This newest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can automatically direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available 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 watch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable canned replies 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 lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving 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 does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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 lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish 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 very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable functionality versus competing watches.
