This most recent model of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches 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 communicate back and forth via text or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally functioned effectively, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
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 kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
