This newest version of the top-tier Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the single gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch 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 subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
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 satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This 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 adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital features require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech features are slow, basic wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
