This most recent version of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
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 download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting 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 smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, 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, though it is essential to note that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
