The latest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £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 screen – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a 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 isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
