This most recent model of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only tool needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling 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 subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
