The newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has 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 unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
