The most recent iteration of the top-tier Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro enhances the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is Garmin's premier model and designed to be the only gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
This makes it an extremely pricey option, priced from £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 – almost double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and outdoor monitoring. The full offline maps of the globe can automatically direct you return to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your mobile provider, as with other smartwatches. However in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not included for free.
Instead, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides limitless LTE text and voice messages, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with higher-tier subscriptions offering different allowances of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you are able to place and receive calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you text someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random number, which they can respond to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate reciprocally via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a set of customisable canned replies you can send to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your location in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned well, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of strong LTE signal.
These capabilities are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to locate the line of sight to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to note that orbital coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on new purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a fantastic adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is very liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the service. At least it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but still desires 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 satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
