This latest version of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or similar activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken 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 sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to automatically send a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer 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 everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus competing watches.
