This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only gadget required to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
That positions it as an extremely 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 edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite use, 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 completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
