The latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it 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 variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only 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 slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, 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 brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
