This latest model of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a life-saving capability: phone-free communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating new mobile tech, along with an available advanced microLED screen in a limited edition. This is Garmin's top model and engineered to be the single gadget required to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That makes it an extremely pricey option, 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 edition with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, movement and outdoor tracking. The complete offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm size available in other models, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not provided for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out running, cycling or similar pursuits – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch works fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked well, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is important to note that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling programs 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 service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without requiring additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone provider so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, monitors everything with best-in-class GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay financial support, speech features are slow, basic wearable features compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
