The most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription 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 adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in 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 keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
