This most recent iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, 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 automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has occasionally lagged when moving 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 kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
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 excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
