The newest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £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 – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door 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 message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, though the actual location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find 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 crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
