The latest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
This 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 substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features 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, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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 note that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome 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 after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
