This newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, 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 single gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
That positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £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 price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, 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 configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
