This most recent model of Garmin's flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and track every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view 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 lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription 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, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
