Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mmSize, Specs & Wrist Fit Compared
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is 0.7mm wider, 3mm longer, 5.7mm thinner and 15.3g lighter than the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm. Both are circular.
Measured against the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm.
- Case width
- 43mmbaseDescent™ Mk3i – 43 mm43.7mm+0.7mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Lug-to-lug
- 43mmbaseDescent™ Mk3i – 43 mm46mm+3mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Thickness
- 14.3mmbaseDescent™ Mk3i – 43 mm8.6mm−5.7mmGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
- Weight
- 49.3gbaseDescent™ Mk3i – 43 mm34g−15.3gGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
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Garmin
Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm
Samsung
Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
Which one fits you
On wrists narrower than about 48mm, the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm is the safer pick — it stays proportionate down to roughly 45mm, where the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm starts to hang over the edge. Above 48mm both sit cleanly, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm gives you more presence.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm wears larger than the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm (43.7mm vs 43mm case), giving it more wrist presence — and needing a wider wrist to sit cleanly.
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is the slimmer of the two (8.6mm vs 14.3mm), so it slides under a cuff more easily.
On the wrist the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm feels lighter (34g vs 49.3g, case only).
Among the 312 43mm watches we hold thickness for, the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm is thicker than 74% — it will sit high even though the case width reads modest.
Among the 303 44mm watches we hold thickness for, the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is thinner than 99%, so it wears flatter than its width suggests.
Specification Comparison
| Spec | GarminDescent™ Mk3i – 43 mm | SamsungGalaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm |
|---|---|---|
| Case Width | 43mm | 43.7mm |
| Lug-to-Lug | 43mm | 46mm |
| Thickness | 14.3mm | 8.6mm |
| Weight | 49.3g | 34g |
| Shape | Circular | Circular |
| Display type | AMOLED | OLED/AMOLED |
| Released | 2023 | 2025 |
Hover a row to highlight that measurement in the schematics below.
2D Dimension Schematics
Every case drawn to scale on a shared centre — from above, and in profile against the wrist. Built from the measurements, so it works for every watch whether or not it has a photo.
Highlight
- Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm43mm · 14.3mm thick
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm43.7mm × 46mm · 8.6mm thick
Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm vs Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm on a wrist
Put Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm on the same arm, sized to your own wrist, and turn it. Side by side or stacked on one spot, whichever answers the question faster.
- Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm — 43mm case, standing 14.3mm off the wrist.
- Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm — 43.7mm case, 46mm lug-to-lug, standing 8.6mm off the wrist.
Whether that clears your wrist edges is the question worth answering, and it depends on your wrist rather than on the case diameter.
See them on a wrist in 3DCase shapes are generated from each watch's published measurements — case width, lug-to-lug and thickness — not from manufacturer 3D models, so the proportions are accurate while the dial is generic.
Battery life compared
Furthest apart in Smartwatch mode, where the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm lasts 5.0× as long as the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm (10 days against 2 days).
Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mmSamsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
Battery Saver
12 days—Smartwatch
10 days2 daysExpedition GPS
10 days—Max Battery GPS
44 hours—Dive
30 hours—GPS Only
28 hours—All Satellite Systems
20 hours—All Satellite Systems + Multi-band
17 hours—Dive with Air Integration
15 hours—All Satellite Systems + Music
6 hours—
Full Specification Comparison
459 specs| Spec | Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm | Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm |
|---|---|---|
| Overview | ||
| Family | Garmin | — |
| General | ||
| Battery life | Smartwatch: Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) Battery Saver Watch Mode: Up to 12 days GPS Only: Up to 28 hours (22 hours always-on ) All Satellite Systems: Up to 20 hours (16 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Multi-band: Up to 17 hours (14 hours always-on) All Satellite Systems + Music: Up to 6 hours Max Battery GPS: Up to 44 hours Expedition GPS: Up to 10 days Dive Mode: Up to 30 hours Dive Mode with Air Integration: Up to 15 hours | — |
| Display Size | 1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter | — |
| Case material | fiber-reinforced polymer with titanium rear cover | — |
| Color display | Yes | — |
| Lens Material | sapphire crystal | — |
| Bezel Material | Diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated titanium or bronze PVD coated titanium | — |
| Memory/History | 32 GB | — |
| Strap material | silicone | — |
| Charging method | Garmin proprietary clip charger | — |
| Large font option | Yes | — |
| Display resolution | 390 x 390 pixels | — |
| Leakproof inductive buttons | Yes | — |
| QuickFit® watch band compatible | yes (20 mm) | — |
| Sensors | ||
| GPS | Yes | — |
| Compass | Yes | — |
| GLONASS | Yes | — |
| Galileo | Yes | — |
| Gyroscope | Yes | — |
| Thermometer | Yes | — |
| Depth sensor | Yes | — |
| Accelerometer | Yes | — |
| SatIQ™ Technology | Yes | — |
| Ambient light sensor | Yes | — |
| Barometric altimeter | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox Blood Oxygen Saturation Monitor | Yes | — |
| Garmin Elevate™ wrist heart rate monitor | Yes | — |
| has GPS | — | Yes |
| has a compass | — | Yes |
| Has a barometer | — | Yes |
| has a gyroscope | — | Yes |
| Has a cadence sensor | — | No |
| has an accelerometer | — | Yes |
| Monitors perspiration | — | No |
| Has a heart rate monitor | — | Yes |
| Has a temperature sensor | — | Yes |
| Monitors blood oxygenation levels | — | Yes |
| Product Info | ||
| Main SKU | 010-02753-13 | — |
| Product ID | 852217 | — |
| Product Name | Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm | — |
| Release Date | 11/15/2023 | — |
| Product Variation | Bronze PVD Titanium with French Gray Silicone Band | — |
| Clock Features | ||
| Timer | Yes | — |
| Stopwatch | Yes | — |
| Time/date | Yes | — |
| Alarm clock | Yes | — |
| GPS Time Sync | Yes | — |
| Sunrise/sunset times | Yes | — |
| Automatic daylight saving time | Yes | — |
| Diving Features | ||
| PO2 | Up to 2.0 with customizable deco PO2 setting | — |
| Tides | Yes | — |
| Backlight | yes (configurable time and intensity; auto-on at depth) | — |
| Gas mixes | Air, Nitrox and Trimix, up to 100% O2; 1 bottom gas and up to 11 deco and/or backup gasses. | — |
| APNEA mode | Yes | — |
| Deep Stops | yes (using custom gradient factors) | — |
| Gauge mode | Yes | — |
| Pool APNEA | Yes | — |
| No fly time | Yes | — |
| Safety Stop | yes (customizable off/3min/5min) | — |
| Dive planner | yes (basic NDL + multi-gas deco planner) | — |
| Multi-gas mode | Yes | — |
| Nitrox support | Yes | — |
| Trimix support | Yes | — |
| APNEA hunt mode | Yes | — |
| Air integration | yes (via Subwave™) | — |
| Alerts & alarms | Audible and vibration alarms for ascent rate, PO2, CNS/OTU, NDL, deco, gas switching, tank pressure, gas consumption rate. Customizable (up to 40) audible and/or vibration per dive mode, based on depth or time | — |
