This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture 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 climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
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 bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible 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 transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs 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 plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
