This newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's top model and designed to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong 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 kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view 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, however it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device 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 functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
A tech journalist with over a decade of experience covering emerging technologies and digital innovation across global markets.
