The most recent version of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling 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 optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on 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 quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
