This latest version of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, 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 – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. 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 dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
