The latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, 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, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
