The latest iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, 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 display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome 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 exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone 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.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
