This latest model of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This 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 variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive 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 minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
