The newest model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £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 display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends 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 message reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available through 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 reused materials. Garmin offers 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 optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
