The most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, 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 cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight 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, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent 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 begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
