This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single gadget needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £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 screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race 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 generally functioned well, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
