The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular tech, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier model and designed to be the single gadget required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That 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 colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using 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 sign up for texts.
Texting 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. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with any make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are sluggish, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
