The latest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal 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 additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
