The latest model of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite 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 service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient 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 small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though 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 bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the customer service 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 materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular 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.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running 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 capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
