This latest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the single tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
This makes it an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, as with other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives 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 back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the customer service site. 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 disposal programs on new purchases.
Cost
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 cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
