The most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever 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 application, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the support site. 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 schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all 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 running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
