This newest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected 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 install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in 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 messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all 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 jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable functionality versus competing watches.
