The next generation of Garmin's flagship sports watches may land in 2024
With major leaks suggesting a crop of Garmin Fenix 8 (and possibly Epix 3) watches are on the horizon, we’ve officially entered the period of cautioning those about to pull the trigger on their next sports watch.
Despite the last mid-cycle updates – the Epix Pro (Gen 2) and Fenix 7 Pro – only arriving last May, it now appears extremely likely Garmin will deliver a whole new generation in 2024.
In this guide, we’ll keep you updated with all the breaking news of Garmin’s upcoming flagship watches, including the expected release date, potential price, and the features we might see.
When will Garmin Fenix 8 & Epix 3 launch?
- Major retailer leak suggests late August/early September release date
- Garmin could announce the next generation at IFA 2024
- Previous launches make a 2024 release very likely
Earlier this year, we posited that previous Fenix/Epix launches made a summer 2024 launch for the next generation the most likely. And that prediction is now looking pretty accurate.
It’s a bit of a surprise, too, because Garmin has been all over the map with its announcements for this lineup for many years (as shown below).
Our first (and only) major leak suggests that the Garmin Fenix 8 will ship in early September.
In early July, Finnish retailer Multitronic accidentally posted a series of holding pages for the Fenix 8 range – all with the estimated delivery date of 4-6 September.
A Fenix 8 release date at this time would make plenty of sense, given that the annual IFA tech expo in Berlin is also scheduled for early September.
And if you’re wondering what this tells us about the Epix 3, well, let’s explore a little deeper.
Recent Garmin Fenix/Epix launch dates
- Garmin Fenix 7 Pro & Epix Pro (Gen 2) – May 2023
- Garmin Fenix 7 & Epix (Gen 2) – January 2022
- Garmin Fenix 6 Solar – July 2020
- Garmin Fenix 6 & Fenix 6 Pro – August 2019
- Garmin Fenix 5 Plus – June 2018
- Garmin Fenix 5 – March 2017
Fenix vs. Epix: Will one be axed – and why?
The question of merging these two lines first popped into our heads when testing and reviewing the latest mid-gen Fenix release, the 7 Pro, alongside the Epix Pro (Gen 2).
And with some curious pricing, the suggestion of a ‘Fenix E’ model in those leaked retailer listings, and zero credible Epix 3 leaks, it would appear increasingly likely that the Epix line could be dropped for the upcoming generation.
So, what’s the story here?
Well, along with the three product pages denoting the typical Fenix case sizes (you may have also spied above that the smallest model appears to be jumping from 42mm to 43mm), an all-new 47mm ‘Fenix E’ model is also seen.
The listing pegs this ‘E’ model at €797 (£675/$860), which is much more in line with typical Fenix pricing. The ‘E’, then, could denote a cheaper, memory-in-pixel model – essentially, a nod to what the Fenix line has always been.
The ‘standard’ Fenix 8 models – the higher-priced-than-usual 43mm, 47mm, and 51mm editions – would then essentially act as de facto Epix 3 watches.
Anything could still happen, and it’s also possible that the Epix 3 simply hasn’t emerged in any leaks thus far, but we think there’s some just cause in combining the two lineups. Let’s explain.
Why would Garmin merge the Fenix and Epix lines?
The latest release – the Fenix 7 Pro – is an incredibly feature-packed watch, but testing it directly against the Epix Pro (Gen 2) illustrated how tightly squeezed the line has become.
Its USPs are pretty tenuous at this stage; the Enduro 2 lasts longer and looks very similar, and the Epix (Gen 2) range offers much better displays (and still decent battery life).
We think that the last release just about made sense, thanks to the new optical heart rate tech and flashlight support, but we think Garmin faces a marketing/roadmap headache when justifying the next generations of the Fenix, Epix, and Enduro alongside each other.
With the Fenix also the more established name of the two, it makes much more sense for Garmin to retain it instead of the Epix, which has generally just been used to plug places in the company’s outdoor watch lineup.
What’s the difference between Garmin Fenix and Epix?
At the risk of missing the most obvious point here – one we have to clear up every time the Fenix/Epix question comes up when recommending to friends, reviewing, or comparing – we should note that the only difference between these two watch lines is the display type.
There is no Fenix with AMOLED display tech – and there likely won’t ever be unless, as we discussed above, Garmin decides to shelve the Epix line and forego the option of a memory-in-pixel display Fenix.
