This most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, priced from £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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight 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 lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly 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 additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
