The most recent model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered 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 model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you message 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 application, you can then communicate back and forth via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, 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 essential to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic wearable functionality versus competing watches.
