The most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive option, priced from £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 screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link 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 overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides 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 service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable 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 screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
