This most recent model of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible 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 updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
