This newest version of the premium Fenix adventure watch brings a life-saving capability: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This makes it an very pricey option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you return to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm size found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while engaged in running, cycling or comparable activities – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including various allowances of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply head out the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of customisable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts every time you begin an activity, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
These features are available on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to note that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with options available through 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 reused components. Garmin provides disposal 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 optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
