The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only tool required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey option, 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 edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position 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 straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer 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 everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
