This newest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply 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 generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices 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, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward 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 the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
