This newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After 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 comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual 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 areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite 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 service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
