This most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore virtually 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 climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, 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 comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide 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 easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
