Hello,
I'm trying to list all at the end of my story the bugs and error I have found on Software Version 11.59. Hope it helps for update.
(I'm happy with my purchase and know that the new UI will be stabilized at one point.
The F8 seems faster than my Epix on many things and I enjoy the UI.)
So Thursday the 29th of August, I have decided to upgrade my dear Epix 51mm for the Fenix 8X mainly because of the dive/apnea function and the leakproof buttons.
Also because I wanted to enjoy a modern interface. I got a Fenix 8 51mm sapphire and black/grey DLC. It was the only unit in my favorite retailer.
So I have played all the day with my new toy and here are my impressions (and English is not my mother tongue)...
(I'm not new to Fenix. I had started with a 5X, then a 5X plus then a 6 and an Epix Gen 2 and last year a Epix 51mm which is really a great tool watch.)
First impression.
The 8X is a beautiful watch. It looks more premium than my previous Epix and the "tank watch" vibe is still there.
It is married with a Garmin titanium bracelet, the diver one with angles which complement the new "Bauhaus" Fenix 8 bezel.
Now let's fire that watch up.
Whoooohoooooo !! You remember the first pictures we got from the leak this week end ? With the messy screen at start and the watchfaces without time ?
That was my first contact.
Let's not panic. It is a very very expensive watch and it should not behave that way !! No ?
Garmin COnnect is trying to inject a software update but it looks stall. As I have configured the Wifi, I use it to request and update.
After 20 longues minutes of downloading and twice rebooting, aaaah ! I got the LSD watchface !
Really the creators of the watchface are really designing something which is not "toolwatch" minded. (Perhaps they have been working for the Paris Olympic Games ceremonies ?)
All the watchface are so funky. Nothing simple. And a looooot of informations written and monitored.
They also got that very strange idea to dim the AOD with the main digital time turned into "light wired numbers". The time is the less visible of all information when the AOD is dimmed.
But in the very last watchface name "Deep Sea" which keep the hands clearly visible and the background turns grey. My other main watchface is Data Dash and Razor all turned to Silver (black and white).
Now the good things about those new watchfaces are the huge possibility of customization. My favorite is to be able to monitor and trigger timers directly on the watchface. That's so neat !
So we got funky watchfaces but full of dynamic informations. And they all got a different name (watchfaces and colors) which helps a lot when playing with them.
Looking forward to having an update with more minimalist design destined not to look funky but to be used in all light and weather condition.
About the buttons. They feel muchy and the vibration helps a lot. Really the buttons on my Epix were much better but certainly not leakproof.
All in all I have put haptics ON and sound ON. The sound is a nice gentle "tok" and remind me something from my old Handera Palm Pilot... ;-)
The Voice Command works in English and in French and Siri is able to hear me. Siri will not use the watch loudspeaker but will talk from the phone or in the headphones plug in the iphone.
I would have appreciated to have the loudspeaker of the watch used for that but no big deal, it is just a triggering of Siri.
So let's start to list the bugs and errors I have found so far with my own use of the Fenix:
***On the map, the thick street plague noticed on the last Epix Beta (18.??) is also on the Fenix 8 making the use of third party maps tedious.
(https://forums.garmin.com/beta-program/fenix-7-series/public-beta-reports/i/public-beta-18-xx/problem-with-third-party-map-the-borders-are-too-big)
The new Garmin topo maps are not impressive and very "white".
Also I have not found, like on the Epix, how to use the different 3rd Party maps as layers on the activity mapp settings...
I'm not crazy about the new ergonomy around activity but it is perhaps a matter of time ? I enjoy the bigger letters. I use to have two fields on my map (TOD and Steps), and now I can only use one as they are really bigger than before...
**** I have not found the way to select the amps I want to use in an activity. I'm not the only one.
https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/382326/i-have-several-maps-how-do-i-select-which-one-to-display
About GPS sensitivity, the fix is down very quick, quicker than my Epix, and the Fenix 8 is able to find satellites indoors. At least in my topfloor appartement.
The Epix could not. This is amazing how fast it get it. It is handy when some 3rd App need a fix like some weather widget. No need to go outside the flat.
I have not use it to answer phone calls, to I cannot judge the quality of the loudspeaker but the beeps and "tok" are very plaisant so far.
**** Ah, I got the Napping Princess syndrom with a hug amount of naps right out of the box.
https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/382128/bug---naps
More to come during my discovery. I will try to answer any questions as I have been really hesitant in upgrading. No regret so far even if my old less funky Epix was really a milestone in terms of modern tool watch and that new flashy Fenix need to be tamed and improved by future software update.
*** I have just tested Garmin Pay. It worked BUT no haptic return when the payment is successful and no green ring. The payment happens but the watch seems to continue to look for a terminal with a blue ring going anti clockwise.
*** Sleep mode/focus - I have not find a way to trigger the display by just touching the glass in sleep mode.
**** In the glance view, entering or leaving a widget full view is done with some zoom transition.
It is beautiful on the OEM glances but it does not work with 3rd Party glances...
Leaving the full view of accuweather (for example) create a blank (black) screen for half a second.
I have fixed that by creating a folder for 3rd party widgets. The glances are now fluid to scroll.
( Moving fast in the widget list, it is not fluid and stutters as you can notice the 3rd Party Widget refreshing their information.
I mean when scrolling from the watchface, you see the 3rd Party widgets going from blank (idle) to active.
Creating a folder with all of them has fixed that stuttering issue.)
***** Countdown till a date calculation error.
The countdown give you a day ahead result. Like it is tomorrow.
All detail here:
https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/382366/bug-on-the-new-function---countdown-until-a-date---it-is-one-day-ahead
****** The Sun Rise Sun Set is still there. The Fenix is two days shifted...
******** Navigation Bug:
Routing ON/OFF -> Stays OFF once toggled:
I have found with the Routing On and Off on the left screen and once OFF is chosen it does not want to go back to ON.
It shows Routing ON on the toggle display but no calculation is done it is stuck in "Direct Routing" and the straight pink line and distance are displayed.
I'll try a hard reset.
The routing street by street is not coming back. Always the direct line and distance.
Also once launched, I cannot find a menu to STOP navigation.
And it is featured in this thread:
https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-8-series/382449/issues-with-map-and-routing/1823207#1823207
