This newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once 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 playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
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 SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes 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 packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
