The newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only tool needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an extremely 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 standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture outside 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 generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring 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 emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight 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 safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. 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 additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This 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 reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
