This most recent iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the only tool 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 model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone 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 text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through 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 provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
