The newest version of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
