This most recent iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry 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 SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
