This most recent iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp 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 large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives 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 download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight 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 lifeline, however it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite 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 monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable 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 display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
