I will agree with your opinion. I've migrated from Apple to Garmin about 2 years ago....to Garmin Fenix 6S solar....in that 2 year period...zero issues. Very happy and thinking about upgrading to the Fenix 8s.
I bought the Fenix 8 and I love it 🙂 There were some bugs at the beginning, but nothing terrible. It seems to be all right now. It's very comfortable. I bought the 47 mm even though I have only 14 cm circumference wrist and I like the look and feel. I mostly wear it with the Ultrafit band. I have the titanium Carbon grey version which goes very well with any color of band. I don't wear any protection of the glass and I don't intend to. It's my first sapphire glass watch and I never put any protection even on the normal glass. I never had any problems before. No scratches there so far. I absolutely love the flashlight too 😀The watch also gives a very luxurious feel. I am happy that I could afford to buy it and I assume that it will be a great companion for the next couple of years.
@@Fozzee.1970 I thought so too until i found a great offer for the gorilla version. I looked into it to see if i was losing out a lot for the almost 100£ price drop, and turns out you don't. I must've read over 60-70 comments across reddit and by and large they are both really good. I was always going to get a protector anyway so it seems like you don't need the sapphire necessarily
@@build.legendary I got the AMOLED in the end. The screen clarity is amazing and personally so much better than the MIP, but I understand that if you are used to one, you won't want to change.
i love when garmin drops new watches, i always buy the reduced last generation and sell the one i have. So now i got a Epix Pro AND a Instinct 2x for less than the Fenix 8 costs. Sold my Epix (non pro) and Instinct 2 (non x). Instinct for OCR's or multiday trips and epix pro as a everyday driver for me the perfect team.
I really enjoy my Fenix 8 now, when it launched I wasn't quite happy with the lack of improvement from the last generation, I somehow still ended up buying it and upgrading from my Instinct 1 that I had for 4 years. I got the 47mm amoled black titanium version and it works amazing on the wrist, not too huge, not too bulky, just perfect. My only real issues I had with the watch was it crashing when saving activities which hasn't happened since the firmware update, and the lack of watch faces. Garmin did end up adding two more faces from the solar variant of the watch of which I've been using the portal face 24/7 since it became available. I'm extremely happy with my purchase, garmin fixed all problems I had with the watch and I wear it everyday.
I bought my epic gen 2 a year ago for £350… no idea why I’d even think of buying a new Fenix for over double the price. But also can see if you have a Fenix 6 or something you’d be tempted.
It's not everything but the torch has proved itself so useful that many decide to never go back to a non torch watch after that. It could be the deciding factor. Those into EDC and carry a flashlight now get to combine two tools and stamping the EDC.
This, but Id add the epix to that. I had a 945 lte, 955, and 965. I have no desire to upgrade from the 965 even ignoring price. Factor in price, and it is nuts. I worry that the fenix 9 and 10 will not be able to offer much more. The door is wide wide open for apple to add more battery life to their watches, but I was surprised they skipped that on their newest release.
Honestly, I had two Apple Watches and everyone complains about Garmin not being smart watch enough. The most useful part of an AW was setting a timer hands free by saying Hey Siri. And glancing at texts but responding decently required getting my phone out. The timer setting on Garmin, as you described, is probably going to be useful when I get the Fenix 8. And I do like the quick start for activity you showed. But everyone that complains about AW vs Garmin smart functionality needs to reexamine how often they actually use those smart features.
Use it all the time, starting my car, unlocking my house, using it as a festival ticket, ordering a coffee, streaming music and being able to leave my phone at home, using the Nike run app and having a run coach in my ear, Ordering an uber. I can text back on iMessage, signal, messenger, etc just fine. I mean obviously not paragraphs of messages sure. Also for flying, I have every nearby airport to give me frequency, weather conditions, etc. Just sounds like you limited yourself to what it can do.
i still have the 7x pro ill stick to it for a while. but if i would have to get me one right now i would go with the enduro 3. on a budget and not being in the garmin ecosystem i would try out the amazfit t-rex 3. but man the flashlight is definetly a gamechanger. if you have tried it out you dont want to live without it.
I've had the Fenix 8 47mm titanium ambled for about 1 month coming from the original Apple Watch Ultra. I wore both just for fun and compare data. I rapidly saw that there was a problem with elevation data collected by the Fenix 8. I contacted the customer support. They asked me to clean-up the watch and manually calibrate the altimeter, nothing change. I had to do a few tests in workout modes (running, cycling and walking) with temperature recording on and off. They finally offer me an exchange yesterday and will get the new watch tomorrow (Friday the 25th). Funny fact, the kilometers (yes we do use km here in Montreal) are about 1,5% shorter on the Fenix 8 compared to the Apple Watch Ultra. Not a big deal, on a 10km run (just over 6miles), it's 150 meters.
I think the Raw Titanium / Orange Band makes the watch. Like you, I wear it 24/7 and don't wear my 'expensive' watches anymore. I'd say feature for feature this is the best sports watch I have owned.
Completely agree on the voice control functionality for timers! I use this daily. You can also set the timer to display on your watchface as a data field to see the timer status in real time. Same with alarms. Super easy to use the voice control to quickly set an alarm. I also agree with the frustration over Garmin including the orange sensor cover. Hoping there will be a replacement piece in raw titanium, like the watch sold overseas has.
