This newest version of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans including different allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
