The most recent model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
