This newest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans 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 evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely 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 whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
