This newest model of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore almost anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent 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 found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over orbital are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall 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 install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking 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 communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
