The latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only tool required to explore virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including different allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not 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 follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, 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 locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent 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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
