The newest model of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of 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 send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new 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 packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial 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 carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
