The most recent version of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, 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 screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including different quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This 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 adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
