The most recent version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities 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 guide shows you how to locate the line of sight 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 crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor 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 outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
