This most recent version of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
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 reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans including various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After 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 streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
