This most recent iteration of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to venture almost any location and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £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.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering different allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of personalizable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the actual location has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to note that orbital service is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options available via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
