The latest iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey 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 screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real location has occasionally been delayed 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 areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent 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 plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
