The newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives 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 back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
