The newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans including various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone 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 includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically 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 excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices 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, position check-ins and SOS 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 unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the customer service portal. 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 provides disposal programs 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
