The latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. 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 without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, 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 restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
