The latest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only 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 has a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available 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 lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark 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 quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
