The most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £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.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text 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 application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform 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 ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available 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 check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates 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 lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
