The latest version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
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 similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not 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, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
