This latest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and track every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including different quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random 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 initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual position 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 locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
