This most recent model of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED display in a limited edition. It is Garmin's top device and designed to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually any location and monitor every activity.
That positions it as an very 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 variant with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure monitoring. Its full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, as with other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans offering various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally using text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of customisable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s great for following race progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically worked well, although the real position has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance shows you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Price
This 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice features are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
