The latest model of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool required to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure 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 monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
