The newest version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £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 variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends 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 communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling 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 additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