| Single-gas mode | Yes | — |
| Gas time remaining | Yes | — |
| Subwave™ Support | Yes | — |
| 3-axis dive compass | yes (with adjustable heading, quick change to 90R, 90L and reciprocal). Indicates degrees and direction back to set heading | — |
| Auto start/end dive | Yes | — |
| Decompression model | Bühlmann ZHL-16c with gradient factors | — |
| Missed Deco Lockout | yes (can be disabled prior to dive with user acknowledgement) | — |
| Gas consumption rate | Yes | — |
| Custom end-dive timeout | yes (20s to 10 m) | — |
| Custom dive data screens | Yes | — |
| Customizable conservatism | yes (low/medium/high or custom using gradient factors) | — |
| Surface diver status widget | yes (surface interval, N2/HE loading, CNS, OTU and tissue compartment status) | — |
| Automatic altitude adjustment | Yes | — |
| Residual Tissue Loading Reset | yes (on the surface with user acknowledgement) | — |
| Closed Circuit Rebreather (CCR) | Yes | — |
| Number of transmitters supported | 8 | — |
| Dive ascent/descent rate indicator | Yes | — |
| Dive activity maximum operating depth | 200 meters | — |
| Sync dive log to Garmin Dive™ Mobile app | Yes | — |
| Automatically saves dive entry and exit locations | Yes | — |
| Gaming Features | ||
| Gaming Activity | Yes | — |
| GameOn™ app compatible | Yes | — |
| Boating Features | ||
| Anchor Alarm | Yes | — |
| Countdown timer | Yes | — |
| Tack assist mode | Yes | — |
| Autopilot Control | Yes | — |
| Boat Data Streaming | CIQ | — |
| Virtual starting line | Yes | — |
| Available Boating Profiles | Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing | — |
| Wearable trolling motor remote | Yes | — |
| Built-in barometer and tide tables | yes (downloadable tides) | — |
| Cycling Features | ||
| Courses | Yes | — |
| Power guide | Yes | — |
| MTB Grit & Flow | Yes | — |
| Race an activity | Yes | — |
| Power meter compatible | Yes | — |
| Advanced cycling dynamics | Yes | — |
| Power curve and % FTP workouts | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ lights | Yes | — |
| FTP (Functional Threshold Power) | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Compatible with Varia headlight camera | Yes | — |
| Speed and cadence sensor support (w/sensor) | Yes | — |
| Cycle Map (routable cycling-specific street map) | Yes | — |
| Bike lap and lap maximum power (with power sensor) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia™ radar (rear-facing radar) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Vector™ and Rally™ (power meters) | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Varia Vision™ (head-mounted display) | Yes | — |
| Alerts (triggers alarm when you reach goals including time, distance, heart rate or calories) | Yes | — |
| Golfing Features | ||
| PinPointer | Yes | — |
| Custom targets | Yes | — |
| Tempo Training | Yes | — |
| Virtual caddie | Yes | — |
| Full vector map | Yes | — |
| Handicap scoring | Yes | — |
| Tournament legal | Yes | — |
| Digital scorecard | Yes | — |
| Garmin AutoShot™ | Yes | — |
| PlaysLike distance | Yes | — |
| Round timer/odometer | Yes | — |
| Auto CourseView updates | Yes | — |
| Yardage to layups/doglegs | Yes | — |
| Hazards and course targets | Yes | — |
| Pairs with Garmin Golf app | Yes | — |
| Green View with manual pin position | Yes | — |
| Preloaded with 43,000 courses worldwide | Yes | — |
| Green Contours (with Garmin Golf membership) | Yes | — |
| CT10 Automatic club tracking compatible (requires accessory) | Yes | — |
| Yardage to F/M/B (distance to front, middle and back of green) | Yes | — |
| Stat tracking (strokes, putts per round, greens and fairways hit) | Yes | — |
| Wind speed and direction (requires connection to Garmin Golf app) | Yes | — |
| Touch-targeting (touch target on display to see the distance to any point) | Yes | — |
| Measures shot distance (calculates exact yardage for shots from anywhere on course) | automatic | — |
