Garmin Fenix 8 Review | Trusted Reviews

Verdict

The Fenix 8 is one of the best outdoor multisport watches that is not quite the complete smartwatch and sports watch mash-up just yet, but it’s going in the right direction without losing what makes it a great outdoor companion.

Introduction

The Garmin Fenix 8 sees Garmin take its premium outdoor sports watch and expand its display options, offering AMOLED and solar charging options.

Screen options aside, Garmin is seeking to make its top-end outdoor watch a better smartwatch, with new voice-enabled features all while enhancing the tracking features that would make you grab the Fenix over other outdoor watches.

Like the Fenix 7 Pro, the Fenix 8 comes at a steeper cost than most AMOLED outdoor watches, including the Apple Watch Ultra 2 and the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra.

So, does spending big get you a great, tough sports watch and smartwatch all in one?

Price

There are various versions of the Garmin Fenix 8 available. Here’s a breakdown of what’s available.

Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED models

• 43mm Fenix 8 AMOLED price: $999/£869 | Sapphire: $1,099/£949
• 47mm Fenix 8 AMOLED price: $999/£869 | Sapphire: $1,099/£949
• 51mm Fenix 8 AMOLED price: $1,099/£949 | Sapphire: $1,119/£1,039

Garmin Fenix 8 solar models

• 47mm Fenix 8 solar price: $1,099/£949
• 51mm Fenix 8 solar price: $1,119/£1,039

Design and Screen

• Choice of AMOLED or solar charging displays 
• Leak-proof buttons
• Only 2 sizes for solar Fenix 8

The Fenix 8 remains a watch that you can pick up in different case sizes, all with the same aim to operate in extreme conditions.

The big change here is that with the Epix gone, the Fenix 8 is available with either an AMOLED screen or Garmin’s more traditional transflective display, which also incorporates its power sapphire solar charging lens to give overall battery life a boost.

I’ve been testing the largest 51mm version of the Fenix 8 which has a titanium bezel partnered up with an orange and graphite silicone strap. It’s a big watch and certainly looks it on my skinny wrists. At 92g, it’s somewhat heavier than something like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 (61.4g).

Despite being heavier than most outdoor watches I haven’t found it cumbersome to wear but it’s a hefty one to take to bed to track your sleep and recovery time.

That big case makes room for a 1.4-inch, 454 x 454 AMOLED touchscreen, which is exactly the same-sized screen featured on the 51mm version of the Garmin Epix Pro, which is essentially the predecessor to this particular version of the Fenix 8. It’s a great display – colourful, vibrant, responsive and can be kept on at all times.

Dotted around the case are five physical buttons, which Garmin now refers to as leak-proof. These tougher buttons help to boost the durability and suitability of using the Fenix 8 in deeper water than the previous models. It’s now suitable for recreational diving up to 40 metres as well as offering an overall waterproof rating of up to 100 metres.

Garmin retains the LED flashlight on top of the watch case and it does seem notably brighter and clearer than the one featured on the Fenix 7 Pro.

It’s worth noting here that while the AMOLED version of the Fenix 8 is available in 42mm, 47mm and 51mm sizes, the non-AMOLED models only come in 47mm and 51mm versions.

According to Garmin, this is because the new solar charging lens technology would suck up too much space on the 42mm version. So Garmin has opted to keep your options here to two as opposed to the three on the AMOLED Fenix 8.

Software and Smartwatch Features

• New interface
• Mic and speaker added for Bluetooth calls
• New voice notes and voice commands

Along with display options and a more diving-friendly design Garmin also makes some changes to the way you’ll get around the Fenix.

It’s still a proprietary operating system running the show and it’s still one for iPhone and Android users. I’ve used it with both and the experience has been very consistent across. You still get richer notification support paired with an Android phone, but pretty much everything else is the same outside of that.

The big interface change lies with bringing the workout tracking and apps like music and access to the Garmin Connect IQ Store all in one place. There definitely does feel like a move to bring apps more into the equation. I don’t entirely agree with the changes, which shunt workout tracking to the top of the usual workout screen, but it’s something I’ve learned to accept and get used to.

Scroll through that rejigged menu screen and you’ll find new features in the form of voice commands, a phone assistant mode and the ability to record voice notes. These aren’t new features to smartwatches in general, and Garmin has already introduced the ability to speak to your phone’s smart assistant on its Venu watches.

