This latest version of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear 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 size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just head out the door without 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, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random 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 voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough 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 set of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work OK, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
