The latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family 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 application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view 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 important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans 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 adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
