UPDATED: The Fenix E is a new, cheaper Fenix — but it sacrifices a lot of options over the full-fat Fenix 8.
Garmin sprung a bit of a surprise with the launch of the Fenix 8 by also announcing the Fenix E, which Garmin seems to be referring to as a Fenix with the essentials.
So, now you have another Fenix model to consider for your next adventure and if you missed the news of the Fenix E’s arrival and are now trying to work out whether you should grab it instead of the Fenix 8, we’ve broken things down to help you out on that front.
We’ll tell you what you can expect in terms of design, size options, smartwatch features, and those all-important tracking and outdoor features.
Read on for our guide on how the Garmin Fenix 8 compares to the Fenix E based on our full reviews. And check out our guide to the best Garmin watches.
In-depth: Garmin Fenix 8 review | Garmin Fenix E review
Price and versions
Price is an important factor here because that feels like a key reason why the Fenix E has joined the Fenix family. The Fenix E is priced at £689/$799 and is only available in a 47mm case option.
The Fenix 8 is the much pricier of the two watches, even if you go for the cheapest available model. We’ll start by saying that, unlike the Fenix E, the Fenix 8 is available in either AMOLED or solar charging display options, which does have an impact on cost. The Fenix E is only available with an AMOLED screen.
Pricing starts at £949/$999 for the smallest Fenix 8 size option, so that’s a fair jump up from the Fenix E. If you opted for the biggest, 51mm Fenix 8 model plus an AMOLED display, you’re looking at stumping up £1,119.99 for it.
The Fenix E while still by no means an affordable outdoor watch, is a fair amount cheaper than the cheapest available Fenix 8 model.
Key stats compared
| Product name | Garmin Fenix 8 | Garmin Fenix E |
| Price | From £949/$999 | £689/$799 |
| Display | AMOLED or Solar | AMOLED |
| Case size | 43mm/47mm/51mm (no 43mm solar) | 47mm |
| Waterproof rating | 10ATM/40m dive-proof | 10 ATM |
| Screen size | 1.4inch, 454 x 454 (47mm AMOLED) | 1.3-inch, 416 x 416 |
| Multiband/Sat IQ mode | Yes | No |
| Heart rate sensor | Gen 5 Elevate | Gen 4 Elevate |
| Topographic maps | Yes (sapphire editions only) | Yes (downloadable) |
| Flashlight | Yes | No |
| Speaker and microphone | Yes | No |
Battery life
Dealing with the battery life of the Fenix E is easier to do as there’s just one model available. There’s also no solar charging support available, which means it’s about what you can get from the AMOLED-packing watch when the screen is tracking, you’re using raise to wake or you’ve got the screen on at all times.
Garmin says the Fenix E can go for 16 days in its smartwatch mode when using the raise-to-wake support. That drops down to 6 days if you have the screen set to always-on.
When it comes to tracking, using it in its top GPS accuracy ‘All Systems’ mode, you’ll get 32 hours or 24 hours with the screen on at all times. That can jump to 14 days if you use Garmin’s Expedition tracking mode.
Flip to the Fenix 8 and you’re dealing with battery numbers for AMOLED and solar charging versions and also the differences between sizes. If you want the best, biggest battery life, then the 51mm Fenix 8 gives you that. That’s 29-48 days in smartwatch mode depending on the version and around 50-60 hours in the top GPS accuracy mode.
If you compare it to the same-sized Fenix 8 with an AMOLED screen, that will get you the same 16 days in smartwatch mode with 7 days in always-on mode. So an extra day in that always-on mode. In the top GPS accuracy mode, it can run for 35 hours, which drops to 28 hours with the screen on continuously.
So the Fenix E on paper will give you just slightly less with the always-on display mode and gives you shorter GPS battery life, but not by a huge amount.
Compare: Garmin Fenix 8 vs Fenix 7
Design, display, and build
We’ve already dealt with the fact that the Fenix 8 comes in just one case size compared to the multiple sizes and choices of AMOLED or solar charging technology baked into the case.
With that 47mm Fenix E, you’re getting a polymer case matched up with a stainless steel bezel and a 1.3-inch, 416 x 416 AMOLED touchscreen display. It weighs in at 76g.
Again, if we compare the same-size 47mm, Fenix 8 AMOLED you’re getting a polymer case matched up with either a stainless steel or titanium bezel. Going for the latter will push the price up. It weighs between 73g to 80g, depending on which bezel material you opt for. Stainless steel makes it heavier.
You also have the option of Corning’s Gorilla Glass or the tougher Sapphire Crystal to protect the screen against scratches, whereas the Fenix E comes with Gorilla Glass. You’re also getting a 1.4-inch display with a 454 x 454-pixel resolution, so that’s a larger and higher resolution display compared to the Fenix E.
