The most recent version of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – plus emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive plans including various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and companions.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile 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 time-consuming. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls work OK, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to selected contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the actual location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows 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 unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
