The most recent model of the premium Fenix adventure timepiece brings a life-saving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new cellular tech, along with an available advanced microLED display in a limited edition. This is the brand's top device and designed to be the single tool needed to explore virtually anywhere and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline mapping of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as reviewed does have an additional day of watch battery life even with the screen always active, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan tied to your mobile carrier, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, cycling or similar pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans including different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply venture outside without your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Spoken messages and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, though the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a crucial safety feature, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally serviceable with services offered via the support site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while running after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to provide the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, built-in torch, voice and standalone commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: very costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch functionality compared with competing watches.
