This newest iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered 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. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite use, climbing 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 minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through 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 materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. 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 needing additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline commands, 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 costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
