The latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only tool required to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £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.
Users receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging 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 friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible 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 send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
