The most recent model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £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 lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming 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 random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides 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 service packages cost 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 incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
