The newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the only tool needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of orbital use, climbing 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 link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact 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 adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring 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 emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want 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 accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
