The latest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own 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 devices, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most 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 support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin 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 incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
