The latest model of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free communication and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size found 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 despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more impressive adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price 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 works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
