The newest model of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
This makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £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 – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm size found in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via orbital are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various allowances of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus 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, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically send a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, though the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled 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 optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and satellite features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
