The latest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When 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 communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember 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 north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
