Garmin’s next big Fenix 8 smartwatch leaks out with a sleek design and sharp screen

Bigger is better

Whether you think that motto is always true or you believe it’s not about the size, but how one uses a smartwatch’s footprint to deliver the best user experience possible, it’s pretty obvious that the Fenix 8 will be bigger and better than its predecessor… where it matters.

Specifically, in terms of screen real estate, with a “standard” edition expected to squeeze a 1.4-inch display into a case measuring 47mm in total and a 51mm (non-Pro) Garmin Fenix 8 model likely to bump that up to 1.5 inches. In contrast, the 47mm Fenix 7 Pro barely offers a 1.3-inch screen, with its 51mm big brother expanding the display size to 1.4 inches and nothing more than that.

The Fenix 8 (left) is pictured next to the Fenix 7 Pro in 47mm sizes here. | Image Credit — GadgetsandWearables

Then again, there’s a good reason why the Fenix 7 lineup employs inferior MIP (memory-in-pixel) display technology, and it remains to be seen just how much of an impact this major AMOLED upgrade will have on the Fenix 8’s battery life.

Garmin Fenix 8 – when, where, and how much?

While we bizarrely don’t know much about the capabilities and appearance of any prospective Fenix 8 Pro variants, the aforementioned (and aforepictured) Fenix 8 models are likely to cost €1099 and €1199 in 47 and 51mm case sizes respectively in Europe.

The Fenix 8 looks undeniably better than the Fenix 7 Pro in a 51mm size as well. | Image Credit — GadgetsandWearables

That’s quite a bit higher than the recommended prices of Samsung and Apple’s rugged smartwatches on the old continent, and if they prove legit, the two tags could translate to a whopping $1099 and $1199 stateside, making it very hard for Garmin to target a “mainstream” audience here.

On the bright side, the company is also expected to roll out an entirely new Fenix E version this fall, and with a significantly less snazzy design than the Fenix 8 and the same frugal display as the Fenix 7, that’s likely to fit in an “economy” class of (rugged) smartwatches. 

There are no actual price points predicted for that device at the moment, but August 27 is less than a week away at the time of this writing…