This newest version of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to 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.
Users get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you just venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited 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 repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling programs 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 packages cost 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 texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to provide the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.
