The latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely expensive option, 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 – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside 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 service to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