How much will the Fenix 8 (Epix 3) cost?
Another big hint we received from that leaked retailer listing was a few the potential pricing of the Fenix 8 range – albeit with everything listed in Euros.
- 43mm Fenix 8: €995 (converting to £850/$1,075)
- 47mm Fenix 8: €995 (converting to £850/$1,075)
- 51mm Fenix 8: €1,095 (converting to £925/$1,185)
- 47mm Fenix 8E: €797 (converting to £675/$860)
As covered above, this pricing is more akin to the Epix Pro (Gen 2) than the Fenix 7/7 Pro.
Only time will tell if an Epix is being prepared – but we’re scared for our wallet, if so, based on the evidence above.
Garmin Fenix 8 (Epix 3): Potential features
With a 2024 release seemingly on the cards for the next generation, it’s natural to wonder what features we might be holding out for – and whether they’re worthy upgrades.
Our six predictions below are all (relatively) educated speculation. Some are based on patents, some are obvious next steps and the rest are just our pure hopes and desires.
1. Cellular support
We’re pretty tired of taking our phone out on a Sunday long run for safety purposes and are thus begging Garmin to deliver proper cellular support in this next generation.
It’s something we’ve not seen in a very long time from Garmin – not since the Forerunner 945 LTE arrived in 2021 with some basic safety-related cellular features – and is extremely overdue.
We can understand Garmin’s reluctance so far – its customers want a sports watch, after all, not a smartwatch – but it also feels pretty crazy for a 2024 watch this advanced to not offer the option.
2. More efficient and advanced Spo2 monitoring
While Apple is battling it out in court over the alleged infringement of blood oxygen tech patents, Garmin is filing technology that could help improve the accuracy of its SpO2 monitoring.
Uncovered here at Wareable, the company envisions a system that will take measurements using three different light sources. This potential method will compare the respective percentages of oxygen detected in the blood for more accurate measurements.
It may not be something that we see in the next generation of Fenix/Epix devices, but a boost to the technology and its efficiency would be welcome given the relatively significant battery drain of the current method.
3. Improved charging
We felt like the speedier, more convenient wireless charging method that debuted on the MARQ (Gen 2) – shown above – back in late 2022 was destined to be a feature of the mid-cycle Pro models of 2023, but it wasn’t to be.
Garmin refused to confirm this when we asked at the time whether the feature would drip down to future releases – which is unusual. So far, close to a couple of years from the second-gen MARQ launch, it remains exclusive to the line.
The upcoming generation would seem a pretty good time to distribute it more widely, though – unless, of course, the company has worked to refine things further since the MARQ’s arrival.
We’ll take either – just, please, no more stick-in cables.
4. Boost the battery life
It almost feels a little trite to request more battery life, given the company’s AMOLED watches are so far ahead of the competition in this area, but we still think it’s pretty much nailed on to be one of the improvements.
It’s also possibly another reason why Garmin could choose to merge the Fenix and Epix lines; if it manages to bump the AMOLED battery life up from 5-6 days to something like 8-10 days, the memory-in-pixel watch’s major unique factor is diminished even further.
5. Display improvements
Improving the display of these two watch lines is a tricky subject, on account of the whole MIP vs. AMOLED differentiator we’ve detailed above.
However, we did see Garmin redesign the pixels and backlight on the Fenix 7 Pro to improve clarity, so it’s not completely unreasonable to expect further refinement in this area (if we are to see a Fenix 8).
The Epix line doesn’t struggle in this regard quite so much, due to the more advanced display tech, but we would happily accept Garmin pumping up the brightness and detail even further.
After all, the Galaxy Watch Ultra and Apple Watch Ultra 2 feature far superior AMOLED panels and brightness to the Epix Pro, as highlighted above.
6. Overhaul the UI
We frequently shift over to the Forerunner 965 when testing out new Garmin features, and we’re always struck by how stale the Fenix/Epix UI is in comparison.
The latest Forerunners look much more modern as a result of this UI change, and interacting with widgets, data screens or apps like Spotify is both quicker and easier.
Garmin will likely want the Fenix and Epix to run the same UI, and it’s possible that the newer Forerunner UI won’t transfer over to the MIP Fenix, but we hope some kind of update is in the works regardless.
