The newest iteration of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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 essential to note that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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 builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire 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 requiring additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
