This latest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size 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 even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find 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 safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite service 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 typically repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
