Garmin Fenix 8 vs Suunto Race S | Scientific Review

Hi Gang! This is a Quantified Science approach to testing the Garmin Fenix 8 and seeing how it compares to Suunto's Race S. There's a MASSIVE price difference here $$$$ so stay turned to see how they both performed ❤️

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*Timestamps:*
00:00 - Start
00:04 - Garmin Fenix 8 vs Suunto Race S
01:01 - Navigation & Maps
06:35 - HR accuracy - Run 1 (5k)
09:35 - HR accuracy - Run 2 (5k)
12:15 - HR accuracy - Run 3 (5k)
13:27 - HR accuracy - Run 4 (10km)
17:31 - GPS accuracy (Ultra Marathon)
21:37 - Phone Application (Suunto vs Garmin)
24:07 - Price Difference
24:44 - Durability
26:16 - Battery Life
27:16 - Customization
30:50 - Conclusion

Music: Copyrightfree from the youtube creative studio

[ActiveIdeas]

Those here for the JUICY quantified science skip to 6:36 🥵 💦

[witoldb]

The only YouTuber that honestly says “lots of bugs in new Garmin software”. Thank you for this review :) appreciate you work :) will wait with Fenix 8 51mm titan purchase ;) regards!

[ivangoldberger]

You are the best youtuber. Its better watch your videos and study than watch tv. I like all your videos. Thank you very much for your work. I have family in London. I was there 1 week in 1998. And my English colleague lives there too. Ivan.

[appleex]

Finally somebody who actually knows how to do a real comparison. Thanks a lot! Lots of great data. Thinking about 965 vs Race S. I believe the comparison would be similar

[ayepibn-bakr]

Been into your reviews of Suunto & ordered myself the Race S last week. Thanks bud 💪🏻

[pg]

Fantastic video, can't wait for your channel to become big, you deserve it! Greetings from Poland!

[jateeta]

Thanks. Great video! Love your positivity and detailed insights. Just ordered a Race S and hoping it arrives before my 60k next weekend 🤞🏻

[FabOnABike]

Great Comparison. Very impressive video. Shows how we need to stop supporting companies like Garmin who sell really bad working devices (HR, software etc) for those absurd prices.
Selling my FR255 and going for Suunto

[patrickmorris]

I've just downgraded from the Race to the Race S and couldn't be happier. Such a sweet watch. Fits under ski gloves too, which is handy for mountaineering stuff!

[marwanfx]

I love your videos, especially this one! I’ve already watched it four times 🙂, and will be happy to meet you once I visit UK, Hi from Dubai

[Stevenwalks]

I am a bit hesitant as last week Suunto announced they move all their support, production and data storage is moved to China. One of the selling points to keep it in Europe is gone now. Not sure if I want all my data transferred to China. Based on that only one left is Garmin with data storage in the US. Coros is China, not sure about Polar tbh.

[BarisPehlevan-ez]

I loved the detailed comparison, most videos i watch just talk about the same thing and takes minimum difference in result to make it look like suunto is worthless.

I need your input here I am in market for a watch my max budget it 500$. I can buy either Suunto race, Suunto race s or fenix 7 standard (there is deal in best buy) i have never used any of these watches and looking start running and swimming for weightloss. What would you decide? I really love how suunto race looks on the wrist lol. Thanks!

[RicardoFerrolho]

I must disagree with your opinion.
First of all, I'm not a professional athlete or a fanboy of either brand, I just like to be active and do a number of activities (both indoor and outdoor). That being said, I've have had a few watches from Garmin, Apple and Suunto (3 units of the Vertical Titanium Solar, more on that later), on which I base my opinions upon.

It's important to know what you're paying for and why some devices are more expensive than others (yes, the Fenix 8 is a bit overpriced but, being brand new, companies obviously try to milk the cow).
Bang for buck, I think the Fenix 7 Pro/Epix Pro are probably the best (sport) watches available now.

The following arguments are based on my experience (Garmin Epix, Instinct 2, Fenix 7 Pro and Fenix 8) VS the Suunto Vertical.

Regarding the maps, there's much to be said here. Maps on Suunto are image tiles with a layer on top for routes (when you're using one). On Garmin, maps are drawn on device, with multiple layers that allow to have dynamic street names (they change sides to avoid colliding visually with your position indicator), POIs and other info. Also, like you mention, they are routable on the watch itself, which makes it a much more valuable tool. When you mention that maps are more fluid with Suunto due to the compass responsiveness, that only happens to be true if you're not moving, otherwise the orientation is "locked" to the direction you're following (as it should and as it works with Garmin). The compass itself is as smooth or probably even more on Garmin than on Suunto.

