This most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent 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 packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make 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, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
