The most recent version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture virtually anywhere and track every activity.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary 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 using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
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 regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
