The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only gadget required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive option, priced from £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 – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting 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 service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken messages, 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 slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