Great video,glad you talk about the software issues. Indeed is better now, however there is a lot of work to do. Round trip courses if you not in the map page the turn prompts don't appear,the audio prompts most of the times are wrong, takes an eternity to rendering the map, gps lock takes a bunch of time, sometimes the only workaround is turn of an on the watch again and after that got a quick lock, sometimes trying to change mape layers or making a faster zoom out or in takes to a crash,in the dark the screen dims to much,if i connect my earphones with the watch to listen Spotify i receive to the audio prompts perfectly, however if in the next run i take the earphones connected with my phone i have to unpair from the watch, because even disconnected from the watch i ear the music but doesn't give me audio prompts. I have to unpair from the watch,save the activity and start another in order to get the audio prompts. If i have a course created and is stored on the watch when i open the map screen even if i don't doing the course,the course is there,i have to delete from the watch and the list goes on!and is not only my experience,is the experience of lots of users. However to follow a course created on Garmin connect,to do my normal runs,to get my daily health is spot on,works perfectly. I believe in a couple of months they will improve but this is a hot mess from 1100 euros,just my opinion. I'm paying to be a beta tester 😂
Great video, as always. Well done! You have helped me make up my mind about upgrading. I still see nothing compelling (and this is of course for my use case) over and above the Fenix 6 series. My Fenix 6 pro solar is still pristine - battery lasts a week with half a dozen 1 hour walks/hikes thrown in - super easy to wear (7.5" wrist) - still really good looking (IMO) - love the Always On MIP display. And it does exactly everything I need from a tool/fitness watch and some. I guess I'll be waiting for the Series 9 or 10 or 11 - or when my 6 pro solar finally stops working.
@@bkkwithlove they aren’t removing the option but they run out of stock and you’ll have to wait for them to restock the case with the titanium sensor guard.
Regarding the orange barometer protector, if it is removable you could take a Dremel tool and use the proper polishing tip and it will more than likely take off the orange anodization. Just make sure you have something to secure the small piece while polishing it.
I don’t know if you still remember, I changed my 6x pro to an Instinct 2x. I loved it, BUT, I liked the Fenix datafields, when I ran I like to see my HR by the top bezel, the Instinct doesn’t know this. Always had to push the buttons to check my HR zone. So I’ve decided near the 7x pro. That is a very very great watch, worths every penny so far. So my point is I wouldn’t give so much money for a recent appeared gadget. Thanks for the vidi.
It can be cost effective if you scuba dive. Instead of buying both a watch and dive computer. And comparing to AWU, then depending on how long you plan to use it you can make up the difference since Apple’s is subscription based. Past that it would probably depend on if you want sports feature focus or smart watch focus. Just one use case, though
I just purchased an Apple Watch Ultra 2 recently. I’m in the gym lifting weights 5-6 days weekly and do run as well. Nothing crazy, maybe 3-5 miles a few times weekly. I thought the 2-day battery life was a big upgrade from the 18 hour on my previous Apple Watch. 10+ days sounds heavenly.
I've had mine since release week, and out of the box has great luck with it, but after a few updates began having problems. About two days before Garmin published the most recent software update I'd just completed my first 50 mile Ultra, and after finishing and going to save my activity it crashed and rebooted. I was ticked! Luckily it saved the activity itself, but it didn't apply any of the actual stats from my run towards my metrics.. Fully agree on the color - I'm the same with that lime green, had it for my 955, was intending on swapping, but didn't go with the little orange plate
Switch from Fenix 6 to FR965 last year and love it. Don't see any point why we need to pay the double price only for the look and the useless, non-intuitive new features. It's positioned as a sport watch, not a Apple watch, or a premium Swiss watch.
I have worn Apple and Garmin. I have recently decided to go back or detach from tech watches and I now wear a mechanical watch and use the new Oura ring 4 to record my activity.
its funny that you mentioned the color on the raw titinum one. It was by accident that i discovered that the black model is the best because you can pair it with an infiniate amount of band combinations when i put on a chrome bezel cover on my 7x , so yeah i went with the black one.
I am a Fenix fan but I will admit that I have no need for the dive function or the speaker/microphone and don't really want to be paying quite a bit extra for something that I don't want. And Garmin does specific watches for for e.g. golfers, sailing, flying, and even marksmen, so why could they not pop the dive feature in a maritime watch rather than add it to what I would otherwise call their flagship sports watch? If I were to upgrade today I would definitely get the Enduro 3 rather than the Fenix 8.
I have LOVED my Fenix 7x, like LOVED it. And I have used Suunto, Coros and I wanted to buy into the hype train of this new Fenix and the future of the franchise... but it seems Garmin lost the plot... I am tempted buy the Enduro 3 at a cheaper price point and better HR sensor than the 2, but Fenix line feels like just highway robbery for the casual bystander of the higher end Garmins... But thanks for this vid!
3:40 if you order the watch through Garmin you can choose to get a neutral color of the guard and even what kind of strap and color you get. I despise how so many reviewers keep complaining about a non-issue.
Cool video :) It would be interesting to see a comparison between fenix 8 and 965 from your angle. Any plan of doing it? Thanks, and hello from Sweden.
Timer (on Epix Gen2): I set a shortcut to the start button. Long press the start button, select the timer from the list using the down button and start it with start button. Easy.
Great video as always! What do you think about the MIP version? I now the battery life is longer, but how do you feel about using it for the gym and outdoor activities like hiking and using the maps? Also, how the display looks inside and outside?
The course navigation arrow on the map at the 7:59min mark is at the bottom of the screen. Have found that when navigating that the arrow is far too high on the map so you have reduced visibility of where you are heading and more visibility of where you have been. This reduces the benefits of navigating by the map.
Garmin do sell the Finex 8 47/51mm with a natural titanium guard but it’s now an out of stock item. They do tend to come in the dual wrist band packages.
I feel like the titanium bezel scratches more easily than stainless steel, both based on my experience and what I see in this video, especially when compared to the FR 965
These after a while reviews are the best! Congratulations! I totally agree about the sensor guard thing. I had a Fenix 6 silver and it had a tiny red accent at the start button. Even this hit my eye whenever I changer strap. Imagine the whole metal .This was the main reason I bought the Dlc febix 7 sapphire which has no colours
@@ismaelrivera1999 the speaker isn’t loud . The venu has a louder speaker but the Fenix has the on-device voice commands which are awesome. The Venu requires a phone to access your assistant.
