This most recent version of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once 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 streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing 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 acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, 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 transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
