This latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only gadget 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 climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up 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 use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
