This latest version of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested 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.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive 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 number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring 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 SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight 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, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent 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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
