The latest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool needed to venture almost 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 version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. 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 playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The 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 builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
