This latest model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
This makes it an extremely 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 edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor monitoring. The complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an additional 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, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar activities – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient 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 customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong 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 check-ins and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital service 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 generally repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled materials. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with orbital communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. 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 accomplishes this without requiring anything else.
It is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it isn’t 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 burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
