The latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, 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 – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 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 smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight 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, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with 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 want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
