The most recent iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering 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.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
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 begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make 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, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
