The latest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version 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.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside 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 stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
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 takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
