Garmin’s acquired a brand new flagship in its rugged smartwatch class, the Garmin Fenix 8.
The corporate’s Fenix line of smartwatches has lengthy been the golden normal for sturdy smartwatches for athletes, however Apple put up a fairly good struggle with its Apple Watch Extremely (now on its second iteration) rugged smartwatch.
Garmin Fenix 8
The checklist of specs on each these watches is extremely lengthy and contains help for a mess of sports activities and outside actions, however we will deal with an important bits right here. You see, the Apple Watch Extremely 2 has all the time received on Apple’s huge ecosystem of apps and the flexibility to make standalone calls, and integration with Apple’s good assistant, Siri. However, Garmin’s Fenix watches had been all the time far forward in relation to battery life, however the skill to make cellphone calls from the watch was absent. So how does the brand new Fenix 8 match into this image?
What’s with the title?
Earlier than we begin, let’s simply make clear on Garmin’s considerably complicated new naming scheme. The corporate used to divide its flagship watch class into Fenix and Epix watches. Now, Epix is gone; as a substitute, you might have the Garmin Fenix 8 Photo voltaic, which basically means “Fenix 8, with solar energy, however with out an AMOLED show.” After which you might have the Garmin Fenix 8, which has no solar energy, however has an AMOLED show, which makes it a bit simpler to learn in direct daylight.
The Fenix 8 additionally is available in a number of sizes, for a complete of 5 variants. You may get the Fenix 8 Photo voltaic with a 47mm or 51mm show, whereas the Fenix 8 (with the AMOLED show however no photo voltaic) is available in 43mm, 47mm, or 51mm.
The Apple Watch Extremely 2 solely is available in one measurement: 49mm, has no solar energy, but it surely does have a really, excellent OLED show.
Received all that? Nice, let’s proceed.
Large distinction in battery life
Doing lots of very lengthy path runs? The Garmin Fenix 8 ought to have the ability to sustain with you.
Credit score: Garmin
That is Apple Watch Extremely 2’s weak spot. It presents, per Apple’s specs, as much as 36 hours of battery life in regular use, and as much as 72 hours in Low Energy Mode. That is rather a lot higher than the common Apple Watch, but it surely lags far behind Garmin’s finest.
Garmin Fenix 8 presents a whopping 29 days of battery life, or 13 days with the always-on show possibility on. For those who go for the Fenix 8 Photo voltaic, this goes as much as 30 days, or 48 days with photo voltaic charging (this assumes lots of publicity to daylight).
That is for the most important, 51mm variants of the Garmin. However even the smaller, 47mm model presents as much as 16 days (7 days with always-on show on), or 21 days (28 days with photo voltaic charging). Lastly, the 43mm model presents as much as 10 days of battery life, (4 days with always-on show on).
This will get much more sophisticated whenever you add the varied use instances and choices that Garmin presents, corresponding to Battery Saver mode, Expedition GPS mode, or Max Battery GPS mode. For those who flip all satellite tv for pc methods on and take heed to music, for instance, the battery life on the 51mm Fenix 8 goes right down to 18 hours. Take a look at Garmin’s spec sheet for all the main points.
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The underside line, nonetheless, is that with the Garmin (per DC Rainmaker’s extremely thorough testing), will get you one thing like 6 days of standard use with some sports activities use thrown into the combination, whereas additionally supplying you with the choice to increase that into weeks if wanted.
Nonetheless no standalone calls
The Apple Watch Extremely 2 could make cellphone calls even when your cellphone is not with you.
Credit score: Apple
The Garmin Fenix 8 has one other huge addition: a microphone and speaker for calls, and invoking a private assistant. You’d assume that this makes it on par with the Apple Watch Extremely…however sadly it does not, as a result of the Fenix 8, perplexingly, doesn’t have mobile connectivity, so it depends in your cellphone to make calls.
Give it some thought: If in case you have a watch with a battery that lasts for days, and the flexibility to make calls, you will be somewhat safer and extra related whenever you go for a protracted hike or different outdoorsy journey. But when mentioned watch depends in your cellphone to make calls, you then’ll have to hold a cellphone and an extra battery with you, which type of defeats the aim of this characteristic.
As is, it is nonetheless a welcome enchancment. With the brand new Garmin Fenix 8, you can reply that decision mid-workout with out reaching to your cellphone. However the Apple Watch Extremely 2, which has mobile connectivity, nonetheless wins on this regard.
Voice assistant, however primary
Equally, the Garmin Fenix 8 now presents an offline Garmin voice assistant. This requires zero connectivity, which is good, and it’ll allow you to carry out primary duties like begin the timer, play some music, or begin a exercise. However that is just about as superior because it will get.
Garmin additionally helps Apple’s Siri, in addition to Google and Samsung’s voice assistant, however these work by way of your cellphone (relying on the mannequin) aren’t instantly patched into Garmin’s smarts, so you’ll be able to’t use them to manage Garmin-specific options.
In distinction, Apple Watch Extremely 2 is effectively built-in with Apple’s personal voice assistant, Siri. Garmin is closing the hole somewhat bit right here, and we have not examined it ourselves but, but it surely looks like Apple is forward on this regard.
New diving options
Hey leisure divers, Garmin’s acquired one thing for you.
Credit score: Garmin
When Apple launched its Extremely smartwatch, it did one thing attention-grabbing by including effectively thought out help for leisure diving options. Usually, professional divers will wish to use a devoted diving pc (Garmin sells these as effectively), however Apple Watch Extremely 2 has a pleasant set of options that may fulfill most leisure divers.
Now, Garmin Fenix 8 helps diving-related options as effectively — and sure, it does look like Garmin had its thoughts on the Apple Watch Extremely 2 when it designed the brand new Fenix.
On the {hardware} degree, the Fenix 8 now has a depth gauge and leak-proof metallic buttons (the Extremely 2 does not have these). Nevertheless it goes additional than that, basically including a ton of performance from its pro-grade Descent lineup of diving watches. Briefly, it helps scuba and apnea dive actions, and total matches the Apple Watch Extremely’s diving options. It’s extremely near a tie between the Fenix 8 and the Extremely 2, although Garmin’s pro-diving pedigree does give a slight nod to the Fenix 8.
About that worth
We have dangerous information right here. Garmin Fenix 8 begins $999.99, and that is for the 43mm AMOLED mannequin. The 47mm variant (each Photo voltaic and AMOLED) prices $1,099.99, and the most important, 51mm model prices $1,199.99.
That is pricier than the Garmin Fenix 7 at launch and, extra importantly, much more costly than the $799 Apple Watch Extremely 2. Apple merchandise aren’t low-cost, and whenever you’re promoting a competing product at this a lot of a premium, it is a fairly large assertion — or a mistake.
Is the Garmin Fenix 8 higher than Apple Watch Extremely? Sure and no.
Garmin had an apparent intention to meet up with the Apple Watch Extremely 2 in all areas the place it lagged behind, whereas enhancing even additional within the battery life division.
And yeah, at a look, the advance do sound just like the Fenix 8’s acquired every thing the Extremely 2 has (sans Apple’s app ecosystem), whereas additionally providing massively higher battery life and extra versatile battery administration.
Nevertheless, the Fenix 8 nonetheless does not supply mobile connectivity, which is a little bit of a bummer, and its voice assistant is not as good as Siri. It additionally prices much more than the Apple Watch Extremely 2. Additionally, the Extremely 2 would possibly very quickly get changed with a brand new model, so we might recommendation to attend till Apple’s September 9 occasion till deciding on both mannequin.