience isn’t dramatically different.

In fact, you’re losing one of my favorite things about the S70, which is the cool bezel that shows you what hole you’re on and how you’ve done on all of the previous holes. The ring of numbers from 1 to 18 is color-coded to reflect your score relative to par on each hole.

It’s a great at-a-glance way to track your round. Especially if you play Stableford or other alt formats.

The Fenix line doesn’t have that bezel feature, and neither did the Epix.

So here’s the updated decision tree:

• Just want GPS yardages and a scorecard? Save some cash. Get something like the Garmin S12 or S44.
• Want a smaller watch or something you’ll wear mostly for golf? Look at the S44, S50, or S70.
• Want elite golf functionality plus full-time health, fitness, and multisport tracking? At its current discounted price, the Fenix 8 is the best-value choice. And the Fenix 9 is the latest and greatest, but don’t expect a sale any time soon.

The Everyday Fenix 8 Experience

Let’s talk day-to-day with the Fenix 8.

Because yes, it’s a killer golf watch. But if you’re spending $749 or more on a wearable, you probably care about more than just your yardages.

So here’s what it’s actually been like to live with this thing on my wrist for nearly two years.

First up is the matter of stability. Before launch, I saw a handful of threads and forum posts complaining about buggy software with the Fenix 8. That made me nervous.

But, honestly, I’ve had almost zero issues. There have been countless software updates since then, and I haven’t experienced any bugs in over a year.

Battery life is excellent, especially when comapred to an Apple Watch. After a full charge, I typically will go 5 to 7 days before topping it off. During a typical week this might include two rounds of golf, sleep tracking every night, at least one workout a day, and day-to-day interactions with the watch.

That extended battery life is hands-down one of the biggest quality-of-life upgrades over switching from an Apple Watch.

Then there are the little wins. Those UX touches that make a watch like this fun to wear.

I’ve got a daily goal for both steps and floors climbed, and with the new AMOLED screen, it’s super easy to see my progress. When you double your target, the watch gives you a little celebration graphic. A small thing, but satisfying.

Where Apple Watch stops at “feels good,” Garmin keeps going. The Fenix 8 gives you actual health and fitness depth. Acute load. Body battery. Recovery time. HRV status. Training readiness. All the things that help me not just track activity but optimize it.

It’s how well Garmin does the fitness and wellness stuff that got me off the Apple Watch to begin with. And the Fenix 8 nails the balance between engagement and insight. It’s fun, it’s motivating, and it doesn’t dumb anything down.

So if you’re the type of person who geeks out on data and genuinely wants to use your watch to become a healthier, more dialed-in version of yourself, the Fenix 8 is absolutely worth your serious consideration.

I did spend significant time testing Garmin’s Venu X1. You get many of the Fenix’s most useful features, plus a bigger, better display and a remarkably thin case.

The downsides? Battery life isn’t as good. It doesn’t have multiband GPS. It doesn’t have an ECG app built in. And while its touchscreen is the best I’ve used on a Garmin, I still prefer the Fenix 8’s five-button system.

After countless rounds of golf, runs, hikes, ski days, and fishing trips on the river, my Fenix 8 is still as good as the day I got it. The durability has been exceptional, and that long-term experience makes it much easier to recommend at today’s lower price.

One Big Frustration (and a Small One)

As much as I’ve enjoyed using the Fenix 8, it’s not without its quirks.

Let’s start with the big one: Heart rate accuracy. Or, more specifically, early-run heart rate accuracy.

This was a problem I had with the Epix 2, and unfortunately, it hasn’t gone away. At the beginning of nearly every run, my heart rate data just lags. It’ll climb to 120-125 bpm and then just stall there, even as I’m ramping up effort. And then, suddenly, it’ll spike to 165-170 bpm, where it should’ve been the whole time.

That delay can skew your training metrics and mess with things like load and recovery suggestions. It’s frustrating. I’ve tried adjusting the fit. I’ve tried repositioning. Sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t.

And while it seems like this issue is isolated to the early minutes of running, it’s still something I hoped this newer model would fix. 

And two years in, it’s still something I deal with.

Now, a smaller gripe: screenshots and voice memos.

Yes, you can now take both directly from the watch. Cool feature in theory. But actually getting them off the watch hasn’t been a smooth process at all. If you’re using a PC, it’s not too bad. But on a Mac? Good luck. You’ll need third-party software just to get the watch recognized as a drive.

It’s the kind of thing that should be solvable with a Garmin Connect app update. Ideally, you’d just open the app and have access to your voice memos and screenshots right there. But until that happens, it’s a neat feature with some friction.

None of this is deal-breaking. But at this price point and given how polished the rest of the watch is, these are the types of small things you notice.

Why This Watch Works for Me

At the end of the day, I think the biggest thing I’ve taken away from my time with the Fenix 8 isn’t just about the watch itself. It’s how much I’ve enjoyed continuing to use the Garmin ecosystem.

Garmin Connect, the app that brings it all together, got a big refresh this past year. And it shows. It’s cleaner, more customizable, and frankly just more fun to use. All of your data is right there. Easy to access. Easy to understand. And really helpful when you’re trying to make informed decisions about your health and fitness.

I’ve gone all in. I’ve added the Garmin Index S2 scale. The BPM blood pressure monitor. Even the new Garmin Cirqa Smart Band. Everything syncs seamlessly. And for the first time, I feel like I’m getting a full picture of where I’m at, day to day, in a way that’s really insightful.

