This latest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool required to explore almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of customisable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, though the real position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches 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 displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers recycling 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 begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
