This latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
That positions it as an extremely expensive 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 display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, 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 service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions including various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers 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 subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
