This latest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and monitor 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 – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry 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 emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
