The most recent version of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of 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 no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £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 keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