| Running Features | ||
| Hill score | Yes | — |
| Run workouts | Yes | — |
| Running power | Yes | — |
| Race predictor | Yes | — |
| Foot pod capable | Yes | — |
| Running dynamics | Yes | — |
| Lactate threshold | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Grade-adjusted pace | Yes | — |
| Trail run auto climb | Yes | — |
| Performance condition | Yes | — |
| Run/Walk/Stand detection | Yes | — |
| Stride length (real time) | Yes | — |
| PacePro™ Pacing Strategies | Yes | — |
| Vertical oscillation and ratio | Yes | — |
| Ground contact time and balance | Yes | — |
| GPS-based distance, time and pace | Yes | — |
| Course- and weather-specific race predictor | Yes | — |
| Cadence (provides real-time number of steps per minute) | Yes | — |
| What You'll Love | ||
| Touchscreen | Yes | — |
| Display type | AMOLED | — |
| Water rating | Dive (200 meters) | — |
| Garmin Pay™ | Yes | — |
| Music storage | Yes | — |
| Multi-band GPS | Yes | — |
| Training status | yes (improved) | — |
| Built-in mapping | Yes | — |
| Training readiness | Yes | — |
| Pulse Ox blood oxygen | Yes | — |
| Sleep score and insights | Yes | — |
| Battery life (smartwatch mode) | Up to 10 days (4 days always-on) | — |
| Activity Profiles | ||
| Gym | Strength, HIIT, Cardio, Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing | — |
| Swim | Pool Swimming, Open Water Swimming | — |
| Cycling | Biking, Road Biking, Mountain Biking, Gravel Biking, Bike Commuting, Bike Touring, eBiking, eMountain Biking, Indoor Biking, Cyclocross, BMX | — |
| Wellness | Walking, Pilates, Yoga, Indoor Walking | — |
| Multisport | Swimming/Running, Triathlon | — |
| In the ring | Boxing, Mixed Martial Arts | — |
| Team sports | Basketball, Volleyball, Field Hockey, Ice Hockey, Football/Soccer, American Football, Lacrosse, Rugby, Ultimate Disc, Cricket, Softball, Baseball | — |
| Motor sports | Motorcycling, Overlanding, Motocrossing, ATVing, Snowmobiling | — |
| On the Water | Stand Up Paddleboarding, Rowing, Kayaking, Surfing, Kiteboarding, Windsurfing, Fishing, Boating, Sailing, Sail Racing, Water Skiing, Wakeboarding, Wakesurfing, Tubing, Snorkeling, Sailing Expedition, Whitewater | — |
| Racket sports | Tennis, Pickleball, Badminton, Squash, Table Tennis, Padel, Platform Tennis, Racquetball | — |
| Snow & winter | Skiing, Snowboarding, Backcountry Snowboarding, XC Classic Skiing, Backcountry Skiing, Ice Skating, Snowshoeing | — |
| Indoor running | Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Virtual Running | — |
| Outdoor running | Running, Outdoor Track Running, Trail Running, Ultra Running, Obstacle Racing | — |
| Outdoor recreation | Hiking, Indoor Climbing, Bouldering, Climbing, Hunting, Horseback Riding, Golfing, Disc Golf, Archery | — |
| Other activity profiles | Jumpmaster, Tactical, Inline Skating | — |
| Swimming Features | ||
| Pool swim workouts | Yes | — |
| Critical swim speed | Yes | — |
| Time and distance alerts | Yes | — |
| Auto rest (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Drill logging (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Pacing alerts (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Countdown start (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Underwater wrist-based heart rate | Yes | — |
| "Repeat on" rest timer (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Basic rest timer (up from 0) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Stroke type detection (freestyle, backstroke, breaststroke, butterfly) (pool swim only) | Yes | — |
| Pool swim metrics (lengths, distance, pace, stroke count, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Open-water swim metrics (distance, pace, stroke count/rate, stroke distance, swim efficiency (SWOLF), calories) | Yes | — |
| Heart rate from external HRM (real-time during rests, interval and session stats during rests, and automatic heart rate download post-swim) | yes (with HRM-Tri, HRM-Swim, HRM-Pro or HRM-Pro Plus) | — |
