This most recent version of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends 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 communicate reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate 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 safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
