The most recent version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
That 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite 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 orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
