This latest model of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and emergency alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single tool required to venture virtually any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – almost twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – plus emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then charged additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the actual position has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs 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).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor tool for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
