This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions 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 evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link 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 competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though 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 typically repairable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
