Tap the image to enlarge
Garmin Fēnix® 8 51mm AMOLED Unisex Watch
Ref. 010-02905-11
See more premium optionsHide
Stepping up in the same colour and case shape
The fenix 8 is Garmin's answer to a question the fenix 7X Pro raised: what happens when you replace a power-efficient but subdued MIP display with an AMOLED panel and still expect the battery to last weeks rather than days? The result is 29 days of reserve in a watch that now shows maps, metrics and alerts in the kind of colour and contrast that actually reads at a glance during a run or a climb. At 51mm in titanium, it carries its size better than the case dimensions suggest — 92 grams is remarkably restrained for a watch of this ambition, and the lightness is perceptible during long efforts. The 14.7mm profile is not thin, but a titanium case with inductive buttons (leakproof by design, with no mechanical crown to work against depth pressure) and a side-mounted LED flashlight earns the depth. The orange silicone strap reads as kit rather than accessory, and the 26mm QuickFit mount means swapping to something quieter takes seconds. The sensor array here — GPS, altimeter, compass, thermometer, heart rate — is standard fenix territory. What distinguishes this generation is the display doing justice to all of it.
- Reference
- 010-02905-11
- Brand
- Garmin
- Collection
- fēnix 8
- Case size
- 51mm
- Case thickness
- 14.7mm
- Lug width
- 26mm
- Case material
- Titanium
- Case shape
- Round
- Dial
- Black
- Functions
- Chronograph, Date, Stopwatch, Countdown timer, Alarm, Backlight, World time, Bluetooth, Step counter, Heart rate, GPS, Compass, Thermometer, Altimeter
- Water resistance
- 100m
- Bracelet / strap
- Silicone strap
- Strap colour
- Orange
- Retailer
- Goldsmiths
Learn more about Garmin
Gary Burrell and Min Kao founded Garmin in 1989 — the name is a contraction of their first names — to build GPS receivers for aviation and marine use. Consumer navigation came later, and wearables later still.
Unlike most names in this directory that arrived from outside watchmaking, Garmin is not a licence. It designs and builds its own devices, writes its own software and runs its own satellite-positioning stack, which is why its watches do things Swiss houses do not attempt.
The fenix line established the template in 2012: a rugged multi-sport GPS watch with mapping, altimeter and week-long battery life. Forerunner covers running, Instinct the hard-wearing end, Venu the smartwatch end, and the MARQ line puts the same electronics in titanium and sapphire at Swiss prices.
Battery life is the differentiator. Where most smartwatches are measured in days, Garmin measures in weeks, and in solar-charging models sometimes in months.
These are instruments rather than heirlooms, and they date the way electronics date — but for anyone who actually trains, they are among the few watches on the market that earn their place.
- 1989
- Founded by Gary Burrell and Min Kao.
- 2003
- The Forerunner brings GPS to running watches.
- 2012
- The fenix line defines the multi-sport GPS watch.
- 2019
- MARQ places the electronics in titanium and sapphire.
- 2020
- Solar charging extends battery life to months.
Also in 4 collections
This watch appears in the Garmin fēnix 8 range (8), Chronograph Watches (1,219), Watches 44mm and Over (827) and Titanium Watches (181).
Best of 2 retailers
What the specifications mean
Strengths
- 100m water resistance covers swimming and watersports
- Sapphire crystal, which resists scratching
- Luminous hands and markers for low light
- Second time zone for travelling
Worth knowing
- 51mm is a large watch with real presence
- 14.7mm thick, so it will not disappear under a cuff
Garmin Fēnix® 8 alternatives
Watches from other brands at a similar price, style and size, so you can see what else your budget can buy.
| Specification | 010-02905-11 | H24411732 |
|---|---|---|
| Price | £859 | £870 |
| Case size | 51mm | 50.3mm |
| Water resistance | 100m | 50m |
| Movement | Quartz | Quartz |
| Strap | Silicone strap | Leather strap |
| This watch |
|
Your new watch
Frequently asked questions, and things you should know about this watch
Can I swim with it?
Yes. At 100m it is rated for swimming and snorkelling, though not for diving.
Water resistance explainedWill the glass scratch?
Unlikely. Sapphire is second only to diamond in hardness and shrugs off everyday marking.
Sapphire, mineral and acrylic comparedDoes it need a battery?
Yes. It is quartz, so expect a battery change every two to three years at a jeweller.
Quartz, automatic and solar comparedWhat size strap does it take?
26mm. Any strap of that width will fit, and on most modern watches quick-release bars make the swap a two-minute job with no tools.
Is it a men's or women's watch?
Listed as unisex, and at this size it suits any wrist that takes the dimensions.
Cheapest place to buy
Both Mappin & Webb and Goldsmiths list it at £859, so choose on delivery and warranty rather than price.
More Garmin watches like the Fēnix® 8
In stock, and close on style and price
