This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very 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 edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends 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 message back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand 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, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
