This newest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, starting at £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 screen – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can send 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 discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, 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 desire to be phone-free. 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 anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
