This latest version of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it 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 edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new 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 service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone 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: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable features versus competing watches.
