This most recent version of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top device and designed to be the only gadget required to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey option, priced from £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 double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re not 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 automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows 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 easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered via the customer service site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers 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 optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
