The latest model of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, 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 twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone 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 text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned 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 not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with options available through the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages 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 adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, limited smartwatch features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
