This latest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single tool needed to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running 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 functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
