The newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible 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 updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool 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 remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand 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, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
