This newest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. 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 outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely 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 on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
