Garmin Fenix 8 review: the everything watch, now with a voice
Adds a speaker and microphone for calls and voice control to the most complete multisport watch there is. Our score: 9 / 10 At a glance Spec Detail Battery Weeks on the solar MIP model; days on AMOLED Maps Full offline TopoActive maps Sport Every activity, multi-band GNSS, dive computer New Speaker and mic: Bluetooth calls, voice commands The upgrade you can hear The Fenix 8 adds a speaker and microphone (Bluetooth calls from the wrist, voice notes, voice control) to a platform that already did offline maps, multi-band GPS, a full dive computer and multi-week battery life. Deep to the point of overwhelming This is the watch you buy when the Apple and Samsung Ultras are not serious enough about sport and battery. It is expensive, the AMOLED model trades away much of the legendary battery life for brightness, and the software has a genuinely steep learning curve. The good and the bad What works Multi-week battery on the MIP model Offline maps and every sport mode Now handles calls and voice control Rugged as anything What doesn’t Very expensive AMOLED model sacrifices battery life Software is dense and unintuitive at first Who it’s for Buy it if you are a serious multisport or expedition user who needs battery and mapping above all. Skip it if you want a simple smartwatch, because this is overkill and it costs like it. Alternatives worth a look Garmin Forerunner 965, most of the sport features, lighter, cheaper. Apple Watch Ultra 3, better as a general smartwatch, worse battery. The verdict: Overkill for most people and exactly right for a few. If you are in the "few", you already know. Sources Garmin