This newest version of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate 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 functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand 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, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
