The most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 screen – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions 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 jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
