Sunday Runday
On this weekly column, Android Central Wearables Editor Michael Hicks talks concerning the world of wearables, apps, and health tech associated to working and well being, in his quest to get quicker and more healthy.
I am not comfy reviewing my Garmin Fenix 8 but. It is Garmin’s most densely packed watch but, with sufficient options that it will take me a pair extra weeks to present them justice. However after years testing $400-ish Garmin watches and ready years for my first Fenix, the Fenix 8 hasn’t absolutely lived as much as my sky-high expectations.
I acquired and unboxed my Garmin Fenix 8 later than most, nonetheless getting my bearings whereas Fenix 8 homeowners observed it crashing in chilly water or exhibiting thousand-hour naps (or naps after they weren’t napping). Aggravated Garmin discussion board customers noticed a bevy of different software program points, some area of interest however others widespread.
By October, the Fenix 8 had acquired some helpful patches, however I nonetheless encountered issues like enter lag when navigating the principle UI. After I tried to finish a two-mile stroll exercise, the watch froze on the “Saving” display for hours and refused to manufacturing unit reset till I plugged it into my pc. Then, the battery drained at an insane price (about 85% in beneath two days) till I charged and restarted it.
Issues have calmed down for me since then, each for battery life and basic navigation. However it nonetheless appears evident that Garmin will need to have been on a time crunch to launch the Fenix 8 on schedule — presumably shareholder-related issues — given the variety of Fenix 8 glitches that went unresolved till after launch. And that is not an important look whenever you’re charging extra money than some other health watch model and rather more than the Fenix 7 sequence (which began at $799).
I will level out now that I like the Fenix 8 to this point. For starters, the revamped UI improves on what I noticed on the Garmin Venu 3 final 12 months, significantly seeing instructed exercises and programs instantly beneath the exercise begin menu. I recognize the AMOLED/MIP choices so you may prioritize battery life or higher visible high quality. And regardless of the plastic-to-titanium swap, my 47mm unit does not really feel overly heavy at 73g.
When it comes to new options, the Fenix 8 added power teaching to Garmin Coach about six months after I wrote a bit demanding Garmin make indoor exercises higher with tailor-made ideas. As a runner, I am nonetheless easing into power coaching, nevertheless it’s already a step over what most health watches supply for reps and newbie steerage.
You additionally get a microphone and speaker related to an offline voice assistant, which is now not restricted to passthrough instructions to your smartphone. You maintain down the Begin button, say a easy command like “Begin a Voice Observe” or “Present me the climate at present,” and see the related app or widget in a couple of seconds. I nonetheless advocate utilizing watch face shortcuts to drag up related knowledge because the processing is a bit gradual, nevertheless it helps keep away from looking out by means of menus.
Whereas I normally depend on AllTrails on my cellphone for choosing climbing trails prematurely, Garmin’s new round-trip routes let me search for alternate facet trails that’ll take the identical period of time however let me try new surroundings, and it is a good change of tempo!
Plus, you get the identical revamped well being sensor suite because the Venu 3, related dive options to the Descent MK3 with leak-proof {hardware}, dual-band GPS accuracy to match the perfect Forerunner watches, and a built-in flashlight that is fairly much like the one I examined within the Intuition 2X Photo voltaic. Its 17-day battery life is not a lot larger than different Garmin watches, however its 35-hour multi-band monitoring is superb.
Once more, these are welcome additions! Garmin threw every part it had into one titanium package deal, so you may go from climbing to working to diving to snowboarding to {golfing} and have just about every part you want.
However I convey up previous Garmin watches as a result of many of those previous options really feel nearly equivalent to the cheaper watches. For instance, the Fenix 8 LED is sweet for emergencies however not particularly vivid, burns by means of your entire battery in a couple of hours, and makes you maintain your wrist at an unnatural angle to light up what’s in entrance of you — similar to the Intuition 2X Photo voltaic flashlight.
