This latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey 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 edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile 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 responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that want 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 does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
