This newest model of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
