This most recent iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, 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 edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities 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 send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is very 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 recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
