This newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
