The latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very expensive option, starting at £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.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although 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 lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal 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 optional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish 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 quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice 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 touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.