This most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only tool required to venture virtually any location and track 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 reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends 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 back and forth using typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the actual position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
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
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
