The newest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds 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 want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