| Tactical Features | ||
| Kill switch | Yes | — |
| Stealth Mode | Yes | — |
| Ballistics solver | yes (unlock required) | — |
| Night vision mode | Yes | — |
| XERO™ Locations | Yes | — |
| Dual grid coordinates | Yes | — |
| Outdoor Recreation | ||
| Tides | Yes | — |
| Up Ahead | Yes | — |
| Auto rest | Yes | — |
| TracBack® | Yes | — |
| Sight 'N Go | Yes | — |
| Tide glance | Yes | — |
| Back to start | Yes | — |
| Fish forecast | Yes | — |
| Explore Nearby | Yes | — |
| UltraTrac mode | Yes | — |
| Vertical speed | Yes | — |
| GPS coordinates | Yes | — |
| Reference point | Yes | — |
| Area calculation | yes (via Connect IQ™) | — |
| Elevation profile | Yes | — |
| Projected waypoint | Yes | — |
| Total ascent/descent | Yes | — |
| Future elevation plot | Yes | — |
| NextFork™ navigation | Yes | — |
| Distance to destination | Yes | — |
| Expedition GPS Activity | Yes | — |
| Sun and moon information | Yes | — |
| Point-to-point navigation | Yes | — |
| Preloaded ski resort maps | Yes | — |
| ClimbPro™ Ascent Planner | Yes | — |
| Rest Timer (Ultra Run only) | Yes | — |
| Preloaded road and trail maps | Yes | — |
| Bread crumb trail in real time | Yes | — |
| Downloadable cartography support | Yes | — |
| Barometric trend indicator with Storm Alert | Yes | — |
| Daily Smart Features | ||
| Stocks | Yes | — |
| Calendar | Yes | — |
| Connectivity | BLUETOOTH®, ANT+®, Wi-Fi®, Subwave™ | — |
| Garmin Share | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone | Yes | — |
| Find My Watch | Yes | — |
| VIRB® Remote | Yes | — |
| Morning report | Yes | — |
| Red shift mode | Yes | — |
| Weather forecasts | Yes | — |
| Smart Notifications | Yes | — |
| Smart trainer control | Yes | — |
| Smartphone compatibility | iPhone®, Android™ | — |
| Controls smartphone music | Yes | — |
| On-device Connect IQ™ Store | Yes | — |
| Plays and controls watch music | Yes | — |
| Find My Phone during GPS activity | Yes | — |
| Pairs with Garmin Connect™ Mobile | Yes | — |
| Compatible with Garmin Messenger app | Yes | — |
| Battery saver (customizable low power watch) | Yes | — |
| Realtime settings sync with Garmin Connect™ mobile | Yes | — |
| View images from notifications on watch (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Text response/reject phone call with text (Android™ only) | Yes | — |
| Connect IQ™ (downloadable watch faces, data fields and apps) | Yes | — |
| Activity Tracking Features | ||
| TrueUp™ | Yes | — |
| Move IQ™ | Yes | — |
| Step counter | Yes | — |
| Floors climbed | Yes | — |
| Calories burned | Yes | — |
| Distance traveled | Yes | — |
| Intensity minutes | Yes | — |
| Automatic rep counting | Yes | — |
| Garmin Connect™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ app) | — |
| Move alerts (displays on device after a period of inactivity) | Yes | — |
| Auto goal (learns your activity level and assigns a daily step goal) | Yes | — |
| Workout and Training Plans | ||
| HIIT workouts | Yes | — |
| Yoga workouts | Yes | — |
| Cardio workouts | Yes | — |
| Pilates workouts | Yes | — |
| Strength workouts | Yes | — |
| Garmin Cycling Coach | Yes | — |
| Garmin Running Coach | Yes | — |
| Garmin Running Coach Experts | Yes | — |
| On-screen workout animations | Yes | — |
| On-screen workout muscle maps | Yes | — |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Cycling | Yes | — |
| Daily Suggested Workout - Running | Yes | — |
| Garmin Coach - Prebuilt Cycling Plans | Yes | — |
| Health & Wellness Monitoring | ||
| Sleep | yes (advanced) | — |
| Hydration | yes (in Garmin Connect™) | — |
| Breathwork | Yes | — |
| Fitness age | yes (in app) | — |
| Nap detection | Yes | — |
| All-day stress | Yes | — |
| Women's health | yes (in Garmin Connect™) | — |
| Health snapshot | Yes | — |
| Jet lag adviser | Yes | — |
| Respiration rate | Yes | — |
| Skin temperature | Yes | — |
