The newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside 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 relatives 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 download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
