The latest version of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives 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 limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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 standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
