The latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition 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 effectively, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view 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 vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
