This most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch 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 message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, 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 well, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
