The latest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an very expensive proposition, 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling 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 subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. 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 dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
