Garmin fēnix 8 review: A fitness smartwatch to rise to all occasions

Interest in fitness watches and other wearable tech has exploded in the last ten years, with more and more people looking to keep an eye on their health and track their exercise. They can be a great motivational tool to get out on that run or to ensure you’re getting enough sleep. Jamie LewisThe fēnix 8 is the latest high-end offering from Garmin, with loads of features[/caption] Garmin fēnix 8, £789.99 from Argos BUY HERE Garmin are one of the leading brands of smartwatch trackers, and the latest in their range of high-end gear is billed as an “adventure watch”. It wasn’t the promise of adventure that got me interested in giving the fēnix 8 a try as much as the extensive list of features. You can track pretty much any sporting or physical activity you can think of, from fishing to bouldering to yoga. As someone looking to get active after a period of, let’s be honest, laziness, this seemed to be the perfect bit of kit to get me up and moving again. How I tested the Garmin fēnix 8 After getting my hands on the fēnix 8, I charged it up and then wore it near-constantly for the next few weeks so I could get a feel for its many features. To give a fair assessment of the watch, I looked at the fēnix 8 from several angles. I considered how the watch looked, how it felt on my wrist, ease of use, and the range and accuracy of its tracking modes. I also evaluated the helpfulness of additional features, the all-important battery life, how it links up with the related smartphone app Garmin Connect and what this adds to the experience of using it. After considering these factors, I assessed how I felt the fēnix 8 performed against other fitness smartwatches I’ve used, and whether I think it’s worth the chunky price tag. Garmin fēnix 8 review GarminThe Garmin fēnix 8 covers everything from sleep tracking to stock market updates[/caption] Garmin fēnix 8, £789.99 (Argos) BUY HERE Pros: Attractive watch design and display Long battery life Tracks more or less any activity you can think of Accurate GPS Rugged Cons: Expensive Not as compact and lightweight as some fitness trackers Rating: 5/5 Looks and first impressions The first thing I have to say about the fēnix 8 is that it looks good. Perhaps that’s not the most important feature in an adventure watch, but when you’re paying a premium, it helps if the product looks good on your wrist and is something you want to show off. I tested the AMOLED variant with a 47mm watch casing and found that it looked great, with an appealing black, grey and orange display. The silicone strap fit comfortably on my wrist, and I got used to it quickly, having not worn a watch for a while. One slight downside of having a bigger display and casing is that it’s not the most lightweight of smartwatches, so if you’re looking for a compact or slimmed-down model, this won’t be the one for you. A great plus point of the watch is its battery life. It only took a couple of hours to charge, and then it would last around ten days (depending on how actively you are using the features). The fact that I didn’t need to charge the watch often meant it was always ready for action, and helped me to wear it consistently. To get the most out of the fēnix 8, you’ll need to download the Garmin Connect app to your smartphone and link it up, as this allows greater visibility of the various stats the watch tracks. One of the first features I noticed in the app was the “body battery”, which estimates how much energy the wearer has at different points of the day based on sleep, exercise and stress levels. Interestingly, it also uses blue and red segments in a graph to show when you have had stressful and restful periods in the day. Even before I had exercised wearing it, I was fascinated by this and checked on how my stress levels were doing quite regularly. I don’t know if it mapped perfectly onto my perception of stress levels, but if I had a tiring day, I would say there was a lot more red on the graph than blue. Jamie LewisThe “Body Battery” feature in the smartphone app tracks stressful and restful periods[/caption] Tracking features Related to the body battery feature discussed above, the watch will track your sleep if you wear it through the night. As with many trackers, it will tell you how long you’ve spent in each stage of sleep, from light to deep, and give you a score out of 100 to give you an idea of how rested you are. For those interested in monitoring their sleep hygiene, that’s certainly a useful feature, but really, the fēnix 8 comes into its own in daylight hours when you want to get active. Entering the activity tracking section of the watch’s menus gives a real sense of just what it can do, with options to track everything from the more common running or weightlifting right up to mountaineering, horse riding or fishing. In combination wit

May 9, 2025 - 16:54

Garmin fēnix 8 review: A fitness smartwatch to rise to all occasions

Interest in fitness watches and other wearable tech has exploded in the last ten years, with more and more people looking to keep an eye on their health and track their exercise.

They can be a great motivational tool to get out on that run or to ensure you’re getting enough sleep.

The fēnix 8 is the latest high-end offering from Garmin, with loads of features[/caption]

Garmin fēnix 8, £789.99 from Argos

BUY HERE

Garmin are one of the leading brands of smartwatch trackers, and the latest in their range of high-end gear is billed as an “adventure watch”.

It wasn’t the promise of adventure that got me interested in giving the fēnix 8 a try as much as the extensive list of features.

You can track pretty much any sporting or physical activity you can think of, from fishing to bouldering to yoga.

As someone looking to get active after a period of, let’s be honest, laziness, this seemed to be the perfect bit of kit to get me up and moving again.

How I tested the Garmin fēnix 8

After getting my hands on the fēnix 8, I charged it up and then wore it near-constantly for the next few weeks so I could get a feel for its many features.

To give a fair assessment of the watch, I looked at the fēnix 8 from several angles.

I considered how the watch looked, how it felt on my wrist, ease of use, and the range and accuracy of its tracking modes.

I also evaluated the helpfulness of additional features, the all-important battery life, how it links up with the related smartphone app Garmin Connect and what this adds to the experience of using it.

After considering these factors, I assessed how I felt the fēnix 8 performed against other fitness smartwatches I’ve used, and whether I think it’s worth the chunky price tag.

