The latest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available 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 watch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches 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 reciprocally via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it mostly 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, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available 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 does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool 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 remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down 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 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
