This most recent version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only 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. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally 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 download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
