The most recent version of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey 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 display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
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 communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, 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 touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
