This newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive 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 evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
