The most recent iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices 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 updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
