The latest iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore almost any location and track every activity.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling 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 additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result 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 from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
