This latest iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an optional state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier model and designed to be the only tool required to explore almost any location and track all your movements.
This positions it as an extremely expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can automatically guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
The company operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-enabled devices, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, cycling or similar activities – plus SOS satellite SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering various quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. 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 outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin sends 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 reciprocally via text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, only a phone number is enough to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can track your live location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked effectively, although the actual position has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location check-ins and SOS SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the line of sight to the orbital system, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was unexpectedly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally serviceable with services available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Cost
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced 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
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an increasingly impressive outdoor device 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 anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and carrier.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and orbital messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, phone and offline commands, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice features are slow, limited smartwatch functionality versus competing watches.
