The latest version of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, 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 screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate 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 can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible 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 send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs 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 subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
