This latest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But 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 reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding 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 retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier 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, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