Garmin fēnix 8 review

The Garmin fēnix 8 covers everything from sleep tracking to stock market updates[/caption]

Garmin fēnix 8, £789.99 (Argos)

BUY HERE

Pros:

Attractive watch design and display
Long battery life
Tracks more or less any activity you can think of
Accurate GPS
Rugged

Cons:

Expensive
Not as compact and lightweight as some fitness trackers

Rating: 5/5

Looks and first impressions

The first thing I have to say about the fēnix 8 is that it looks good.

Perhaps that’s not the most important feature in an adventure watch, but when you’re paying a premium, it helps if the product looks good on your wrist and is something you want to show off.

I tested the AMOLED variant with a 47mm watch casing and found that it looked great, with an appealing black, grey and orange display.

The silicone strap fit comfortably on my wrist, and I got used to it quickly, having not worn a watch for a while.

One slight downside of having a bigger display and casing is that it’s not the most lightweight of smartwatches, so if you’re looking for a compact or slimmed-down model, this won’t be the one for you.

A great plus point of the watch is its battery life. It only took a couple of hours to charge, and then it would last around ten days (depending on how actively you are using the features).

The fact that I didn’t need to charge the watch often meant it was always ready for action, and helped me to wear it consistently.

To get the most out of the fēnix 8, you’ll need to download the Garmin Connect app to your smartphone and link it up, as this allows greater visibility of the various stats the watch tracks.

One of the first features I noticed in the app was the “body battery”, which estimates how much energy the wearer has at different points of the day based on sleep, exercise and stress levels.

Interestingly, it also uses blue and red segments in a graph to show when you have had stressful and restful periods in the day.

Even before I had exercised wearing it, I was fascinated by this and checked on how my stress levels were doing quite regularly.

I don’t know if it mapped perfectly onto my perception of stress levels, but if I had a tiring day, I would say there was a lot more red on the graph than blue.

The “Body Battery” feature in the smartphone app tracks stressful and restful periods[/caption]

Tracking features

Related to the body battery feature discussed above, the watch will track your sleep if you wear it through the night.

As with many trackers, it will tell you how long you’ve spent in each stage of sleep, from light to deep, and give you a score out of 100 to give you an idea of how rested you are.

For those interested in monitoring their sleep hygiene, that’s certainly a useful feature, but really, the fēnix 8 comes into its own in daylight hours when you want to get active.

Entering the activity tracking section of the watch’s menus gives a real sense of just what it can do, with options to track everything from the more common running or weightlifting right up to mountaineering, horse riding or fishing.

In combination with super accurate GPS tracking, you’ll be able to monitor exactly what you’re up to, with the possibility to look at split times for running or individual poses for yoga.

If you are of a more adventurous spirit and are thinking of leaving behind the confines of the city for rougher and more remote terrain, the fēnix 8 has the capabilities to help you keep track of your hiking route and is rugged enough to withstand a few bashes and bumps.

If you are an existing Strava user, you can sync your account so that data from your runs or workouts automatically uploads.

Although you can already see your workouts recorded in the Garmin Connect app, I enjoyed seeing them alongside my previous runs in Strava.

All-in-all, I’d say that this is where the fēnix 8 is at its best, as the breadth of what you can record and long battery life mean you can track activities to your heart’s content.

A selection of outdoor activities that the Garmin fēnix 8 can track[/caption]

Other features

If you’re thinking, “What else can it do?”, then fear not, as the fēnix 8 does have a few more tricks up its sleeve.

If you’re on the go and for whatever reason you don’t have your smartphone (or don’t want to get it out of your pocket), you can access a lot of smartphone features through the watch interface.

These include a map and compass, weather updates for your location, calendar reminders, and the latest stock market info for any traders out there.

I did start to find it a bit irritating when my wrist started to buzz with a notification every time I got a WhatsApp message, but this is easily switched off in the settings, so it’s a minor complaint.

It also has a microphone so you can record voice notes, and if you link it to wireless earbuds, you can make calls through a connected smartphone and listen to music or podcasts you’ve downloaded to it.

The Verdict

Overall, I’d say the Garmin fēnix 8 is a great fitness and activity tracking smartwatch, particularly for those who take their fitness seriously or those with a taste for adventure.

The range of features on offer here and the fact that they are attractive and easy to use make it a leading model in its market.

If you have in mind a defined set of features that you need from a fitness tracker, you may be able to get them elsewhere cheaper, as the price tag is high for this model.

But if you want a watch that more or less does it all and can rise to any occasion, most likely this is it.

Garmin fēnix FAQS

Is the Garmin fēnix 8 worth the money?

This is a valid question considering that it is one of the most expensive fitness watches on the market, and when you’re paying around £800 you want to be sure it’s worth it.

I can say that in terms of features this watch won’t be beaten by any others I’ve seen, so if you’re serious about your fitness or outdoor adventuring it is worth the money in my opinion as I don’t believe you’ll find better elsewhere.

Having said that, if you think you may not need all the features and can cope with a shorter battery life, you could find something for less than half this price that you’d be happy with.

Read our guide to the best fitness watches and trackers if you’re interested in possible alternatives.

Is the Garmin fēnix 8 waterproof?

Yes, very much so. The watch has a 40-metre dive rating and leakproof metal buttons, so it’s safe for scuba activities as long as you’re not taking it too deep.

Can the Garmin fēnix 8 play music?

Yes, as long as the music has been downloaded onto the watch beforehand.

In my review, I used Spotify to download podcasts and music onto the watch and connected Bluetooth earphones to listen.

Can the Garmin fēnix 8 measure blood pressure?

While the watch doesn’t track blood pressure, it does have a wrist-based heart rate tracker, and there is the possibility to link it up with a separate chest heart rate monitor if this is a particularly big concern for the user.