The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate 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 safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
The 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 takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish 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 anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
