This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £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 display – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes 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 service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
