The newest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive option, starting at £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 edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it primarily 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 signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets 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 continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
