This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very 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 variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This 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 larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite use, increasing 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 got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
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 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 crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic 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 out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
