The most recent model of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions including different allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on new 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 plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool 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 remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
