This latest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
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 power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
