This most recent version of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
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 – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find 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 continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new 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 service 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 standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable functionality versus competing watches.
