This newest model of the premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring 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 cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
