This latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected 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 message back and forth using typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital service is restricted 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 typically serviceable with options offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
