This most recent iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool required to explore almost any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey 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 edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than 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 track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving 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 areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.