This newest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an very expensive option, starting at £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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This 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 satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
