The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then charged on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. 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 additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
