The latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's top device and designed to be the only tool required to venture 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 version 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 regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp 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 bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not 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 random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view 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 lifeline, though it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling 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 subscription plans 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 incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
