Garmin Tactix 8 released on 21 February 2025. It comes in five different options or variants. We review all the Garmin Tactix 8 variants below.
The 5 variants of Garmin Tactix 8
Garmin Tactix comes in 2 different size. However, the display technology and glass differences lead up to 4 different display experiences.
Garmin Tactix 8 has the following alternative variants:
- Tactix 47 mm AMOLED display
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED display
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED with nylon band
- Tactix 51 mm Solar
- Tactix 51 mm Solar AB Elite with Applied Ballistics Elite® Solver
In terms of underlying technology, Tactix 8 offers AMOLED display or solar variants.
We look at the main differences between Tactix 47 and 51 mm AMOLED watches below.
Differences between Garmin Tactix 47 mm and 51 mm AMOLED display
The primary differences between Tactix 47 mm and 51 mm AMOLED editions are related to size differences.
So, in summary, you can make a note of the following differences between Tactix 47 mm 51 mm:
- Garmin Tactix 47 mm has a size of 47 x 47 x 13.8 mm while Tactix 51 mm has a size of 51 x 51 x 14.7 mm.
- Tactix 47 mm is thinner with a thickness of 13.8 mm. Tactix 51 mm is 14.7 mm thick.
- Inspite of the size differences, both Tactix 8 47 mm and 51 mm (AMOLED editions) have the same display size of 1.5 inch or 36 mm. On a similar note, both variants have display resolution of 454 x 454 pixels.
- Tactix 8 47 mm AMOLED is lighter at 73 g and Tactix 8 51 mm AMOLED weighs 92 g.
- An important difference is in the battery backup offered by Tactix 8 47 mm and 51 mm AMOLED editions. Tactix 8 47 mm AMOLED offers up to 16 days of battery life on smartwatch mode. Tactix 8 51 mm AMOLED can offer battery backup of up to 29 days on the smartwatch mode.
There is price difference of $100 between Tactix 47 mm and 51 mm AMOLED editions. A summary of these differences is presented in the table below.
| Feature | Tactix 47 mm AMOLED | Tactix 51 mm AMOLED |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 47 x 47 x 13.8 mm | 51 x 51 x 14.7 mm |
| Thickness | 13.8 mm | 14.7 mm |
| Battery backup | Up to 16 days on Smartwatch mode | Up to 29 days on Smartwatch mode |
| Weight | 73 g | 92 g |
| Price | $1299.99 | $1399.99 |
| Watch band size | 22 mm | 26 mm |
Next, we discuss the Tactix 51 mm variants in AMOLED and Solar options.
Main differences between Tactix 51 mm AMOLED and Tactix 51 mm Solar
The main difference between Tactix 51 mm AMOLED and Solar edition watches are related to size and glass differences.
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED uses a Sapphire display glass while 51 mm Solar edition uses Power Sapphire glass. (suggested reading – Are solar watches worth it?)
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED has higher display resolution (454 x 454 pixels) than Tactix 51 mm Solar (280 x 280 pixels).
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED can offer a battery backup up to 29 days on the smartwatch mode. Tactix 51 mm Solar can go up to 48 days on the smartwatch mode (using Solar charging as secondary charging).
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED is slightly thinner with a thickness of 14.7 mm. In comparison, Tactix 51 mm Solar has a thickness of 15.8 mm.
- Tactix 51 mm AMOLED weighs 92 g and 51 mm Solar weighs 95 g.
- An important difference is that Tactix 51 mm AMOLED includes Applied Ballistics Ultralight Solver. The Tactix 51 mm Solar edition misses this. You would need to get a Tactix 51 mm Solar with AB Solver to the Ballistics solver in solar edition.
Let us compile a table of differences between Tactix 8 51 mm AMOLED and Solar editions below.
| Feature | Tactix 51 mm AMOLED | Tactix 51 mm Solar |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 47 x 47 x 14.7 mm | 51 x 51 x 15.8 mm |
| Thickness | 14.7 mm | 15.8 mm |
| Battery backup | Up to 29 days on Smartwatch mode | Up to 48 days on Smartwatch mode |
| Weight | 92 g | 95 g |
| Price | $1399.99 | $1399.99 |
| Watch band size | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Display glass | Sapphire crystal glass | Power sapphire |
| Display resolution | 454 x 454 pixels | 280 x 280 pixels |
| Applied Ballistics Solver | Yes | No |
The points to consider between Tactix 51 mm AMOLED and Solar editions are essential on these 2 factors:
- Do you need a watch with better display experience? Tactix 51 mm AMOLED has a brighter display and a display resolution that is almost 50 percent higher than Tactix 51 mm Solar’s display resolution.
- Or, you could consider the solar edition of Tactix 51 mm to get an improved battery life. Solar charging is useful for people who spend at least 2 hours in bright sunshine of 50000 lumens or higher every day. Solar charging could boost battery backup by almost 70 percent over the AMOLED edition of Tactix 51 mm.