🔗 Share this article

This newest version of Garmin's top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.

This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to explore almost any location and track every activity.

This makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.

Users get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.

Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location

Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.

Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.

Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.

Once you have got it set up, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.

Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.

These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.

A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.

Cost

The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).

Verdict

The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.

Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.

This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.

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 reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.

Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.