The latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very expensive option, 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 edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations 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 monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible 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 on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating 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 recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
