This latest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
This positions it as an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while out running, biking or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans including various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message reciprocally using typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities 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 check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services available through the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Price
This 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
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
