This latest model of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only tool needed to explore 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 reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once 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 can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal 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 additional Garmin inReach subscription plans 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 satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
