This latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive option, priced from £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 – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry 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 SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital 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 generally serviceable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost 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 adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