The Fenix’s new mic and speaker allow impromptu calls with out grabbing your cellphone, however similar to the Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus, you will sound quiet on the opposite finish, and it’s possible you’ll want to carry the speaker near your ear if you happen to’re wherever loud.
I am not an enormous fan of MIP shows, so I am absolutely on board with the AMOLED swap. That mentioned, it has the identical dimension and PPI because the Venu 3 or Forerunner 965 shows, and I suppose the brightness and refresh price are equivalent, too. Specifically, I dislike the little delay you see when scrolling by means of widgets with the touchscreen.
When it comes to accuracy, the Fenix 8 GPS has been predictably hyper-accurate to this point, however that additionally applies throughout the board right down to the $350 Forerunner 255 with dual-band monitoring. And whereas its coronary heart price monitoring did excellently towards my COROS optical armband in most instances, matching its common and maintaining with fast HR modifications, it has the identical infuriating problem as my Forerunner 965: After I begin a tough observe run with out ramping up, it’s going to spend the primary lap failing to register my quicker coronary heart price by about 20–30 bpm, forcing me to pause and provides the Fenix 8 time to seek out the proper knowledge and skewing my cardio/ anaerobic load totals.
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I believe many well-off Fenix 8 consumers select the flagship model as a mixture standing image and catch-all health software. They like its titanium model and that it can deal with each sport beneath the solar, even when they solely go diving or snowboarding annually throughout holidays and principally run, bike, or hike with it. Higher to have and never want than want and never have, proper?
In my case, the Fenix 8 could find yourself being my favourite Garmin watch as a result of it collects the perfect bits from the Forerunner, Venu, and Intuition lineups. However is that sufficient to say the Fenix 8 is “definitely worth the worth,” as lots of present Fenix 8 opinions say?
The Garmin Fenix 8 is not an affordable watch, nevertheless it’s finally as much as you to find out whether or not it is definitely worth the excessive price ticket.
When journalists and tech YouTubers say a tool is so good that they’d spend $1,000+ on it, they in all probability imply it. However they did not; they bought it totally free. We usually attempt to not let that influence our suggestions, and there is not any strain to justify or nitpick an costly buy like common shoppers really feel. However it’s nonetheless arduous to say if one thing is “too costly” when your funds is not affected.
After I reviewed costly smartwatches just like the $650 Samsung Galaxy Watch Extremely or $800 Apple Watch Extremely 2, I needed to fastidiously decide their true worth when you may spend half as a lot on their siblings and get many of the identical options (just like the Fenix 8). They’re nice watches however too costly for many individuals, and the Fenix 8 deserves that scrutiny, too.
One level in Apple and Samsung’s favor was that their flagship watches have been technically “standalone” due to built-in LTE help. Since Garmin hasn’t supplied LTE exterior of the Forerunner 945 LTE and Bounce LTE for youths, your Fenix 8 nonetheless has your short-lived smartphone as a ache level for staying in contact on lengthy excursions.
In my case, the Fenix 8 is very good to have, particularly the brand new navigation options. However I do not “want” it, and if I have been purchasing for the finest Garmin watch for my wants, it would be arduous to justify spending that additional $500 for streamlined software program, voice instructions, and dynamic routing when the $600 Forerunner 965 has many of the identical necessities.
I’ve overestimated the Fenix in my head for some time, and an $1,100 price ticket implies a sure degree of greatness. However the acquainted tech, buggy launch, and lack of emergency mobile mixed with that worth are sufficient to offset barely simply how unbelievable a health watch that is.
Acquired a grand? Nice!
Should you really need the “finest” Garmin watch, that is it. It is long-lasting, has probably the most superior Garmin software program throughout each main sporting kind, lasts a pair weeks per cost regardless of the additional smarts, and appears nice doing it. Simply…properly, make sure you even have the cash for the Fenix 8! You may be completely pleased with a Forerunner or Venu at half the value if you happen to do not want every part and the kitchen sink.