Garmin’s biggest device drops of 2024 included the Fenix 8 series and Enduro 3, leaving workout enthusiasts in the market for a new outdoor watch with plenty of choice.
Although they share many similarities in their look and tracking capabilities, these two Garmin watch lines are still very much separated by the battery life estimations.
There are plenty more minor differences between the Enduro 3 and Fenix 8, though, and that’s where this guide comes in. Below, we’ve summarized the most notable differences in the design, battery life, features, price, and versions.
Price and versions
The Fenix line has historically boasted many different versions. Variations have always existed for case sizes, bezel material, display glass, and even GNSS type—and now, with the Fenix 8, fans can also choose between an AMOLED or solar charging model.
The AMOLED Fenix 8 models (available in 43mm – changed from 42mm in the previous generations – 47mm and 51mm) are essentially the rebranded upgrade of the Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2). Meanwhile, Fenix OGs who prefer the classic memory-in-pixel (MIP) display can choose between a 47mm and 51mm edition (there is no 43mm edition now).
That’s five base models in total. Then, as we say, you must begin considering which case color/band you like and whether you want to jump to a titanium bezel from stainless steel or select the more durable sapphire crystal glass.
For the $899 Enduro, it’s an entirely different story.
There’s only one 51mm version on offer – and all the options above come as standard, meaning there’s no opportunity (or need) to upgrade features like the display type, case size, bezel material, GNSS type, or covering glass.
Battery life
| Battery life | GPS battery life | |
| Garmin Enduro 3 (51mm) | Up to 90 days* | Up to 320 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (47mm, Solar) | Up to 29 days | Up to 57 hours/**73 hours with solar |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (51mm, Solar) | Up to 48 days | Up to 89 hours/122 hours with solar** |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (43mm, AMOLED) | Up to 10 days | Up to 28 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (47mm, AMOLED) | Up to 16 days | Up to 42 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 8 (51mm, AMOLED) | Up to 29 days | Up to 82 hours |
**Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions
Battery life is still the one significant difference between these lines, with the Enduro 3 blowing the Fenix 8 (and the rest of the competition) out of the water – especially in GNSS staying power.
If the Enduro 3 is in ideal solar charging conditions, it can last around three months—even with the always-on feature enabled on the memory-in-pixel display.
It means power users who will be away from their charger for weeks have an option that prioritizes battery over everything else.
What we learned testing the Enduro 3 battery life:
Here’s an extract from our extended battery life testing for the Enduro 3 review:
In our tests, we got 20 days of usage on a single charge. That included 8 hours of training, covering a mix of indoor sessions and outdoor GPS-tracked workouts in various power modes.
On average, an hour’s GPS-only training with the Enduro 3 burned no more than 1%. My 3-hour New Forest Marathon test in All Systems + Multiband GNSS burned just 5%. That extrapolates to 60 hours of tracking in the most accurate mode—bang on target. Essentially, the Enduro 3 can be on less than 5%, and you can still confidently head out for a two-hour hike.
Overnight, the battery burn rate averaged 1% without the Pulse Oximeter on. And over a 24-hour period of general use with no workouts, the Enduro 3 dropped 3%. It means most of us will only need to charge the Enduro 3 a dozen times a year.
Our battery life experiences with the Fenix 8:
Contrast that with the Fenix 8’s battery life, which, as shown in the table above, depends very much on the screen technology and each version’s size.
As expected, the smallest and most power-hungry model (43mm, AMOLED) has the shortest battery life in smartwatch mode—up to 10 days. However, this estimation will decrease considerably if you turn on the always-on display to as little as four days.
As always, the 47mm models represent an excellent compromise between industry-leading battery life and features, while the 51mm Fenix 8 models offer a huge extra chunk of battery life.
Here’s a snippet from our 47mm and 51mm Fenix 8 review testing:
In my testing, it lasted, on average, a couple of weeks when using a mix of the raise-to-wake and always-on display modes.
I also used smartwatch features like viewing notifications, streaming music, accessing the new voice features, and continuously monitoring heart rate and stress. On days when I hadn’t tracked an activity and had the screen on at all times, the battery dropped by 3-4% during the day and fell 1% overnight.
Unsurprisingly, the battery drop is more severe when you add GPS into the mix. I mainly used it in the most accurate Multi-Band GNSS mode, and for 2 hours of use, the battery dropped by 2%.
When using the smaller 47mm edition with the AOD enabled, I found that it could last just under a week in heavy use. This included around an hour of tracked outdoor activity daily, sometimes with Spotify streaming. Not too shabby.
The model we’re most unsure about is the 51mm Fenix 8 Solar, given it is the same size and features the same screen type as the Enduro 3 but only provides around half the battery life. However, this remains one we’re yet to test.
