This most recent model of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey option, 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 variant with microLED display – almost twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline mapping of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the clear view 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, though it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
