This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.
That positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model 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.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
