This latest model of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to explore virtually any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an extremely 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 – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 lifeline, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription plans 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 orbital messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite functions need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
