The newest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £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 receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
