The most recent version of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £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 screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once 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 similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and make 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 composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on new 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 subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline 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 touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
