This newest model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £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 variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register 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 responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving 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 satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent 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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. 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 does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately 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 dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
