The latest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £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 receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random 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 text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings 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 not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers 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 service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