| Resting heart rate | Yes | — |
| Abnormal heart rate alerts | yes (high and low) | — |
| Relaxation breathing timer | Yes | — |
| Body Battery™ energy monitor | Yes | — |
| Wrist-based heart rate (constant, every second) | Yes | — |
| Safety and Tracking Features | ||
| Assistance | Yes | — |
| Live Event Sharing | Yes | — |
| Incident Detection during select activities | Yes | — |
| Incident detection alert on phone for wearables | Yes | — |
| Kid Activity Tracking Features | ||
| Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app | yes (optional Connect IQ Toe-to-Toe™ Challenges app) | — |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features | ||
| % HRR | Yes | — |
| % HR max | Yes | — |
| HR zones | Yes | — |
| HR alerts | Yes | — |
| Shortcuts | Yes | — |
| HRV status | Yes | — |
| Load ratio | Yes | — |
| Manual lap | Yes | — |
| Rest timer | Yes | — |
| Auto max HR | Yes | — |
| Auto scroll | Yes | — |
| Finish time | Yes | — |
| HR calories | Yes | — |
| Voice alerts | Yes | — |
| Custom alerts | Yes | — |
| Physio TrueUp | Yes | — |
| Recovery time | Yes | — |
| Training load | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Run) | Yes | — |
| Course guidance | Yes | — |
| Endurance score | Yes | — |
| Training effect | Yes | — |
| Virtual Partner | Yes | — |
| Race an Activity | Yes | — |
| Realtime stamina | Yes | — |
| Advanced workouts | Yes | — |
| Interval training | Yes | — |
| Race glance/widget | Yes | — |
| Training load focus | Yes | — |
| VO2 Max (Trail Run) | Yes | — |
| Garmin Live Segments | Yes | — |
| Strava Live Segments | Yes | — |
| GPS speed and distance | Yes | — |
| Improved recovery time | Yes | — |
| Configurable lap alerts | Yes | — |
| Customizable data pages | Yes | — |
| Unified training status | Yes | — |
| Touch and/or button lock | Yes | — |
| Activity history on watch | Yes | — |
| Downloadable training plans | Yes | — |
| Training effect (anaerobic) | Yes | — |
| Manual multisport activities | Yes | — |
| HRM running pace and distance | Yes | — |
| Heat and altitude acclimation | Yes | — |
| Customizable activity profiles | Yes | — |
| Trendline™ Popularity Routing | Yes | — |
| Auto Pause® automatic timer halt | Yes | — |
| Respiration rate (during exercise) | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Auto Lap® interval tracking feature | Yes | — |
| Primary benefit (Training Effect labels) | Yes | — |
| Round-trip course creator (running/cycling) | Yes | — |
| Power Modes - customizable in-activity battery settings | Yes | — |
| HR broadcast (broadcasts HR data over ANT+® to paired devices) | Yes | — |
| Improved interval (includes open repeats, intervals data page, rest screen and auto detection) | Yes | — |
| HRV stress test (measures your heart rate variability while standing still, for 3 minutes, to provide you with an estimated stress level; the scale of this is 1 to 100; low scores indicate lower stress levels) | yes (with compatible accessory) | — |
| Design | ||
| width | — | 43.7 |
| height | — | 46 |
| volume | — | 17.29 cm³ |
| weight | — | 34 g |
| thickness | — | 8.6 |
| ATM rating | — | 5 ATM |
| resolution | — | 480 x 480 px |
| screen size | — | 1.47 inches |
| Display type | — | OLED/AMOLED |
| Has a display | — | Yes |
| pixel density | — | 327 ppi |
| width of band | — | 20 mm |
| water resistance | — | Water resistant |
| Always-On Display | — | Yes |
| has a touch screen | — | Yes |
| is designed for kids | — | No |
| waterproof depth rating | — | 50 m |
| Watch band is replaceable | — | Yes |
| Has sapphire glass display | — | Yes |
| maximum operating temperature | — | 35 °C |
| Ingress Protection (IP) rating | — | IP68 |
| has branded damage-resistant glass | — | No |
| lowest potential operating temperature | — | 0 °C |
| Battery | ||
| battery life | — | 2 days |
| battery power | — | 435 mAh |
| has wireless charging | — | Yes |
| has a removable battery | — | No |
