This most recent model of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile technology, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's premier model and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost anywhere and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey option, starting at £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 – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the world can automatically direct you back to the trail if you get lost absent a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency communication is not included for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, biking or similar pursuits – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different quotas of satellite use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have got it set up, you just head out the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can configure to automatically transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s excellent for following competition performance, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you carry your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position updates and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options offered through the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled components. Garmin provides recycling programs on new purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
This is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: very costly, LTE and satellite features need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