Just an assumption, but I feel like this Fenix 8 was rushed to beat the phantom 'Apple Watch Ultra 3' 🤣I'm still getting crashes on mine on the latest software but so glad that most of the original issues are fixed ❤ Let's goo 🔥
So many people are upset about its smartwatch capabilities knowing damn well Apple is a closed eco system and that Garmin would need to partner with an Android OS phone manufacturer for better integration. Come on!
I'll be honest... I want the Garmin Fenix 8. I'm looking to upgrade from my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus which is almost 6 years old now. But I can get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for literally half the cost right now (on sale for around $500). I just wish the Fenix 8 was closer to the $799 it should be IMO. $1100 is overpriced.
My long term enduro 3 update: really wish there were no green accent/and it was a neutral color scheme as well. Also realized I really shouldn't care about longer battery life. I take the watch off to shower anyways. Maybe I should have gone AMOLED. Could just be FOMO since I havent tried AMOLED. Also the Fenix 8 47mm looks really sexy, love the bezel and how flat the watch looks.
I was also concerned about the lower universality of the orange sensor cover (in relation to both other straps and clothes), so I bought a slightly more expensive version with a brown leather strap (the package also includes a second strap - a gray rubber one), where the cover matches the color of the watch bezel. However, I am worried that this version is not available in the US for some reason
Great video, thanks. How long does it take for your Fenix8 to lock in GPS signals? I wanted to upgrade from my Epix Pro to Fenix 8 47mm Solar and I have tried two units of F8 47mm Solar and both of them took around 2 minutes to get GPS lock out in the open field or near the sea (whereas Epix Pro locks GPS signal in 3-4 seconds which is amazing). So I returned both of the F8s and sticking with my Epix Pro for now
@@ChaseTheSummit Oh I see. I tried both units I had for like 4-5 days out in the open together with my Epix Pro. Both had the latest software, ephemeris etc but no improvements during those days. So I guess I just had two bad units then. The technician at Garmin Store told me that it's normal that F8 takes 2 mins or so to lock the GPS since the software is more advanced bla bla. But that was total BS. So I returned both.
Lime green is probably one of the most hated colors of all time. I'm just saying. Not even the year 1986 wants that color back. HAHA! But to each, their own, color aesthetics are personal opinions. But if I give a little background on the use of orange in tech, it may change one's perspective. That chrome orange is actually a color that has long been respected by astronomers. Back in the 1970s, there was a famous telescope, the Celestron C8s, that started that trend, marketed by Leonard Nimoy. The color orange helped a telescope climate to outside temperatures faster. Fast-forward to 2008, Celestron released the Nextstar SE series, which revisited the classic orange color and this time gave them a chrome look. It was an ode to the old C8s of the 1970s. Those Nextstar SE's are still very popular in 2024 and are still a great high-end beginner's telescope. I even got it an ultra-rare Zenithstar 66 with an even more ultra-rare orange chrome finish, just to match the Nextstar 8SE. It's a very science-style color. In recent years, that orange color has been found all over camping & survival equipment. Other companies like the now-defunct Meade and William Optics and many others also make modern telescopes with metallic/chrome orange tinges. It's a thing that just doesn't go away, holding a niche in the world of exploration. Which brings me to another topic. All of these smartwatch commercials always show someone biking in the mountains, hiking and climbing up mountains, etc. They're marketed to outdoors people who love adventure and exploration. But they haven't marketed to astronomers who are also outdoors people, looking for dark spot locations and hauling all of their tech to chart the stars. Seeing this orange in the Fenix 8, the GW Ultra, the Atlas, and many other adventure smartwatches of 2024, let us know, that these watches are for astronomers too. Sadly, Garmin watches are limited in watch faces and 3rd party apps that can bring astronomy apps to it. But it's something Garmin should keep in mind in the future, and Wear OS app developers too. All that being said, sliver watches, especially ones with orange tints, go well with a rugged, high-quality light brown leather strap. Think cork-screw color. With a blueish watch face, forget about it! Let's just say it's enough to get people wet, for a real "adventure"! If you know what I mean!
The sensor guard does come in raw titanium, you have to do a BYOD and it's an option. I have a 51mm raw titanium front and cover for mine for this exact reason the orange looks great with the orange band but anything else it just looks off.
After a while of being annoyed by the orange sensor guard, I did see you can get the titanium sensor guard if you do the “design your own” on Garmin’s website. It is currently out of stock for titanium sensor guard but they’ll restock. I had the same issue for the Epix where I designed it, didn’t buy right away, they ran out of stock, then it came back in and I ordered the version I wanted.
@@ChaseTheSummit I really want this watch with titanium sensor guard and am waiting another paycheck or two. That design your own had better be in stock or I might risk voiding the warranty by doing a paint job or sand blast lol
To be honest, dispite the marginal upgrades compared to an Epix2 Pro, it is the best and most complete smartwatch on the market. Even though I am not a diver, I do like this watch a lot. I chose an FR 965 over the Fenix 7 & Epix 2 Pro's. But wouldn't over the Fenix 8. The F8 has the nice 1.4" screen on a 47mm case, with nice small bezels.
Another pointless ruling: is it worth it? That all depends on your priorities. Oh, truly? Thanks for that insight. In terms of technology and features, the Garmin F8 easily outshines all other brands. If you want the best, be prepared to pay for it. Plain and simple.
