The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
