This latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
