This latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive 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 screen – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal 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 additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