The Fenix 8 takes everything I loved about the Epix Gen 2 and just makes it better. Not dramatically better. But subtly, meaningfully better. The screen is a little sharper. The UI is a little more polished. The whole experience feels a little more refined.

As someone who uses a smartwatch for golf, for fitness, for daily productivity, and who genuinely enjoys geeking out over performance data, this is the best smartwatch I’ve ever used.

What About the New Garmin Fenix 9?

The obvious question in August 2026 is whether you should skip the Fenix 8 and buy the brand-new Fenix 9 instead.

I’ll be doing a full Fenix 9 review soon, so I’m not ready to make any sweeping conclusions before spending meaningful time with it. On paper, it brings a brighter display, updated titanium construction depending on the model, more storage, a faster processor, potential LTE and satellite connectivity on compatible versions, and a number of new features aimed primarily at endurance athletes.

What it doesn’t appear to bring is a major new set of golf-specific features.

The Fenix 8 already gives you Garmin’s excellent full-color course maps, PlaysLike distances, Virtual Caddie, shot tracking, and compatibility with Garmin golf accessories including the CT10 and CT1 club-tracking sensors and the Z10 and Z30 rangefinders. Neither the Fenix 9, the Fenix 9 Pro, or the Fenix 8 Pro for that matter, appear to meaningfully change that golf experience.

The interface also appears much closer to the Fenix 8 than the Fenix 8’s interface was to the older Epix models. That matters because you’re not buying into an obviously dated software experience by choosing the less expensive watch.

The faster processor is the Fenix 9 upgrade I’m most interested in for golf. Map navigation has never been Garmin’s fastest or smoothest interaction, and I’m hoping the new hardware makes panning and moving around a course noticeably quicker. But until I test that myself, it’s only something I’m watching, not a reason I’d tell most golfers to spend more today.

I’m also curious to see what the jump is like from an original Fenix 8 to a Fenix 9 Pro, as I never tested out the Fenix 8 Pro. Screen brightness with the 8 has never been a big issue for me outside, but I am curious to see how much of a difference the brighter screen of up to 3,000 nits makes on the Pro models.

If you’re an endurance athlete, want the latest connectivity options, or simply want Garmin’s newest flagship, the Fenix 9 may justify its premium. But if golf is one of your main activities, the discounted Fenix 8 looks like the better value right now.

Final Thoughts: Is the Fenix 8 Worth It?

So, should you spend $749 or more on a golf watch?

Not if all you want is a golf watch.

If your only concern is yardages and scorekeeping, there are great options like Garmin’s own S12 or S44, or even the T11 Pro from Voice Caddie. Those watches cost a fraction of this and still get those more limited jobs of basic tracking done beautifully.

But if you’re like me, if you’re serious about your health and want one device that seamlessly tracks your fitness, sleep, stress, golf rounds, and overall performance, then the Fenix 8 is one of the easiest recommendations in Garmin’s lineup.

I mean, really, the Fenix 8 is kind of mind-blowing. It’s the most complete package I’ve ever used in a smartwatch. And the fact that it also happens to be one of the best golf watches on the market is just a really nice bonus.

At its original $999-to-$1,099 pricing, I thought many people were better off buying an older Epix. At prices starting around $749, I no longer feel that way. The Fenix 8 is the best-value full-featured Garmin watch for most golfers right now.

The older Epix Gen 2 can still be a bargain if you find one at a genuinely low price. But it’s no longer my default recommendation when the newer, more refined Fenix 8 can be found this close to it.

If you want built-in golf maps, a bright screen, a modern touchscreen feel, and can live without multiband GPS or long battery cycles, Garmin’s new Venu X1 might be the sweet spot. It’s not quite as feature-rich as the Fenix 8, but it’s sleeker, visually stunning, and still a top-tier Garmin golf watch. I’ve also seen it closer to the $500 price point at times, which is a very good value.

And if you want a lighter, golf-first watch that you don’t plan to use for all of your fitness activities, the S44, S50, or S70 may still make more sense.

I’m excited to see what the Fenix 9 can do and how its newer processor affects the on-course experience. But today? The Fenix 8 is the Garmin I’d tell most golfers to buy if they want one watch that can do almost everything.

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Recent Updates:

August 25th, 2026: Full 2-year long-term review. Updated pricing to reflect current sales. Changed to a stronger buy recommendation in current market. Added an extra point to the final score for price due to recent price drops. Made comparisons to the brand new Garmin Fenix 9.

If you want elite golf performance and serious fitness tracking in one device, the Fenix 8 delivers. Just know there are other options that might fit you better.

9.4 Excellent

The Fenix 8 gives you everything you could want in a golf watch. But it does so much more than that. Which is why, it's not a good choice for those looking for a golf-first-and-foremost watch. There's no need to spend this much money. But if you're looking for it all? Yeah, you want to pay attention to this one.

The Good

1. Full S70-level golf feature set with better button layout
2. Industry-best multisport and health tracking
3. Massive battery life - 6+ days even with daily use
4. Gorgeous AMOLED screen, sharper than Epix Gen 2
5. Integrates seamlessly with Garmin's expanding ecosystem
6. Recent price drops make it a much stronger value play

The Bad

1. Heart rate still lags early in runs
2. Transferring screenshots and voice memos is clunky
3. Lacks the visual golf-tracking bezel of the S70
4. No longer the latest and greatest with release of Fenix 9

• Presentation 9
• Performance 9
• Quality and Features 10
• Price 9
• Personal Affinity 10