This newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This 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 colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates 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 sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling 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 additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, 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 tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
