The most recent iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered 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 tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text 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 communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
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).
Verdict
This 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, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost 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 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, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. 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, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
