The latest model of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, 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 edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available 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 send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite 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 typically serviceable with services offered via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. 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 needing additional gear.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t 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 weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
