This latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
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 kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions 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 maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new 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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
