This most recent version of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches 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 send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows 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 vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
