The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are slow, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
