The latest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, 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 edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When 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 using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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 takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
