The most recent model of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends 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 initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate 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, however it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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 standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, 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 fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