Never has an Apple watch nor a Coros watch fail so hard than any recently released Garmin (with one exception). Heck the Forerunner 955 was plagued with issues and quirks for around 6 months even on the older OS! At $1000 USD they should have a dialed in the OS before release regardless. Apple's watchOS is much more complicated and yet they deliver a consistently stable user experience even in their beta releases. Coros having a more streamlined OS rarely falters; even with their recent refresh. Garmin, for now, has lost my vote (and $$$) when a Coros can deliver consistent experience for less frustration and $. To give a Garmin a little credit their best all around the Instinct 2x has been the exception. The Instinct 2x is available at reasonable price point and steal when on sale. It delivers on battery, functionality and plethora of features while never being plagued with any significant software issues. But Garmin's do look great and effectively sell their hype at a premium.
No electronic watch is worth that price IMO. It's kinda jarring how the user experience and the software robustness doesn't match the asking price. I'm a Garmin guy, mind you, but I'm more willing to forgive the quirks when the watch is around £220 like my 255. For over £1000, nop.
Full agree. I was lucky to get a very deep discount on my Epix pro and I gotta say I would not pay full price for it. Not at all. It’s terrific and I love it but it’s not worth close to $1500 dollars
For people that actually use it for what it's for, it's worth it. If you're just a moron who's highest level of adventuring is going to the grocery store, this isn't for you.
Due to the poor quality of the smart features of the Fenix 8 and the exorbitant price, I ended up returning them and buying the black ultra 2 and I'm very happy. Much better user experience
He means Apple watch ultra2- the issue with apple is actually not only the battery life-its the health experience-its scattered over so many apps , not talking to each other-small sampling of HRV unless u turn on. AFIB history-Apple can do better but they just don’t want to!
Thanks for the update. I bought a Fenix 8 to replace my Fenix 7Pro. The display is WAY better, IMO. The flashlight too is super important to me. I'm a little frustrated by the lack of "correct" screen protectors available. I've bought 2 brands so far and both appear to be for the 7/7Pro as the actual diameter of the screen is slightly bigger on the 8 and therefore the screen protectors are too small. You're exactly right about the price also. The Fenix 8 is over-priced. I was fortunate enough to have kept my 7Pro in good enough condition that I was able to sell it and use the proceeds to help with the 8. I felt stupid for the purchase initially, but after 2 months, I'm really glad I did. Thank you for helping the community make more informed decisions :)
About the durability, you touched the rocks and stones with it? What do you mean with “you can bush out the scratches “ did you also be in the mud , sand ? Thanks
if garmin keeps this price when it releases the mini-led version of this watch, if it releases a mini-led version, then $1100 for the 47mm sapphire would be a good price
I came from Apple Watch to the Fenix 8 about 2 months ago, love it. Zero issues, zero bugs. Battery is great. It’s been awesome.
What about max laggy maps etc?
I will agree with your opinion. I've migrated from Apple to Garmin about 2 years ago....to Garmin Fenix 6S solar....in that 2 year period...zero issues. Very happy and thinking about upgrading to the Fenix 8s.
@@rickrobbins2107 it is strange that so slow performance doesn't bother you
Apparently it is very laggy I think these above comments are bots.
@@silverpro8356 I’ve had it since beginning of September and had zero issues zero lag not slow at all
Works great. Came from Apple Watch.
I bought the Fenix 8 and I love it 🙂 There were some bugs at the beginning, but nothing terrible. It seems to be all right now. It's very comfortable. I bought the 47 mm even though I have only 14 cm circumference wrist and I like the look and feel. I mostly wear it with the Ultrafit band. I have the titanium Carbon grey version which goes very well with any color of band. I don't wear any protection of the glass and I don't intend to. It's my first sapphire glass watch and I never put any protection even on the normal glass. I never had any problems before. No scratches there so far. I absolutely love the flashlight too 😀The watch also gives a very luxurious feel. I am happy that I could afford to buy it and I assume that it will be a great companion for the next couple of years.
You don't need protection on the sapphire glass.
@@Fozzee.1970 I thought so too until i found a great offer for the gorilla version. I looked into it to see if i was losing out a lot for the almost 100£ price drop, and turns out you don't. I must've read over 60-70 comments across reddit and by and large they are both really good. I was always going to get a protector anyway so it seems like you don't need the sapphire necessarily
Did you get the Amoled or Solar version?
@@build.legendary I got the AMOLED in the end. The screen clarity is amazing and personally so much better than the MIP, but I understand that if you are used to one, you won't want to change.
Love my Fenix 8 51mm Oled black saphire
Great battery life, great display
Bought the Epix Gen 2 about a month back, during Amazon's Prime Day for 400. So worth it!
i love when garmin drops new watches, i always buy the reduced last generation and sell the one i have. So now i got a Epix Pro AND a Instinct 2x for less than the Fenix 8 costs. Sold my Epix (non pro) and Instinct 2 (non x). Instinct for OCR's or multiday trips and epix pro as a everyday driver for me the perfect team.
I really liked my 2X but I wish it came in a smaller size. Or at least I wish the 2 had the flashlight and multiband.
Get the Amazfit T-Rex 3 best price performance
I really enjoy my Fenix 8 now, when it launched I wasn't quite happy with the lack of improvement from the last generation, I somehow still ended up buying it and upgrading from my Instinct 1 that I had for 4 years. I got the 47mm amoled black titanium version and it works amazing on the wrist, not too huge, not too bulky, just perfect. My only real issues I had with the watch was it crashing when saving activities which hasn't happened since the firmware update, and the lack of watch faces. Garmin did end up adding two more faces from the solar variant of the watch of which I've been using the portal face 24/7 since it became available. I'm extremely happy with my purchase, garmin fixed all problems I had with the watch and I wear it everyday.
I bought my epic gen 2 a year ago for £350… no idea why I’d even think of buying a new Fenix for over double the price. But also can see if you have a Fenix 6 or something you’d be tempted.
For the same reason people buy brand new phones. Cos they want to! @@RMILLSMMA
As usual great review! I especially like the fact that you circled back to give your experience months down the line. Thanks again!
Here is a thought. Do a head to head between the F8 and the 965. How much more do you actually get for double the price.
