The most recent version of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the actual location has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent 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
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
