The most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
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 install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
