This newest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool needed to explore almost any location and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very expensive 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 – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans 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, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, 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 wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
