The latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the single tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor 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 substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches 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 guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
This 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
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.