This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching 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 receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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 outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
