This newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans including different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, although the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. 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 additional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when running, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
