This newest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, 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 variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, 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 boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible 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 check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight 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 vital safety feature, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
