The newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, starting at £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 display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot 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 sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring 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 effectively, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising 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 capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.