This latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch includes a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the only gadget required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
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 – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not included for free.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar activities – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin dispatches 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 via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you start an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following race progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more 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 out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are slow, limited wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