You get pretty, buggy, heavy and thus less HR accurate watch. The led light is worth the extra, right? RIGHT?!
It's not everything but the torch has proved itself so useful that many decide to never go back to a non torch watch after that. It could be the deciding factor. Those into EDC and carry a flashlight now get to combine two tools and stamping the EDC.
yesss i'm also currently deciding between these two
@@nmmsv do you need to make calls from the watch? If not, save your money and buy the FR965 and enjoy lighter watch with better battery life.
This, but Id add the epix to that. I had a 945 lte, 955, and 965. I have no desire to upgrade from the 965 even ignoring price. Factor in price, and it is nuts. I worry that the fenix 9 and 10 will not be able to offer much more. The door is wide wide open for apple to add more battery life to their watches, but I was surprised they skipped that on their newest release.
I got this watch a week ago same exact model and I have absolutely no issues with it, I love it.
I chose the Garmin Enduro 3 and have not regretted it
Big up for all the fenix 8 beta testers! Thank you for sll your hard work
You just need to pay 1200€ for that pleasure. 😂😂😂
Honestly, I had two Apple Watches and everyone complains about Garmin not being smart watch enough. The most useful part of an AW was setting a timer hands free by saying Hey Siri. And glancing at texts but responding decently required getting my phone out. The timer setting on Garmin, as you described, is probably going to be useful when I get the Fenix 8. And I do like the quick start for activity you showed. But everyone that complains about AW vs Garmin smart functionality needs to reexamine how often they actually use those smart features.
100%!
i use smart home on AW. Not gonna lie, i'm missing my Garmin
Use it all the time, starting my car, unlocking my house, using it as a festival ticket, ordering a coffee, streaming music and being able to leave my phone at home, using the Nike run app and having a run coach in my ear, Ordering an uber. I can text back on iMessage, signal, messenger, etc just fine. I mean obviously not paragraphs of messages sure. Also for flying, I have every nearby airport to give me frequency, weather conditions, etc.
Just sounds like you limited yourself to what it can do.
i still have the 7x pro ill stick to it for a while. but if i would have to get me one right now i would go with the enduro 3. on a budget and not being in the garmin ecosystem i would try out the amazfit t-rex 3. but man the flashlight is definetly a gamechanger. if you have tried it out you dont want to live without it.
I've had the Fenix 8 47mm titanium ambled for about 1 month coming from the original Apple Watch Ultra. I wore both just for fun and compare data. I rapidly saw that there was a problem with elevation data collected by the Fenix 8. I contacted the customer support. They asked me to clean-up the watch and manually calibrate the altimeter, nothing change. I had to do a few tests in workout modes (running, cycling and walking) with temperature recording on and off. They finally offer me an exchange yesterday and will get the new watch tomorrow (Friday the 25th).
Funny fact, the kilometers (yes we do use km here in Montreal) are about 1,5% shorter on the Fenix 8 compared to the Apple Watch Ultra. Not a big deal, on a 10km run (just over 6miles), it's 150 meters.
I'd never thought that I would use a flashlight so often 😁
After the Fenix 5 and the 6, I now have an Enduro 3 and love it.
I think the Raw Titanium / Orange Band makes the watch. Like you, I wear it 24/7 and don't wear my 'expensive' watches anymore. I'd say feature for feature this is the best sports watch I have owned.
Still happy with my fenix 6 after 4 years and with current prices I don’t see w need to change, still have all major functionalities
Switched from polar grit x to the Fenix 8 51 mip after your in depth breakdown. Couldn’t be happier and will never use another brand again!
If a fenix MicroLED release I might pull the trigger for it. For now I’m sticking to the 7x pro. Great content as always Chasethesummit !
I love the accent color on the sensor guard!
Completely agree on the voice control functionality for timers! I use this daily. You can also set the timer to display on your watchface as a data field to see the timer status in real time. Same with alarms. Super easy to use the voice control to quickly set an alarm. I also agree with the frustration over Garmin including the orange sensor cover. Hoping there will be a replacement piece in raw titanium, like the watch sold overseas has.
I am loving mine going for a dive next week to test out the diving functions
Bring a real diving monitor! Will save your life
@@BilloBob1231 lol sure
I’m not a scuba diver but I’m thinking about doing snorkeling. Do you know how the snorkeling function works?
That’s why I’m getting it in black.
Great video,glad you talk about the software issues. Indeed is better now, however there is a lot of work to do. Round trip courses if you not in the map page the turn prompts don't appear,the audio prompts most of the times are wrong, takes an eternity to rendering the map, gps lock takes a bunch of time, sometimes the only workaround is turn of an on the watch again and after that got a quick lock, sometimes trying to change mape layers or making a faster zoom out or in takes to a crash,in the dark the screen dims to much,if i connect my earphones with the watch to listen Spotify i receive to the audio prompts perfectly, however if in the next run i take the earphones connected with my phone i have to unpair from the watch, because even disconnected from the watch i ear the music but doesn't give me audio prompts. I have to unpair from the watch,save the activity and start another in order to get the audio prompts. If i have a course created and is stored on the watch when i open the map screen even if i don't doing the course,the course is there,i have to delete from the watch and the list goes on!and is not only my experience,is the experience of lots of users. However to follow a course created on Garmin connect,to do my normal runs,to get my daily health is spot on,works perfectly. I believe in a couple of months they will improve but this is a hot mess from 1100 euros,just my opinion. I'm paying to be a beta tester 😂
Great video, as always. Well done! You have helped me make up my mind about upgrading. I still see nothing compelling (and this is of course for my use case) over and above the Fenix 6 series. My Fenix 6 pro solar is still pristine - battery lasts a week with half a dozen 1 hour walks/hikes thrown in - super easy to wear (7.5" wrist) - still really good looking (IMO) - love the Always On MIP display. And it does exactly everything I need from a tool/fitness watch and some. I guess I'll be waiting for the Series 9 or 10 or 11 - or when my 6 pro solar finally stops working.
