The most recent version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only gadget required to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £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.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus 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 family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text 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 works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight 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 vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available 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 offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
