This latest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new 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
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is quite freeing 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 subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
