The most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive proposition, 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 edition with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, 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 remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
