This newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very expensive option, starting at £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 price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency 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 vital safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
