This most recent model of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and designed to be the single tool needed to venture virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a significant features for your money, with industry-leading fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its complete offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life even with the display always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or similar pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.
When you text 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 application, you can then message reciprocally via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for following competition progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the real location has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.
This 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 reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are sluggish, limited wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
