This newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, 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 display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
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 wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. 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 position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent 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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
