The latest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an very expensive option, 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 display – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS 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 easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks 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 water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
