The latest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various allowances of orbital use, 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.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find 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 vital safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor 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 without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, limited wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
