Sunday Runday
On this weekly column, Android Central Wearables Editor Michael Hicks talks concerning the world of wearables, apps, and health tech associated to operating and well being, in his quest to get sooner 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 provide them justice. However after years testing $400-ish Garmin watches and ready years for my first Fenix, the Fenix 8 hasn’t totally 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 seen it crashing in chilly water or exhibiting thousand-hour naps (or naps once they weren’t napping). Irritated 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 laptop. Then, the battery drained at an insane price (about 85% in underneath two days) till I charged and restarted it.
Issues have calmed down for me since then, each for battery life and basic navigation. But it surely nonetheless appears evident that Garmin should have been on a time crunch to launch the Fenix 8 on schedule — probably shareholder-related issues — given the variety of Fenix 8 glitches that went unresolved till after launch. And that is not an ideal look while you’re charging more cash than another health watch model and way more than the Fenix 7 collection (which began at $799).
I am going to level out now that I like the Fenix 8 to date. For starters, the revamped UI improves on what I noticed on the Garmin Venu 3 final 12 months, notably seeing prompt exercises and programs instantly underneath the exercise begin menu. I admire 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 recommendations. As a runner, I am nonetheless easing into power coaching, but it surely’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 Notice” or “Present me the climate as we speak,” and see the related app or widget in just a few seconds. I nonetheless advocate utilizing watch face shortcuts to drag up related information for the reason that processing is a bit gradual, but it surely helps keep away from looking out via menus.
Whereas I often depend on AllTrails on my cellphone for choosing mountaineering 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 most effective 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 thing it had into one titanium bundle, so you may go from mountaineering to operating to diving to snowboarding to {golfing} and have just about every thing you want.
However I convey up previous Garmin watches as a result of many of those outdated options really feel nearly an identical to the cheaper watches. For instance, the Fenix 8 LED is good for emergencies however not particularly shiny, burns via your complete battery in just a few hours, and makes you maintain your wrist at an unnatural angle to light up what’s in entrance of you — identical to the Intuition 2X Photo voltaic flashlight.
The Fenix’s new mic and speaker allow impromptu calls with out grabbing your cellphone, however identical to the Venu 3 and Venu 2 Plus, you will sound quiet on the opposite finish, and you might want to carry the speaker near your ear when you’re anyplace loud.
I am not an enormous fan of MIP shows, so I am totally on board with the AMOLED swap. That stated, it has the identical dimension and PPI because the Venu 3 or Forerunner 965 shows, and I assume the brightness and refresh price are an identical, too. Specifically, I dislike the little delay you see when scrolling via widgets with the touchscreen.
When it comes to accuracy, the Fenix 8 GPS has been predictably hyper-accurate to date, however that additionally applies throughout the board all the way down to the $350 Forerunner 255 with dual-band monitoring. And whereas its coronary heart price monitoring did excellently in opposition to my COROS optical armband in most circumstances, matching its common and maintaining with fast HR adjustments, it has the identical infuriating difficulty 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 sooner coronary heart price by about 20–30 bpm, forcing me to pause and provides the Fenix 8 time to seek out the proper information and skewing my cardio/ anaerobic load totals.
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I think many well-off Fenix 8 consumers select the flagship model as a mix standing image and catch-all health device. They like its titanium model and that it can deal with each sport underneath 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 most effective bits from the Forerunner, Venu, and Intuition lineups. However is that sufficient to say the Fenix 8 is “definitely worth the value,” as a variety of present Fenix 8 critiques say?
The Garmin Fenix 8 is not an inexpensive watch, but it surely’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 most likely imply it. However they did not; they obtained it free of charge. We typically strive to not let that impression our suggestions, and there isn’t any stress to justify or nitpick an costly buy like common customers really feel. But it surely’s nonetheless arduous to say if one thing is “too costly” when your finances 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 rigorously choose 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 had been technically “standalone” because of built-in LTE help. Since Garmin hasn’t provided LTE outdoors 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 had been looking for the finest Garmin watch for my wants, it would be arduous to justify spending that further $500 for streamlined software program, voice instructions, and dynamic routing when the $600 Forerunner 965 has many of the identical necessities.
I’ve overvalued 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 value are sufficient to offset barely simply how incredible a health watch that is.
Acquired a grand? Nice!
For those who really need the “finest” Garmin watch, that is it. It is long-lasting, has essentially the most superior Garmin software program throughout each main sporting sort, lasts a pair weeks per cost regardless of the additional smarts, and appears nice doing it. Simply…effectively, be certain you even have the cash for the Fenix 8! You is likely to be completely proud of a Forerunner or Venu at half the value when you do not want every thing and the kitchen sink.