The flashlight is so cool. I use it all the time. Thanks for the video
Thank you for sharing. Garnin is now offering custom options with the Fenix 8. You can get silver Ti color on the sensor guard.
Where are you seeing that? I only see the ability to purchase a different band.
@@ChaseTheSummit I guess Garmin just removed that option. I saw the option for a couple weeks on the link.
@@bkkwithlove they aren’t removing the option but they run out of stock and you’ll have to wait for them to restock the case with the titanium sensor guard.
In the UK this colour scheme is an option, but only if you purchase with one of the options with a special band (for an extra few hundred 🤑🤑🤑)
@@bufferino7880 I see. I saw that option on the site for a few weeks.
Absolutely annoing orange element
Regarding the orange barometer protector, if it is removable you could take a Dremel tool and use the proper polishing tip and it will more than likely take off the orange anodization. Just make sure you have something to secure the small piece while polishing it.
I don’t know if you still remember, I changed my 6x pro to an Instinct 2x. I loved it, BUT, I liked the Fenix datafields, when I ran I like to see my HR by the top bezel, the Instinct doesn’t know this. Always had to push the buttons to check my HR zone. So I’ve decided near the 7x pro. That is a very very great watch, worths every penny so far. So my point is I wouldn’t give so much money for a recent appeared gadget. Thanks for the vidi.
It can be cost effective if you scuba dive. Instead of buying both a watch and dive computer. And comparing to AWU, then depending on how long you plan to use it you can make up the difference since Apple’s is subscription based. Past that it would probably depend on if you want sports feature focus or smart watch focus. Just one use case, though
I just purchased an Apple Watch Ultra 2 recently. I’m in the gym lifting weights 5-6 days weekly and do run as well. Nothing crazy, maybe 3-5 miles a few times weekly.
I thought the 2-day battery life was a big upgrade from the 18 hour on my previous Apple Watch. 10+ days sounds heavenly.
On my titanium fenix 8 it has the titanium silver cover and initially I was disapointed it wasnt Orange but over time im glad I got this version :)
I've had mine since release week, and out of the box has great luck with it, but after a few updates began having problems. About two days before Garmin published the most recent software update I'd just completed my first 50 mile Ultra, and after finishing and going to save my activity it crashed and rebooted. I was ticked! Luckily it saved the activity itself, but it didn't apply any of the actual stats from my run towards my metrics..
Fully agree on the color - I'm the same with that lime green, had it for my 955, was intending on swapping, but didn't go with the little orange plate
Switch from Fenix 6 to FR965 last year and love it. Don't see any point why we need to pay the double price only for the look and the useless, non-intuitive new features. It's positioned as a sport watch, not a Apple watch, or a premium Swiss watch.
Thank you for this video, this is the content I was looking forward to watching :-)
I have worn Apple and Garmin. I have recently decided to go back or detach from tech watches and I now wear a mechanical watch and use the new Oura ring 4 to record my activity.
Me too. Got Ultrahuman ring and back to analog. Sometimes try ultra during the day and for sport? 965 is amazing. Got it 2nd hand cheap.
Garmin knew what they were doing. Rush it to prod and fix it in post. Almost got one but the bugs made me pause.
Great review, thanks Dave.
If my Apple Watch could get 3 days I’m happy… 9 days is crazy… garmin you have my attention 👀
always wait for a few firmware updates with garmin new product, also would expect 3rd party mic guards incoming
Thanks a lot for the review!
its funny that you mentioned the color on the raw titinum one.
It was by accident that i discovered that the black model is the best because you can pair it with an infiniate amount of band combinations when i put on a chrome bezel cover on my 7x , so yeah i went with the black one.
I am a Fenix fan but I will admit that I have no need for the dive function or the speaker/microphone and don't really want to be paying quite a bit extra for something that I don't want. And Garmin does specific watches for for e.g. golfers, sailing, flying, and even marksmen, so why could they not pop the dive feature in a maritime watch rather than add it to what I would otherwise call their flagship sports watch? If I were to upgrade today I would definitely get the Enduro 3 rather than the Fenix 8.
Can we get an update on the T-Rex 3? Thanks for the work brother.
Stay tuned!
My favorite is the Fenix 7 Pro!
I have LOVED my Fenix 7x, like LOVED it. And I have used Suunto, Coros and I wanted to buy into the hype train of this new Fenix and the future of the franchise... but it seems Garmin lost the plot... I am tempted buy the Enduro 3 at a cheaper price point and better HR sensor than the 2, but Fenix line feels like just highway robbery for the casual bystander of the higher end Garmins...
But thanks for this vid!
I’ve been loving mine.
3:40 if you order the watch through Garmin you can choose to get a neutral color of the guard and even what kind of strap and color you get. I despise how so many reviewers keep complaining about a non-issue.
That option no longer exists on Garmins website
Cool video :) It would be interesting to see a comparison between fenix 8 and 965 from your angle. Any plan of doing it? Thanks, and hello from Sweden.
This orange piece was the reason I chose the black version. I like raw titanium better tho
Timer (on Epix Gen2): I set a shortcut to the start button. Long press the start button, select the timer from the list using the down button and start it with start button. Easy.
Great video as always! What do you think about the MIP version? I now the battery life is longer, but how do you feel about using it for the gym and outdoor activities like hiking and using the maps? Also, how the display looks inside and outside?
Thanks allot for sharing your experience
The course navigation arrow on the map at the 7:59min mark is at the bottom of the screen. Have found that when navigating that the arrow is far too high on the map so you have reduced visibility of where you are heading and more visibility of where you have been. This reduces the benefits of navigating by the map.
