This most recent model of Garmin's premium Fenix outdoor watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only tool needed to explore almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey option, 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 display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of satellite use, 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.
After you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your family and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital service is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant 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 hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
