The latest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive 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 phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
