This latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and track every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, starting at £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 screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found 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 watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of satellite 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 just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected 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 trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
The 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 builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
