Fenix 7s > Fenix 8… thoughts?

Comparing these options, it looks like a viable upgrade option though I’m. Or positive it truly offers anything I really NEED (and the dive stuff is useless to me)

- 47 vs 42mm… might feel too big? But it’s actually thinner which sounds appealing? Any less thickness is
- looks like better battery life across the board with always on. And if there’s times I actually do need more battery life (backpacking trips?) I could switch off always on and get a big bump?
- I live in the PNW. Solar is useless to me
- screen size would be better and more readable and map details should be better?
- newer HR sensor but I’m also not hearing it’s a true measurable improvement?
- as mentioned dive useless. I expect microphone and speaker to be borderline useless to me as well

I do think the MIP looks fantastic in sunlight, but MOST of my time isn’t spent in great bright sunlight. Plus with the 7s solar I have the reduced clarity because of the solar layer

Anything else I might be missing from these generations? I guess it would be a size bump and a sort of 1.5 generation improvement (7>7 pro>8)

0 jsla7527 7 months ago

I upgraded from Epix 2 (basically Fenix 7 Amoled) to Fenix 8 Amoled. It's a nice upgrade, and I love the new watch, but it's definitely not a must have. To me, the things that stand out are:

The flashlight is great. I use it all the time.
AMOLED in 47 mm has a bigger display. This is only 0.1 inch difference, but visually, it's quite significant. My Epix now looks like a toy.
even if you don't use microphone/speaker for calls, the speaker can announce your lap times, upcoming training steps and other things directly on the watch, even if you leave phone at home. I kind of like that. Voice commands can be useful to quickly set timers/alarms for example.

42 vs 47mm is a kind of personal choice. It's definitely bigger. AMOLED is great for maps and general visibility most of the time, but obviously suffers in terms of battery life. I find it more than enough for my needs and use AOD. I don't really worry about things like backpacking, since a small battery pack can charge the watch many times, but obviously, if you're planning to backpack PCT, Solar might be a better choice. I haven't noticed much difference in HR sensor quality, though it can do ECG now.

So, IMO, 7 to 8 is a decent upgrade, though not a life changing in any way. 7pro to 8 would be harder to sell for me.

0 Kaitlyn 7 months ago in reply to jsla7527

I guess good to hear you went amoled to amoled same size and really noticed that .1” increase eh? What do you mean it’s like a toy though? The actual watch size is identical isn’t it? I think the 8 thickness is less than epix though

0 jfb9301 7 months ago

I decided to copy and paste from the other thread (probably you created that before changing from a number to a name)

having had a 7s+saphire+solar, and moving to a 8 AMOLED 47mm:

The screen is amazing, as a shift worker I found that solar was useless for me. The upgrade to AMOLED offers even more battery life. Though I keep gesture on, and AOD off. It is about 2 days longer life, and battery charging is significantly faster. the 7s got me around 10-12% for 25 minutes, and I used right around the same per day, so I charged while I showered and got dressed in the morning. The 8 charges 25-30% in the same time, but only uses 10% a day, so I only charge every 3rd or even 4th day. (edit) Without charging and not changing my exercise habits, I could probably get 12 or more days with default power settings, gesture on, PulseOX always on.

HR is marginally better, but offers AFIB,

Map is better, and far more readable.

Compass is a significant improvement, and is not affected by the 7s' issues with the watch band bars interfering with the compass.

I've never used the speaker/microphone, I'm not *** Tracy, I will NOT talk to my watch. The speaker is pretty much better at letting me know I have an alert.

I don't dive so same.

The AMOLED is viewable in sunlight if you have the right color settings for the watch face, so no great loss from MIP, though I do miss how clear the MIP was in direct sunlight, but not enough to regret getting my 8.

The flashlight is a neat toy, but it's still a toy. when you have 1000lm flashlights handy, who needs one on the watch. It's a waste of space, and Garmin would have been better off forgetting about it, and just giving me a bigger battery.

I have a small wrist for a man, and I felt that 42mm was about as big as I could comfortably go, but I don't regret the step up to 47mm. it suckes that the old bands won't fit.

I skipped the 7 pro and went from the 7s to the 8, I don't regret it. The 8 is great, but the OS still has a few bugs, things get better every update.