Garmin Fenix 8: The almost perfect sports watch

by Junna Base November 12, 2024

Garmin has long been one of the top sports watch brands, possibly the best known, with a range of models to suit different users, from children to serious runners. The Fenix series, considered the company’s flagship, recently received an update with the Fenix 8, now available in Israel. We are in for a long journey, both literally and figuratively.

Design and appearance

With a 47mm diameter, sapphire crystal and a robust titanium case with a black polymer back, the Fenix 8 is unmistakable. It looks like a sturdy, slightly chunky watch reminiscent of Casio’s G-Shock series. The small screws on the sides are exposed and the round, colorful AMOLED touchscreen is surrounded by grooves. There is even an LED flashlight integrated on the front to illuminate dark areas. The overall look is reminiscent of a robust sports or diving watch designed for harsh conditions – and it does: 100 meters of water resistance, 10 atmospheres (40 meters for diving support) and more.

As for the interface, the Fenix 8 has no less than five physical buttons (three on the left, two on the right), and you can operate the watch either directly via the touchscreen or by short and long presses on the buttons. There is also a port on the right side for connecting fitness accessories such as a heart rate strap. We said this was a serious sports watch, right?

On that note, you’ll also find a robust heart rate sensor array on the back with no fewer than six sensors (four in a row and two on the sides), as well as a charging port. The look is completed by a black and gray silicone sports strap with a quick-release mechanism.

Operation and daily use

The Fenix 8’s interface might be a bit complicated for those unfamiliar with Garmin watches. It is similar to other smartwatches but has some differences. First of all, the buttons work by short and long presses. The left buttons scroll through menus and perform actions on the home screen, while the right buttons are used for forward/backward navigation or confirmation/cancel. This creates a fairly complex interface, and I found myself pressing different buttons in the middle of a workout trying to find the right button to end the session. However, the long press feature can be customized.

In this regard, the touchscreen interface is clearer than the button operation, even if the buttons are comfortable. Another slightly confusing feature is Glances, a quick access menu for information with editable items and folders, unlike phone notifications. Until this model, Garmin was lagging behind in terms of “smartwatch” compared to other players in the market, focusing more on dedicated sports watches (as mentioned later). But that’s been fixed and the Fenix 8 now syncs perfectly with app notifications from your phone, with the option to customize which notifications you want to receive and even reply to messages. So that’s a plus.

However, the Glances feature is a bit complicated and is based on folders. On one hand, it provides a general overview of health, stocks, workouts, etc. On the other hand, it feels a bit overcomplicated and could have been created as a single layer instead of a folder tree.

Garmin Fenix 8 (Source: Niv Lilian)

Despite the complexity of the interface and the learning curve, the Garmin is a pleasant and entertaining smartwatch to use on a daily basis. Thanks to the surprisingly clear built-in speaker (a feature that didn’t exist before), you can answer and manage calls directly from the watch. Additionally, Garmin’s basic local assistant is included, as well as the ability to activate your phone’s assistant. The Fenix 8 offers just about every type of information you can imagine – from detailed maps (including dual GPS support) and an altimeter to stock information, moon phases and fishing forecasts (as detailed in the Sports section) .

For all these features, the Fenix 8 is an excellent smartwatch. And I almost forgot: you can also use it to load music directly onto the watch, either by downloading it via Spotify or transferring MP3 files from your computer if you still have them, and it even supports Garmin Pay, Garmin’s introduced wireless payment service in Israel long before Apple or Google Pay.

Sport, health and sleep

Now let’s get to the strengths of the Fenix 8 – as a sports watch. The Fenix 8 was designed primarily for athletes, and it shows. Garmin’s measurement system is one of the best on the market and, in my personal experience, even more accurate than other watches. The Fenix 8 offers virtually all health metrics, including an ECG, which is currently inactive but will be available in the future (subject to Ministry of Health approval). What does it offer now? Almost everything: skin temperature, heart rate, steps, breathing, sleep, blood oxygen saturation, climbing stairs, heart rate variability (HRV) during sleep and activity, including continuous measurement, plus stress indicators (already available on other watches, but Garmin was among the first to introduce this). and “Body Battery,” a combination of metrics that show your overall energy levels throughout the day.

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When it comes to workouts, Garmin gives you all the tools you need for virtually any type of physical activity: from running metrics (including steps, pace, race planning, etc.) to personalized workout creation for Pilates and strength training, complete with animated on- Tracks -Watching, archery, boxing, martial arts, climbing, hunting, horseback riding, navigation (including off-track navigation!) and more – including water sports like competitive swimming, scuba diving (via a dedicated Garmin Dive app), sailing, tide forecasts for planning sailing, and even fishing forecasts for those interested in fishing.

But despite all this variety of sporting activities, there is one notable absence: dance. While watches like the Amazfit offer support for various dance styles like modern or ballet, Garmin requires purchasing an external app from the store to track these activities, which is a slight downside. That being said, the Fenix 8 is one of the most comprehensive and intelligent sports watches we’ve ever seen, possibly even the most detailed.

Garmin Fenix 8 (Source: Niv Lilian)

Battery life

Considering the Fenix 8 has a full-color, high-brightness touchscreen, the battery life is impressive, even surprising. Thanks to screen dimming during inactivity and presumably intelligent battery management, the Fenix 8 delivers an exceptional battery life of up to two weeks between charges for a smartwatch – that’s impressive. With heavy use and no screen dimming, you’ll need to charge it once a week, which is still pretty decent.

However, the Fenix 8 charges via a traditional charging port, not wireless or even magnetic charging. It’s unclear why Garmin is sticking with its proprietary charging port, but that’s their decision.

Diploma

Finally, we need to address the elephant in the room – or rather, the elephant in your wallet: price. The Fenix 8 is not a cheap watch, to say the least. You pay a premium for the titanium body, high-quality materials, high-quality screen and advanced technology. The price of the Fenix 8 (depending on the model and diameter) starts at NIS 4,500 for the 43mm version. This matches the international price, which starts at $1,000, with the model tested costing $1,100. That’s a lot of money for a smartwatch, especially when you could buy a high-end smartphone or, for comparison, two Samsung Ultra watches for the same price.

However, if you’re a serious athlete, the Fenix 8 meets all your needs and more – but you’ll have to break into your savings account. On the other hand, such a watch is an investment for years (Garmin promises software updates for many years). So if you are looking for a smartwatch with a wide range of functions, exceptional durability in extreme conditions, including deep sea diving, and a professional sports watch that meets all the needs and plans of serious athletes, look no further than the Fenix 8.

Recommended price for the tested model: 4,599 NIS

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