The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including 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 test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, 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 regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device 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 middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
