This most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top device and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or similar pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of orbital use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, although 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 ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with options available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling 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 plans cost 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 adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
