This latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans 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 evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of 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 transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish 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 needing anything else.
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 fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
