This most recent version of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 edition with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send 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 back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on new 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 service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
