This most recent version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost 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, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed 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.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, 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, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view 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 crucial lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
