🔗 Share this article

The most recent iteration of Garmin's top-tier Fenix outdoor watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.

The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the single tool needed to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.

This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.

You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model 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 charging.

No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location

Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.

Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.

Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.

After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.

Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.

All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.

Environmental Impact

The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.

Cost

The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Verdict

This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.

This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.