This latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry 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 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
