The newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The 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 big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. 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 link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality 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 features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