That guard reason is why I exchanged my orange for the black watch
I have the same model. The orange accent bothered me so I took a Dremel and polished it down to bare metal, it looks way better now
Garmin do sell the Finex 8 47/51mm with a natural titanium guard but it’s now an out of stock item. They do tend to come in the dual wrist band packages.
I feel like the titanium bezel scratches more easily than stainless steel, both based on my experience and what I see in this video, especially when compared to the FR 965
These after a while reviews are the best! Congratulations! I totally agree about the sensor guard thing. I had a Fenix 6 silver and it had a tiny red accent at the start button. Even this hit my eye whenever I changer strap. Imagine the whole metal .This was the main reason I bought the Dlc febix 7 sapphire which has no colours
I bought one using my company to claim the vat back, so it was only 1000€ net. Good deal.
Totally agree with the guard color, Garmin messed up here, they want us to buy different straps but they have this orange guard, bad design choice
Good news for you buddy, the fenix 8 solar comes with a green band and green guard 😅
@@John117M63 but not the amoled!
Good review. How the mic and speaker compares to the Venu 3? Is the speaker very low?
@@ismaelrivera1999 the speaker isn’t loud . The venu has a louder speaker but the Fenix has the on-device voice commands which are awesome. The Venu requires a phone to access your assistant.
Just an assumption, but I feel like this Fenix 8 was rushed to beat the phantom 'Apple Watch Ultra 3' 🤣I'm still getting crashes on mine on the latest software but so glad that most of the original issues are fixed ❤ Let's goo 🔥
What situations cause crashes? I'd like to try to replicate it!
I just sold my Garmin EPIX Gen 2 47MM Sapphire on eBay for $330. There are plenty of others for under $400.
Unpopular opinion: Please do a two months later for the Amazfit T Rex 3 you made me buy over the Fenix 8 :)
@@mrbyam64 coming soon!
So many people are upset about its smartwatch capabilities knowing damn well Apple is a closed eco system and that Garmin would need to partner with an Android OS phone manufacturer for better integration. Come on!
I'll be honest... I want the Garmin Fenix 8. I'm looking to upgrade from my Garmin Fenix 5 Plus which is almost 6 years old now. But I can get the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra for literally half the cost right now (on sale for around $500). I just wish the Fenix 8 was closer to the $799 it should be IMO. $1100 is overpriced.
What parts of the running app on the watch do you like best. Do you custom build out your watch faces? What data points do you use, if so?
My long term enduro 3 update: really wish there were no green accent/and it was a neutral color scheme as well. Also realized I really shouldn't care about longer battery life. I take the watch off to shower anyways. Maybe I should have gone AMOLED. Could just be FOMO since I havent tried AMOLED.
Also the Fenix 8 47mm looks really sexy, love the bezel and how flat the watch looks.
The accent sensor protect colour orange is best on stainless stell black
Just buy the Enduro 3 and you are good to go for the next years
If you don't mind MIP displays
Fenix 8 vs Epix video soon??🤙
I’ve been a Apple Watch user for a year but after getting into marathons and iron man I have bought this watch. I hope it’s not a mistake
It's a great watch!
I was also concerned about the lower universality of the orange sensor cover (in relation to both other straps and clothes), so I bought a slightly more expensive version with a brown leather strap (the package also includes a second strap - a gray rubber one), where the cover matches the color of the watch bezel. However, I am worried that this version is not available in the US for some reason
4:50 that’s why I decided to spend more and go with the version with leather band as than the guard is silver = neutral color
Great video, thanks. How long does it take for your Fenix8 to lock in GPS signals? I wanted to upgrade from my Epix Pro to Fenix 8 47mm Solar and I have tried two units of F8 47mm Solar and both of them took around 2 minutes to get GPS lock out in the open field or near the sea (whereas Epix Pro locks GPS signal in 3-4 seconds which is amazing). So I returned both of the F8s and sticking with my Epix Pro for now
The initial lock (out of the box) always takes longer but mine now locks within a few seconds.
@@ChaseTheSummit Oh I see. I tried both units I had for like 4-5 days out in the open together with my Epix Pro. Both had the latest software, ephemeris etc but no improvements during those days. So I guess I just had two bad units then. The technician at Garmin Store told me that it's normal that F8 takes 2 mins or so to lock the GPS since the software is more advanced bla bla. But that was total BS. So I returned both.
Some folks on interweb have spied a soon to be released Coros on Dave’s wrist in this video.
But where?! 👀
@@ChaseTheSummit It was showing up in a coros reddit thread yesterday. It is on the internet...it must be true...lol.
Lime green is probably one of the most hated colors of all time. I'm just saying. Not even the year 1986 wants that color back. HAHA! But to each, their own, color aesthetics are personal opinions. But if I give a little background on the use of orange in tech, it may change one's perspective.
That chrome orange is actually a color that has long been respected by astronomers. Back in the 1970s, there was a famous telescope, the Celestron C8s, that started that trend, marketed by Leonard Nimoy. The color orange helped a telescope climate to outside temperatures faster. Fast-forward to 2008, Celestron released the Nextstar SE series, which revisited the classic orange color and this time gave them a chrome look. It was an ode to the old C8s of the 1970s. Those Nextstar SE's are still very popular in 2024 and are still a great high-end beginner's telescope. I even got it an ultra-rare Zenithstar 66 with an even more ultra-rare orange chrome finish, just to match the Nextstar 8SE. It's a very science-style color.
In recent years, that orange color has been found all over camping & survival equipment. Other companies like the now-defunct Meade and William Optics and many others also make modern telescopes with metallic/chrome orange tinges. It's a thing that just doesn't go away, holding a niche in the world of exploration.
