The most recent model of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and track every activity.
That makes it an very expensive option, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without 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 overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you message 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 message back and forth via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view 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 vital lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates 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 money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
