The newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top device and designed to be the single tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations 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 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, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
