The most recent version of the premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £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 screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After 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 tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices 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 updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support site. 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 disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 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.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