Some argue that the Suunto app is better and that it lets you easily create routes and transfer them to the watch. Great it does so because, like previously mentioned, the watches do not allow to create routes on device. Even so, for Garmin devices you can use the Garmin Explore app, which lets you do the exact same with the extra advantage of letting you do so OFFLINE for map areas you download in the app for offline usage.

Those map + navigation differences alone make the Garmin watches better tools as you don't depend on your phone.

On GPS accuracy, I lean towards what you mention here: Garmin has been always more accurate than Suunto for me (and does not map my activity through houses when I go on sidewalks).

On the software side (both on previous devices as well as on a Fenix 8) maybe I'm lucky to not have faced the issues you have.
One thing I love is that, by connecting to a computer using the Garmin Express app, you can easily update your watch and it's maps, which is way faster than relying on the watch connectivity via Wi-Fi. Map downloads on Suunto must be done on the watch and take forever.
Some might say Suunto's software is better because it's simple and Garmin's too packed and has a lot of useless features, I must disagree. You can configure the watch exactly how you want it, hide stuff you don't need and just use whatever suits you best.

The new Fenix 8/Enduro 3 have a new (or new major version of the) OS. That does not mean the older models (or at least the most recent) are discontinued or won't receive new updates, maps, etc. It means that the new features built on top of this/that take advantage of the new OS won't be ported to the older one. You can still use very old Garmin watches today and they still work fine and sync properly with the app.

I've had 3 Suunto Vertical because they all had software bugs that ranged from annoying to showstoppers: instances where the watch froze or restarted mid-activity, touch stopped working, screen light wouldn't turn off, battery drain...
The only way I found to fix the issues: get back to using a Garmin device.
Regarding the Suunto (Vertical) software, only recently they added the possibility to pick your own complications, though with very limited options, and to install additional watch faces; you can't pause an activity and resume it later; you can't leave an activity and do something else while it is ongoing.

Battery life on the Suunto Vertical is great (when it works properly) but not relevant if you compare it to a bigger Fenix (solar) or, especially, an Enduro.

Heart rate accuracy is way more reliable on Garmin (especially on Fenix 7 Pro/Epix Pro/Fenix 8, due to the Elevate v5 sensor). I must say that the Apple Watch (any recent one) is the most reliable of every device I've had though. Same goes for sleep tracking, if that's valuable to you.

Much more could be said but here are some other advantages of Garmin worth mentioning:
1. Flashlight (can be a game-changer)
2. Body battery + stress tracking
3. Multitasking (you can't even go out of an activity on Suunto)
4. 5-button layout
5. Garmin Pay
6. "Resume later" feature
7. Smart features (if you care) are way better on Garmin - notifications configurable per app, alerts when the phone disconnects, ability to answer calls (on the Fenix 8) and reply to messages
8. Round-trip routing (and dynamic round-trip routing on the Fenix 8)
9. Live track
10. Safety features + crash detection
11. Ecosystem
12. Garmin Connect web app
13. Brand support
14. Dive features (Fenix 8)
15. Ski maps + golf maps
16. Better weather widget


What I liked about the Suunto Vertical:
1. (Hardware) design
2. Battery life (when it wasn't draining due to some memory leak/process running in the background)
3. Screen when facing direct sunlight

Only advantage of the Suunto Race S I see: price.

[reineroberhaus]

My Dream, a 51 mm Suunto Race S 🥰. Nice Review Bro

[lukapotocnik]

Kinda off topic, but still need to ask... Suunto Race/Vertical or Garmin Instinct 2x solar ? Thank you for response!

[jeffreytillack]

Great video mate. Objective and facts based 👍

[Guus]

You've sold the Suunto Race S to me, bang for buck is unbeatable besides wearing a screen protector is not a big deal. Thx.

[babsschloss]

Does the Round-trip Course feature work well for hiking trails on the Fenix 8? In my experience with the Forerunner 955, the Round-trip feature is limited to road running and biking. Every Round-trip course I have attempted only gives me paved roads, ignoring the many great hiking trails around me.

[teeramate]

Good Vid !! I'll wait for your Amazfit Trex 3 vdo 😂😂

[stubestrong]

did you track HR for the watches daily sleep hrv etc?