This most recent model of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls 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 provider, like other smartwatches. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following race performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