The other two are new to Garmin watches and don’t require being paired to your phone to use them. The voice commands let you do things like start tracking an activity, pull up the weather, play music and more when holding down the top physical button. It takes a few seconds to process the request and it works as advertised. 

The voice notes are as simple as they sound. You can record notes using the onboard microphone, along with tagging the location of where the note was recorded and listen back to them directly on the watch. While the speaker clarity is good, the playback volume can be quiet even at maximum volume.

It’s a shame the notes aren’t saved as part of your workout summary – hopefully, this gets added later down the line.

The addition of these features is another step in the right direction. As far as matching what you’ll get from a dedicated outdoor smartwatch like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 or Galaxy Watch Ultra, it’s not quite on par. I found using the Fenix as a smartwatch is perfectly fine. Just don’t expect it to match the best smartwatch just yet.

Fitness tracking 

• New activity-specific workouts
• New dynamic round-trip routing
• Improved strength training support 

The Fenix remains a powerhouse in terms of tracking everything from runs to skiing sessions and dishing out metrics on how ready you are to train or giving you the plans to help you hit your goals.

Garmin still includes features like its multiband GPS mode to deliver more accurate outdoor tracking and it’s still as good as it was on the Fenix 7 Pro. If you want a watch with accurate GPS performance, Garmin remains at the top of the pile along with the likes of Apple and Suunto. I found GPS tracks for runs and open swims very good on the whole.

There’s also Garmin’s latest Gen 5 Elevate heart rate sensor, which for a big watch managed to deliver pretty accurate heart rate tracking during my tests, even for more high intensity activities. It’s not infallible and I’d still opt to grab an external heart rate monitor, but it puts in a good performance.

You’re also getting access to topographic maps and turn-by-turn navigation, which is some of the best you’ll find on a watch. Basically, this watch is packed to the rafters with features. 

Garmin has sought to improve using the Fenix in a few notable ways. New dynamic round-trip routing will automatically adjust routes to make sure you cover the distance you planned to and also account for changes you might have to make on your course. As far as dynamically adjusting routes, it’s not instant but works well enough if you have the time to spare on activities and adds another string to Garmin’s already impressive bow of navigation features.

Another big area Garmin is trying to improve is using the Fenix for strength training. It still offers automatic rep counting but goes beyond that with workouts you can follow on the watch.

Garmin now offers plans that can last anywhere from 4-6 weeks and include 3-5 workouts to complete each week. There’s now also a workout mode to help you become stronger swimmers or trail runners. It’s bringing strength training closer into the equation of training and it’s a move Garmin needed to make to make it feel more part of things.

As a watch you can turn to track activities, offer useful and glanceable training insights, provide plans and workouts and be a useful tool for exploring your surroundings, the Fenix 8 remains one of the best in the business at doing it.

Battery Life 

• Up to 29 days in smartwatch mode
• Up to 13 days battery in always-on mode
• Up to 62 hours in best GPS accuracy mode

Garmin’s Fenix watches are renowned for delivering big battery life and wiping the floor of most other outdoor watches and smartwatches on the stamina front.

Unlike other AMOLED watches, Garmin has managed to push the boundaries of what’s capable, even when you’ve got that colour screen running at all times.

For the Fenix 8 51mm AMOLED version I tested, Garmin talks some big numbers here. Day-to-day, you should expect up to 29 days of battery life. So, almost a month between charges. If you choose to use it with the screen set to always-on, that drops to 13 days, which is still substantially more than what most other outdoor smartwatches can muster up.

Crucially, it delivers on those numbers. I’ve been using it first with the raise-to-wake mode and the screen set to always-on. Even with regular use of features like the best GPS mode and smartwatch features like music streaming or sleep monitoring, I’ve been able to comfortably get just under a couple of weeks from it. The battery drain with the screen on 24/7 wasn’t as severe as anticipated either. On some lighter usage days, it was around 3-4%

When you’re putting GPS to use, you’ll enjoy anywhere from 18 hours to 31 days. I used the Fenix 8 with the top GPS accuracy mode and the drop-off from an hour’s use seems to add up to the promised 49-62 hours, depending on the display mode you choose to use it in.

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