This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool needed to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, starting at £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 edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine 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 work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
