The latest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available 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 watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message 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 app, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
