This latest iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an very expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans including different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered through the support portal. 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 reused components. Garmin provides disposal programs 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 subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device 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 accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
