The most recent model of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the single tool needed to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra 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 Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out 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 tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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 takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires 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, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
