This newest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor every activity.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, starting at £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 double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. The full offline maps of the world can automatically guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the display on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However unlike Apple or Google's satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes 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 comparable pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including different allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a link to chosen contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that orbital service is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically serviceable with services available via the support portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This 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 outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and contactable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions require ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
