This latest model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey 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 – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight 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 vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding 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 lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive 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 very 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 provide the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
