This newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool required to venture virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This 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 substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives 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 coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes 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 plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