Which brings me to another topic. All of these smartwatch commercials always show someone biking in the mountains, hiking and climbing up mountains, etc. They're marketed to outdoors people who love adventure and exploration. But they haven't marketed to astronomers who are also outdoors people, looking for dark spot locations and hauling all of their tech to chart the stars.
Seeing this orange in the Fenix 8, the GW Ultra, the Atlas, and many other adventure smartwatches of 2024, let us know, that these watches are for astronomers too. Sadly, Garmin watches are limited in watch faces and 3rd party apps that can bring astronomy apps to it. But it's something Garmin should keep in mind in the future, and Wear OS app developers too.
All that being said, sliver watches, especially ones with orange tints, go well with a rugged, high-quality light brown leather strap. Think cork-screw color. With a blueish watch face, forget about it! Let's just say it's enough to get people wet, for a real "adventure"! If you know what I mean!
Epic Gen 2 is as low as $360 new, that’s 100% best bang for your buck if you’re looking in this category
Absolutely!
The sensor guard does come in raw titanium, you have to do a BYOD and it's an option. I have a 51mm raw titanium front and cover for mine for this exact reason the orange looks great with the orange band but anything else it just looks off.
That option appears to be gone now for some reason.
Display amoled is the same like garmin forerunner 965 the only mask is different. 😎😉✌🏻
After a while of being annoyed by the orange sensor guard, I did see you can get the titanium sensor guard if you do the “design your own” on Garmin’s website. It is currently out of stock for titanium sensor guard but they’ll restock. I had the same issue for the Epix where I designed it, didn’t buy right away, they ran out of stock, then it came back in and I ordered the version I wanted.
I even thought I might try unscrewing it and sand blasting the finish off lol.
@@ChaseTheSummit I really want this watch with titanium sensor guard and am waiting another paycheck or two. That design your own had better be in stock or I might risk voiding the warranty by doing a paint job or sand blast lol
To be honest, dispite the marginal upgrades compared to an Epix2 Pro, it is the best and most complete smartwatch on the market.
Even though I am not a diver, I do like this watch a lot. I chose an FR 965 over the Fenix 7 & Epix 2 Pro's. But wouldn't over the Fenix 8. The F8 has the nice 1.4" screen on a 47mm case, with nice small bezels.
Another pointless ruling: is it worth it? That all depends on your priorities. Oh, truly? Thanks for that insight. In terms of technology and features, the Garmin F8 easily outshines all other brands. If you want the best, be prepared to pay for it. Plain and simple.
Cant wait for the $5K new model in a few years
Never has an Apple watch nor a Coros watch fail so hard than any recently released Garmin (with one exception). Heck the Forerunner 955 was plagued with issues and quirks for around 6 months even on the older OS!
At $1000 USD they should have a dialed in the OS before release regardless. Apple's watchOS is much more complicated and yet they deliver a consistently stable user experience even in their beta releases. Coros having a more streamlined OS rarely falters; even with their recent refresh.
Garmin, for now, has lost my vote (and $$$) when a Coros can deliver consistent experience for less frustration and $.
To give a Garmin a little credit their best all around the Instinct 2x has been the exception. The Instinct 2x is available at reasonable price point and steal when on sale. It delivers on battery, functionality and plethora of features while never being plagued with any significant software issues.
But Garmin's do look great and effectively sell their hype at a premium.
No electronic watch is worth that price IMO. It's kinda jarring how the user experience and the software robustness doesn't match the asking price. I'm a Garmin guy, mind you, but I'm more willing to forgive the quirks when the watch is around £220 like my 255. For over £1000, nop.
Full agree. I was lucky to get a very deep discount on my Epix pro and I gotta say I would not pay full price for it. Not at all. It’s terrific and I love it but it’s not worth close to $1500 dollars
For people that actually use it for what it's for, it's worth it. If you're just a moron who's highest level of adventuring is going to the grocery store, this isn't for you.
Due to the poor quality of the smart features of the Fenix 8 and the exorbitant price, I ended up returning them and buying the black ultra 2 and I'm very happy. Much better user experience
Which one do you mean with black ultra 2?
He means Apple watch ultra2- the issue with apple is actually not only the battery life-its the health experience-its scattered over so many apps , not talking to each other-small sampling of HRV unless u turn on. AFIB history-Apple can do better but they just don’t want to!
Looking to buy my first smart watch, would you recommend the Fenix 8 Amoled or the Epix Gen 2 Pro Sapphire? They're both on sale for Black Friday
The Fenix 8 is newer and has more features so that's sort of a no brainer but it's also more expensive!
Would say the GPS accuracy and reliability as good as Coros Vertix 2s?
That's true, Garmin should use neutral colour on its side. I do not like it,either.
There is Jewellery edition with Leather strap that has natural titanium guard. Just sain. 😉
Thanks for the update. I bought a Fenix 8 to replace my Fenix 7Pro. The display is WAY better, IMO. The flashlight too is super important to me. I'm a little frustrated by the lack of "correct" screen protectors available. I've bought 2 brands so far and both appear to be for the 7/7Pro as the actual diameter of the screen is slightly bigger on the 8 and therefore the screen protectors are too small. You're exactly right about the price also. The Fenix 8 is over-priced. I was fortunate enough to have kept my 7Pro in good enough condition that I was able to sell it and use the proceeds to help with the 8. I felt stupid for the purchase initially, but after 2 months, I'm really glad I did. Thank you for helping the community make more informed decisions :)
About the durability, you touched the rocks and stones with it? What do you mean with “you can bush out the scratches “ did you also be in the mud , sand ? Thanks
that would interest me too
if garmin keeps this price when it releases the mini-led version of this watch, if it releases a mini-led version, then $1100 for the 47mm sapphire would be a good price
really wish they would have kept the 1.3 inch display and just made the watch itself slightly smaller, probably nitpicking but just my two sense
Μου λείπεις!!!!😊😊😊 Garmin 8 i want you!!!!❤❤❤