This newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very expensive proposition, priced from £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 screen – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches 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 communicate back and forth via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor 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 remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
