This most recent model of the premium Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £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.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a set of customisable canned responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked well, though the actual position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance 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 crucial safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and satellite functions require monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
