The most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, 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 edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates 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 communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
