The newest iteration of Garmin's flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or similar activities – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
