This newest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets 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 remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries 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. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
