The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends 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 back and forth using text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin 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 – along with orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