On the topic of durability, both watches offer a 10 ATM-rated design, making them safe to be submerged in water up to 100 meters. In addition to that, the Fenix 8 is suitable for recreational diving up to 40 meters depth and includes leak-proof buttons you won’t find on the Fenix E. If you want the best protection against moisture, it’s the Fenix 8 you want.
There’s one big last thing and that’s the flashlight. If you want that, well, you need to grab the Fenix 8 as that useful feature is not included on the Fenix E.
Smart features and OS
Both Fenix watches run on the same operating system platform, which means that some of the software smarts and user interface changes Garmin has made available on the Fenix 8 can work and will be available on the Fenix E as well too.
These are both watches that are compatible with Android phones and iPhones, with both offering Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi connectivity support. You’re getting access to Garmin’s Connect IQ Store both on and off the watch and getting the same support for features like notifications, contactless payments, and the ability to store offline music from streaming services like Spotify. The Fenix 8 however has more storage, offering 32GB compared to 16GB on the Fenix E.
A feature you do miss out on the cheaper Fenix is the new microphone and speaker added to the Fenix 8. This brings in existing features we’ve seen on other Garmin watches like the Venu 3 where you’ll be able to take calls when paired to your phone over Bluetooth. You’ll also be able to speak to your phone’s smart assistant through the watch. In addition to that, Garmin’s adding geo-tagged voice notes and new phone-free voice commands to give you control of your key settings without pressing a button or tapping on a screen.
That extra voice support is the biggest feature difference if you’re looking at how these two outdoor watches compare when you’re not exploring.
Activity and health tracking
To the nitty-gritty of what these watches can do when it’s time to go for a run, swim, or scale a mountain.
One of the differences we’ve already highlighted is that the Fenix 8 is suitable for recreational diving through its more durable design, added depth sensor, and offers features like a dive-friendly backlight and single gas and apnoea modes.
Another difference is the presence of Google’s latest multiband mode and SatIQ technology, which is included on all Fenix 8 models, and missing from the Fenix E. So, if you want the most accurate positioning data Garmin has to offer, especially when tracking near tall buildings or deeply forested areas, then you’ll want the Fenix 8.
Outside of diving, you can expect all of the same sports profiles across the two watches with running, swimming, cycling, golf, and outdoor recreation the core modes covered. Garmin’s new strength training plans and activity-specific workouts are available on both watches too.
You’re getting the ability to access topographical maps, though you’ll need to download those on the Fenix E, while they’re only available on the Sapphire editions of the Fenix 8. As mentioned, the two watches are built on Garmin’s new software, so new features like its dynamic round-trip routing should be available across both.
There are similar training features and insights on offer including training readiness, trail running-focused VO2 Max scores, and real-time stamina scores along with the same downloadable training plans.
You likely won’t be grabbing these watches for serious health monitoring, but they’re both capable of tracking heart rate and stress throughout the day and let you take a snapshot reading of metrics including respiration rate and heart rate variability. They’ll be doing that from different versions of Garmin’s Elevate sensor technology, with the Fenix E using the older Gen 4 version and the Fenix 8 featuring in the newer Gen 5 version.
Summing up
Now we’ve tested both the Fenix 8 and Fenix E, there’s only one winner: The Fenix 8 is absolutely the best option, given the sheer amount of sacrifices made by the Fenix E. The latter just doesn’t offer good value for money.
On the design front, the Fenix 8 gives you more case size options, bezel materials, a dive-proof build, and has a flashlight. The Fenix E still has a similar rugged build and an AMOLED display and while it’s a slightly smaller and lower resolution one in comparison, it should still be a good quality one.
On the software and features front that support should be pretty consistent across both watches, with the Fenix 8 giving you the added speaker and microphone-powered smarts and that added multiband support for more accurate outdoor tracking.
The way we see it right now is that if you’re sold on the prospect of owning a Fenix with that familiar design, a color screen and want the core mapping and tracking features for around the price of an Apple Watch Ultra, those are going to be key reasons to look at the Fenix E. If you care about the best that Garmin has to offer in smartwatch features, tracking accuracy and durability (as well as that flashlight), those look like the biggest sells to spend more on the Fenix 8.
Verdict
Buy the Fenix 8 if…
You want the best tracking Garmin can offer. Multi-band GNSS and the better Elevate 5 heart rate sensor lead the improvements, and battery life is far better, too. In short, the Fenix 8 is as good as it gets.
Buy the Fenix E if…
The $200/£200 price saving over Fenix 8 is undeniable, and that’s the only reason to look at Fenix E. But if saving money is the aim, we can’t see why you’d overlook the Garmin Epix Pro or even Forerunner 965.
