Garmin has announced the tactix 8, the latest generation of its military-style watch family.
The tactix series is Garmin’s line of tactical watches, with the kind of features a real-life Ethan Hunt might use.
These include night vision mode, making the watch look right even when viewed through night vision goggles, and support for Applied Ballistics, to work out aiming for “long-range shooting.”
The tactix 8 also has a “stealth” mode that disables storage of GPS information and disabled wireless connections.
This isn’t just a watch for the keep fit crowd, although if you have the money to spend it can also be treated like a higher-end Fenix 8.
Garmin Tactix 8 Features
Its build isn’t far off that of the higher-end Fenix models too. The bezel is low-weight titanium, the screen covering a Sapphire crystal. And it comes in both 47mm and 51mm sizes.
There are screen panel options too. You can have an AMOLED display, in both 47mm and 51mm sizes, while Garmin’s classic transflective design with solar-charging glass comes in 51mm only.
Only this non-OLED variant offers the highest-end feature of the Tactix series, Applied Ballistics Elite Solver, available in the top-tier tactix 8 Solar: AB Elite version.
A solid breakdown of the difference between the standard Ultralight version of this shooter’s feature and the Elite tier is available over at the Leica website.
All versions of the tactix 8 are prepared for divers, with a depth gauge and 40m dive readiness, just like the Fenix 8.
Battery life matches the Fenix 8’s too, with up to 29 days in the standard smartwatch mode (51mm, OLED), rising to up to 48 days in the Solar edition (51mm).
You may be getting the gist by now. This is basically a military/tactical take on the Fenix 8, with some features most people don’t need. But for the few who do, the not-insubstantial added cost will be a no-brainer.
Here’s a rundown of the Garmin tactix 8’s pricing:
- 47mm OLED – $1299
- 51mm OLED – $1399
- 51mm Solar – $1399
- 51mm Solar: AB Elite – $1599
These watches will be available from February 21 according to Garmin’s website.
