This newest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch introduces a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive 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 screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once 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 similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new 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 begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
