This newest version of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single tool required to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 edition with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
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 linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans 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 functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out 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 make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone 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 initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays 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 crucial lifeline, though it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts 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 retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
