This newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through 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 lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all brand 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 hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
