This latest model of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit 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 competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible 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, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, 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 dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
