The latest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, 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 variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends 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 back and forth via typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, though the actual location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices 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 transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin provides 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 subscription plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
