Garmin Fenix 8 smartwatch evaluation: Costly however not overpriced

There’s little or no that smartwatches cannot do these days. It does not matter if you happen to’re a busy, working skilled and a five-sport athlete or a dad or mum and an informal scuba diver on the weekends — an excellent smartwatch can sustain with all of it, and an ideal smartwatch will not even want a recharge in between actions.

Right here at Android Police, we have examined numerous good and nice smartwatches. Some are higher when you have a sure smartphone, some are higher fitted to sure wrist sizes than others, and a few are good buys when procuring on a funds. Should you’re in search of the very best of the very best, although, you have discovered it with Garmin’s new Fenix 8, a smartwatch that is beautiful, practical, and versatile sufficient to breeze via all of the challenges you throw its approach.

Worth, availability, and specs

Garmin’s latest Fenix watch is obtainable in a number of configurations. The most affordable possibility prices $1,000, and the 51mm photo voltaic model raises the worth to $1,200.

Whereas Garmin’s web site is a good place to search for the Fenix 8, it’s also possible to discover it on Amazon and will have luck in native locations the place Garmin watches are bought, similar to REI and Scheels.

What’s good concerning the Garmin Fenix 8?

Garmin battery life continues to reign supreme

Even when a smartwatch can take calls, monitor sleep, log health stats, or stream a podcast episode, the skills imply little if the watch’s battery cannot make it via the day. The Fenix 8 is one other entry in a protracted record of excellent battery performers from Garmin; averaging about one hour of health tracked per day, I solely needed to cost the watch about as soon as each 10 days. The extra you demand, the better the affect on battery life. Nonetheless, even after I turned on AOD, the battery nonetheless lasted for 4 days.

I examined the smallest case dimension provided within the Fenix 8 line, and as a lady with average-sized wrists, I used to be actually happy with the 43mm watch’s footprint. Its dimension and heft are noticeable, particularly if you happen to’re used to smaller watches, but it surely does not really feel as cumbersome as different watches.

I am used to utilizing lighter-weight smartwatches. After testing the Lily 2, a Garmin watch weighing lower than 30 grams, every thing I wore afterward felt like strapping a brick to my wrist.

I in contrast the Fenix 8’s weight to another smartwatches I had accessible (straps included). The Fenix 8 is not a light-weight smartwatch, even on the smallest case dimension of 41mm, but it surely’s marginally lighter than different rugged watches. In any case, it did not take lengthy to get used to the load.

By way of well being and health, Garmin is not fixing what is not damaged. Should you’re a Garmin smartwatch veteran, the model’s train and wellness vocab — Coaching Readiness, Physique Battery — will already be acquainted. The Fenix 8 presents every thing you want to monitor your well being and exercises, plus a bit of additional. Its exercise library is very large, and I’ve all the time preferred how Garmin presents its train and health insights, providing metrics indicating exercise restoration and eligibility, in addition to your physique’s possible vitality ranges given sleep high quality, stress, and different elements.

GPS accuracy is one power I persistently see in Garmin watches, and the Fenix 8 falls in line. I wore the Fenix 8 together with the Polar Grit X2 Professional, the Apple Watch Sequence 6, and the Mobvoi TicWatch Atlas on my day by day stroll, and whereas all watches did positive in pedometer accuracy and mapping the general route, the Fenix 8 deviated from the trail the least, regardless of common interruptions from timber and buildings.

It is not nearly health; general well being is essential, too. The Fenix 8’s intensive record of sensors monitor your wellness as an entire and look ahead to incidents like falls or atrial fibrillation. AFib, and different coronary heart monitoring particulars, could be seen within the Garmin ECG app, one of many many apps you need to obtain to take advantage of this system.

I am going to admit, dwelling within the higher Midwest, I’m no diver and the Fenix 8’s new capabilities associated to underwater recreation are wasted on me. They will not go with out point out, although. Whereas it shares the identical 10 ATM water resistance score because the older Fenix 7, the latest sequence member goes additional by including full waterproofing to its buttons, in addition to a number of options together with stress gauges, protected ascension help, dive planning, and extra. The Fenix 8’s dive laptop works at depths as much as 40 meters.

What’s unhealthy concerning the Garmin Fenix 8?

Watches over $500 are a tough promote for common customers

Concerning features, battery, {hardware}, and consumer interface, I’ve completely no notes on Garmin’s newest watch. Nonetheless, seeing one other new Garmin launch with out mobile connectivity upset me. It will be approach simpler to advocate any high-end smartwatch, together with the Fenix 8, if LTE connectivity had been extra prevalent.

Garmin’s curiosity in LTE-enabled watches has been sporadic. The seemingly discontinued Forerunner 945 provided LTE capabilities, and the one watch within the present rotation with LTE capabilities is the Bounce, Garmin’s watch for youngsters. If it provided mobile knowledge, I do not suppose the Fenix 8 would ever depart my wrist.

Do you have to purchase it?

Nice never-settle-for-less customers

I am a agency believer that there is a Garmin watch for everybody. The model is a pack chief in battery life and superior health options. Nonetheless, I attempt to do my due diligence with any premium-priced smartwatch and query who it is for and what worth it offers in comparison with watches costing half or a 3rd as a lot.

After personally utilizing a minimum of 5 Garmin watch fashions, my all-around choose remains to be the Venu 3. However selecting the Venu 3 over the Fenix 8 is like selecting a Corolla over a Vary Rover; you do it since you’re a commuting city-dweller, and you understand that a minimum of a 3rd of the higher-end machine’s horsepower will go to waste. So, when you have extra cash to spend on these options, the Fenix 8 is the look ahead to you.

From afar, the Fenix 8 does not look to be as starkly superior to Garmin’s extra inexpensive choices because it ought to, given the worth. However upon a more in-depth look, whereas watches like the brand new Enduro 3 fly near the Fenix 8, they nonetheless do not fairly attain the identical altitude — you do get what you pay for, but it surely’s extra of a query if that is what you really want. And $1000-$1200 is quite a bit to spend if you happen to do not make the most of all these options.