Garmin fēnix® 8, 47mm, Black

Why it's worth it

The fēnix 8 combines a bright 1.4-inch AMOLED screen, multi-band GPS, dive and altimeter sensors, and roughly two weeks of battery in one stainless-steel package. It's the Garmin that stops you from needing a second Garmin, which is why it justifies its cost.

This is the watch you buy when you refuse to choose. Trail running, open-water swimming, recreational scuba, strength sessions, hiking with maps — it's all built in. Most of Garmin's other watches specialize. The fēnix 8 does not, and that breadth is the whole reason to spend up. If your hobbies shift every few years, you won't outgrow it.

Garmin rates it for up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and up to 47 hours with GPS running, and DC Rainmaker's testing found the 16-day figure holds up with the always-on display enabled. Owners tend to land in the 14-16 day range with normal use. That's the practical difference from an Apple Watch. CNET's comparison found Garmin devices average two to three times longer real-world battery under identical GPS workout tracking.

From our review of 8 garmin watches

What we like

• +This is the watch you buy when you refuse to choose
• +Garmin rates it for up to 16 days in smartwatch mode and up to 47 hours with GPS running, and DC Rainmaker's testing found the…
• +The 1.4-inch AMOLED is the upgrade people notice first
• +The small stuff adds up

What to know

• –Software is the recurring complaint
• –It's a big, expensive watch