| Has a solar power battery | — | No |
| has a rechargeable battery | — | Yes |
| Features | ||
| RAM | — | 2GB |
| release date | — | 2025-07-09 |
| Has a stopwatch | — | Yes |
| Has smart alarm | — | No |
| Has call control | — | Yes |
| Has silent alarm | — | Yes |
| has HRV tracking | — | Yes |
| internal storage | — | 32GB |
| measures VO2 max | — | Yes |
| Has notifications | — | Yes |
| Has ECG technology | — | Yes |
| Locates your phone | — | Yes |
| has fall detection | — | Yes |
| has voice commands | — | Yes |
| Acquires GPS faster | — | Yes |
| Has vibrating alerts | — | Yes |
| shows readiness level | — | Yes |
| Can be used to answer calls | — | Yes |
| measures resting heart rate | — | Yes |
| has irregular heart rate warnings | — | Yes |
| has fast/slow heart rate notifications | — | Yes |
| Has a built-in camera remote control function | — | Yes |
| Connectivity | ||
| has NFC | — | Yes |
| SIM cards | — | 1 eSIM |
| Wi-Fi version | — | Wi-Fi 4 (802.11n) |
| supports ANT+ | — | No |
| supports Wi-Fi | — | Yes |
| supports Galileo | — | Yes |
| Bluetooth version | — | 5.3 |
| has a cellular module | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with iOS | — | No |
| Is compatible with Android | — | Yes |
| Miscellaneous | ||
| Has passcode | — | Yes |
| Has auto pause | — | Yes |
| Is compatible with Windows | — | No |
| Is compatible with Mac OS X | — | No |
| has an external memory slot | — | No |
| Compatible with smart scales | — | Yes |
| has a battery level indicator | — | Yes |
| has a socket for a 3.5 mm audio jack | — | No |
| Compatible with external heart rate monitors | — | Yes |
| App & Software | ||
| Ad-free | — | Yes |
| Free app | — | Yes |
| Tracks BMI | — | Yes |
| Has coaching | — | Yes |
| Includes maps | — | Yes |
| Supports routes | — | Yes |
| Has achievements | — | Yes |
| Has goal setting | — | Yes |
| Has exercise diary | — | Yes |
| Can be personalised | — | Yes |
| Has weight tracking | — | Yes |
| Predicts start date | — | Yes |
| Tracks water intake | — | Yes |
| Has inactivity alerts | — | Yes |
| Has period notifications | — | Yes |
| Has temperature tracking | — | Yes |
| Provides activity reports | — | Yes |
| Counts how many calories you've burned | — | Yes |
| Activity tracking | ||
| Measures pace | — | Yes |
| Tracks distance | — | Yes |
| Tracks elevation | — | Yes |
| Designed for golf | — | No |
| Tracks your sleep | — | Yes |
| Tracks steps taken | — | Yes |
| Designed for diving | — | No |
| Has a route tracker | — | Yes |
| Has exercise tagging | — | Yes |
| Has multi-sport mode | — | No |
| Tracks calorie intake | — | Yes |
| Provides sleep reports | — | Yes |
| Detects activities automatically | — | Yes |
| Has a stroke counter for swimming | — | Yes |
Wrist Fit
Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm
Sits best on wrists ~45–61mm wide (≈ 12.0–16.3cm circumference).
Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm
Sits best on wrists ~48–66mm wide (≈ 12.8–17.6cm circumference).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm bigger than the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm?
The Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm is bigger — 43.7mm vs 43mm case width.
Which fits a smaller wrist better, the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm or the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm?
The Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm suits wrists around 45–61mm wide, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm around 48–66mm. The one with the smaller lower bound is the safer pick for a small wrist.
Can I see the Garmin Descent™ Mk3i – 43 mm and Samsung Galaxy Watch8 - LTE · 44mm side by side at true scale?
Yes — the schematics and photos above show both watches at matched scale, and our fit tool overlays each on your wrist width.
Related Comparisons
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