The latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £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 variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the real location has occasionally lagged 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 locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
