This newest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it 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 variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When 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 message back and forth using text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, 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 essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
