The latest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to 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 get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, 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 most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates 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 easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated 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 need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
