This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
