The newest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations 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 displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages 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 messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool 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 middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full 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 require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
