The latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only tool required to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are available 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 transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
