The latest version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
