This latest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore almost any location 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 climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent 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 models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal programs 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 packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable 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 out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
