The most recent version of the flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the single tool needed to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling 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 additional 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 regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial 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 carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
