The latest iteration of the premium Fenix adventure watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and emergency messaging using 4G LTE or orbital connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile technology, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. It is the brand's top model and engineered to be the single gadget needed to explore virtually anywhere and track 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 screen – almost twice the cost of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the globe can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a large watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an extra day of watch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Messaging, Calls and Live Tracking
Garmin operates its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and orbital subscription service instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency messaging is not included for no cost.
Instead, subscriptions start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your contacts or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable pursuits – along with SOS satellite SOS messaging.
Check-ins and texts over satellite are then billed on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering various quotas of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply head out the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your relatives and companions.
When you message someone, Garmin dispatches them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or voice communications, and initiate voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch works adequately but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set replies you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls work acceptably, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended conversations as the audio clarity is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can configure to on its own transmit a link to selected contacts every time you begin an exercise, so they can follow your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has typically worked well, although the real position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and SOS SOS.
A guide shows 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 easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, however it is important to remember that satellite service is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically serviceable with services offered through the support site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused components. Garmin offers recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Cost
The Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach service plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.
The result is an even more impressive adventure device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without requiring additional gear.
It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, cycling or hiking, but still wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 already exists.
Advantages: LTE and satellite communication, high-luminance OLED display, monitors all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features need monthly subscription, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, voice capabilities are slow, limited smartwatch features versus competing watches.
