The latest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.
This 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works 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. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
