This newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor watch introduces a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top device and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely expensive proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages 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 quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options offered through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling programs on new 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 plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic wearable features versus competing watches.
