This most recent iteration of the flagship Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free messaging and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the single tool required to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
That makes it an very pricey option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED screen – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and outdoor monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and high-luminance touchscreen.
This 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 large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as reviewed boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location
Garmin uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, like other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-capable products, emergency messaging is not provided for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and audio messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while out jogging, cycling or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and messages over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
After you have completed setup, you just venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall stay connected with your relatives and friends.
Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate back and forth using text or voice messages, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient 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 composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is less than fantastic.
LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to on its own transmit a URL to chosen contacts whenever you start an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring race progress, but it primarily serves as a tool for someone you trust to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, though the real position has occasionally been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, position check-ins and emergency SOS.
A guide shows you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then sends and receives communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, however it is essential to remember that satellite service is restricted to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is certified to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin offers disposal schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro costs 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 takes a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital messaging, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without signal.
The result is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you wish to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
This is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t dependent on your phone carrier so works with all brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when running, cycling or trekking, but still desires to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech features are slow, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
