The newest model of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, 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 display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size 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 watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans including various allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
