The most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £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 – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the actual position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
