The most recent iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you return 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 only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, 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 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 tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
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 reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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 takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
