The latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
