This most recent model of the premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single gadget needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, 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 – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only 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 boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
