This latest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and track 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 edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, 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 additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever 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 reciprocally via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
