The newest model of the premium Fenix adventure watch brings a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and designed to be the single gadget required to explore almost any location and monitor all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £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 variant with microLED display – almost double the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
You do get a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and appear great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED version as tested does have an additional day of watch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service instead of depending on a watch plan tied to your phone carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides limitless LTE text and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Check-ins and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have got it set up, you simply head out outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is enough to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls work acceptably, though as with the majority of smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically worked well, though the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
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 orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide displays you how to find the clear view to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. 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 optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an increasingly impressive adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while running out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
This is very freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, built-in flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital features need ongoing subscription, limited Garmin Pay financial support, voice features are slow, limited wearable features compared with competing watches.
