This latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely pricey 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 variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
