Garmin tactix® 8 51mm, Solar Charged Display, Elite, Premium Tactical GPS Smartwatch, Includes Applied Ballistics Elite™ Solver, Titanium Bezel, Sapphire Lens, 40-Meter Dive Rating

Alfonso FaustinoUnited States

Wonderful Watch!

FrontRow Tech LLC quickly shipped my Garmin Tactix® 8 Applied Ballistics Solar Elite Premium Watch. Great service. 5-stars 25-May-2025: UPDATE: Average Skin Temperature works: 15.31 Software Release. Changed review from 4-stars to 5-stars. 23-March-2025: UPDATE: Average Skin Temperature Does Not Work: 19-March-2025, I contacted David, at Garmin. He mentioned this is a known issue; and, a firmware is being worked on to resolve this issue. The ETA release for the firmware is May 2025. My watch has the latest firmware: 13.71. I reset my watch and Garmin Connect. To date, 22-March-2025, the Average Skin Temperature doesn’t work after the reset of the watch and the Connect application on my iPhone 13. Some operators have this problem, and others don’t. According to David, I’m the eighth caller experiencing this problem. If the May 2025 firmware resolves the skin temperature issue, I will update my Star-rating to 5. 31-March-2025: I am going to the firing range to test the Elite Applied Ballistics, which is one of the reasons I purchased this watch. The Elite License is set up, and I anticipate it will work well when I discharge my long arm down-range. - Display is bright and easy to read under the sun and low light settings. The backlight is great for dark settings. (My display setting is 10%.) - Rucking is a new application, which I always wanted with my Garmin Instinct 2X Solar Tactical Watch; because, I carrying a tennis backpack whenever I walk to and from the tennis courts; and, I always wanted the weight of my tennis backpack to be factored into my Walk Activities. The Tactix 8 satisfies my want; hence, now, I’m able to factor in the weight of my tennis backpack into my Walk Activities. - I like the new ECG feature. It’s easy to use. - I also purchased the Tactix 8 for my SCUBA diving trip to the Channel Islands this coming Summer 2025; hence, I will update this review after my first dive. I already took it swimming today, 20-Feb-2025, and no leaks. The Swimming Activity was accurate and helpful for my tennis cross-training. - Phone connectivity works great — though, I don’t use these features when I play tennis nor when I am in HIIT mode. The watch piggy-backs off my iPhone. It doesn’t have its own LTE Cellular component like my Apple Watch Ultra. - I am taking aviation classes; hence, I will use the Tactix 8 as a back-up flight aid. I will update this review after I use the Aviation Application. - The color of the watch casing looks lighter than the Tactix 7. - The GPS seems to be more sensitive; because, I’m able to get GPS indoors — unlike the Tactix 7 Pro Ballistics and my Instinct 2X Solar Tactical watches. - Navigation is visually appealing with the colored maps, and navigation is accurate — I did a TrackBack without any problems, such as, but not limited to, navigation lag. Recalculation in NYC (Manhattan) took place quickly — seconds. - Solar charging panel appears to be bigger than the Tactix 7, but I have not researched my assertion — bottom line: the solar charging works great. I will do more tests and update this review if I notice any problems. The watch comes with a charging cable, booklets, and a black silicone strap. The Tactix 7 Applied Ballistics Pro came with a nylon strap and black silicone strap. Check 6! /s/ Alfonso Faustino

Leon BUnited States

A Worthy Apple Watch Ultra Replacement (and Then Some)

I picked up the tactix 8 about three months ago to replace my Apple Watch Ultra, and I haven't looked back. I wear it daily for everything short of formal events, and it has exceeded my expectations across the board. Battery life is the headline here. I'm getting roughly three weeks on a charge without even factoring in the solar capability. Coming from the Apple ecosystem where you're charging nightly, this alone is a game-changer. You just stop thinking about battery anxiety entirely. GPS accuracy is excellent. The watch pulls from multiple satellite systems simultaneously, and in my experience, it locks on fast and tracks precisely. I've had zero complaints on accuracy, whether I'm on the course or out and about. Golf performance deserves its own mention. The course maps and yardages are reliable, the shot tracking works well, and I love having a full scorecard on my wrist. A huge bonus is that it saves my phone battery since I'm no longer running GPS-intensive golf apps for 4+ hours during a round. Comfort is solid for a 51mm watch. I wear it all day without issue. For sleep tracking, I just loosen the band a notch at full tightness overnight. You'll notice some wrist fatigue, but that's a simple fix. Software: Garmin Connect can be a little finicky. My one tip: connect the watch to WiFi for updates. What takes about 60 minutes through the Garmin Connect app on your phone takes roughly 10 minutes over WiFi. Once you're set up, the experience is smooth. The MIP display will be an adjustment if you're coming from an OLED screen. The colors aren't as punchy, and it looks different indoors. But once you understand how it works,incredible sunlight readability, always-on without battery drain. It starts to feel like the smarter design choice. Give it a week, and you won't miss OLED. If you're an active person who's tired of charging a smartwatch every day or two, especially if you play golf or spend serious time outdoors, the tactix 8 is the real deal.

EricUnited States

Is Water Wet?

Did you know it has a water ejection feature!? I used the absolute mickey out of my 7 which is still kicking strong. Surviving everything and the kitchen sink, really, renovations and a sink fell on it. Was perusing the internet and saw the 8. And Declared to my cat. I Need(Want) This! Despite the incremental upgrades, the extra money spent is worth it to me. Previously used the 47mm T7, and realized I needed something with a bigger face. I've also reached a point where I had more leeway in learning more about the particulars of shooting and it having AB was a great plus. A lot of folks I know and have heard do mention the Microphone being a risk Security wise. And I'd like to raise the simple fact that if Someone is listening into your Watch, it's because your phone is with you and connected. You have other concerns my friends if this is your deal breaker. According to Garmin "The Microphone Only Activates when Utilizing The Command. Which can be removed from the shortcuts" Again, if anyone has access to your phone/watch when you're in a Secure environment or out in the field doing things....you have much greater problems than that. Anyone familiar with OpSec and similar know you wouldn't be discussing anything sensitive in the presence of electronics anyway and most likely would have been prompted to remove any smart devices. Back to the watch. overall it's pretty standard quality Garmin. I'll update upon further use.

JoshUnited States

Best watch for active military in the field!

This watch does everything you could want from a watch! Love this line, sad to see it go! Hopefully Garmin continues the tactix line. Being military and in need the special functions like, The ability to mute any light and stop all communications is a must! As well as the zeroise ability! Perfecto! The flashlight comes in handle more then I imagined it would. Again flawless execution from Garmin! I do long range shooting at work and for fun and having the AB on my watch is much better then I was expecting, love this thing for all the normal uses as well as the military aspects