Design, display & build
Sitting at the top-end of Garmin’s outdoor watch line, it’s essential to recognize that the Enduro 3 and Fenix 8 have much more in common than they do different.
So, aside from the versions discussed above, what are the most crucial differences to consider?
The displays are chief among them. While the bright, colorful AMOLED displays are available in the Fenix 8 range, the Enduro 3 sticks to the more power-efficient transflective MIP panel. We’ve always much preferred Garmin’s AMOLED displays (even if they’re not quite as punchy or bright as equivalent screens from Apple and Samsung), though many will undoubtedly still favor the old-school, non-smartwatch look of MIP.
Then, there are the durability specs to consider. This point very much depends on which model of the Fenix 8 you’re weighing up, as technically, all of the Enduro 3’s specialties—the titanium case, sapphire lens, and nylon band—can all be upgraded to the Fenix 8 range. Plus, with each Fenix 8 model, there’s now a new sensor guard (covering the case’s right edge) and leakproof buttons—neither of which are offered on the Enduro 3.
Both offer a built-in flashlight, though – a tool we’ve found incredibly clutch since it was first included as standard in last year’s Fenix 7 Pro/Epix Pro lineups.
Ultimately, we’re fans of both these designs, but the sheer level of options in the Fenix 8 range ensures it has a much broader appeal. The Enduro 3 has similar strengths, but with only one case size, a lesser (or identical) display, and all its unique qualities matched by the Fenix in some form, it’s easier to think of it as a remix of the 51mm Fenix 8 Solar from a design perspective.
Smart features and OS
Neither of these are proper smartwatches, but they still boast the odd smart feature.
Users will receive the same notification mirroring (in which replying and handling them is very limited), access to the Garmin Connect IQ store for some watch faces and third-party apps, and the Garmin Messenger app to communicate via two-way texts.
As you may expect, the Fenix 8 is also slightly more advanced in this regard – primarily due to the new inclusion of a built-in speaker and microphone. This naturally enables workout feedback and helps deliver phone-free smart assistant voice commands – such as “set a timer for 5 minutes” or “start a running activity”.
These two have also diverged in terms of the operating system. While before they both featured the OS designed by Garmin’s outdoors team, the Fenix 8 now features updated graphics reminiscent of those of the company’s latest AMOLED Forerunner watches, while the Enduro 3 sticks to a more traditional skin.
Cellular features, meanwhile, appear on neither—and, as we say, this isn’t a traditional smartwatch experience. They do both connect to iOS or Android easily, so phone compatibility to connect and view your stats on Garmin Connect isn’t an issue.
Activity and health tracking
It’s virtually impossible to cover all of the workout-related nooks and crannies of the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 watches, but suffice it to say that both provide some of the broadest, most in-depth activity tracking and feedback available on the market.
The highlights are also very similar. Premium features that debuted in 2023 – like Endurance Score and Hill Score – are available on either, as are the all-new guided strength training plans designed for trail runners, skiers, and other disciplines.
If you’re considering the Enduro 3 mostly for long-lasting outdoor pursuits, you’ll enjoy neat insights like a trail run VO2 max, grade-adjusted pace, and NextFork Map Guides. The mapping has also been upgraded from the Enduro 2 – now, users can view terrain contours on the TopoActive mapping, while route guidance will dynamically update throughout a route.
We should note, though, that all this is also accessible on the Fenix 8. If you opt for the AMOLED model, those maps are also much friendlier to digest.
With plenty of other tidbits on the Fenix 8, such as the 40-meter dive-rated case, its breadth is hard to top – even for a watch like the Enduro 3 that can perform almost all the same tricks.
Verdict: Which is best?
We’ve extensively tested the Fenix 8 and Enduro 3 since they were released last year, and the primary consideration hasn’t changed from the previous generation: choosing between these watch lines comes down to battery life.
If you require ultimate longevity in outdoor GPS tracking—we’re talking substantial ultra-endurance events, not marathons—the Enduro 3 gives you all the benefits of the Fenix 8 51mm Solar for less cash and a big battery boost. With only one version available, choosing one also simplifies the decision-making process.
However, if your typical use falls outside that requirement, the Fenix 8 has a dizzying number of options to suit almost everyone else. Even the Solar models have enough staying power to stay away from the charger for weeks (with the 51mm maxing out at over six weeks without charge) and cover almost every kind of race or event. It also adds smart features like voice assistant support, a built-in speaker and mic, and an updated user interface.
If battery life is your top priority and you want a watch that just keeps going, the Enduro 3 is the clear winner. But if you value advanced features, customization, and day-to-day usability, the Fenix 8 offers more depth and versatility.
Both are excellent. The better one depends entirely on your use case.
