This newest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £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 screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
