This newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version 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 charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning 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 locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result 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 exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
