This newest version of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually anywhere and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 edition with microLED screen – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal 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 subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing 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 monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
