The most recent version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece brings a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is the brand's premier device and engineered to be the only tool required to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
This positions it as an extremely expensive option, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and reaching a colossal £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 receive a significant features for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear excellent on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, omitting the more compact 43mm version found in other models, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life even with the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Messaging, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone carrier, like other wearables. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack position sharing – so your friends or loved ones can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable pursuits – along with emergency orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts over satellite are then billed additionally, with more expensive subscriptions including different quotas of orbital usage, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take 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 phone number, which they can reply to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or voice communications, and make voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable canned responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re not going to wish to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not 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 follow your real time position on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has typically functioned effectively, although the actual position has sometimes lagged when moving in and out of strong LTE coverage.
These capabilities are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a crucial safety feature, however it is essential to note that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe excluding parts of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Environmental Impact
The watch is typically repairable with services available through the customer service site. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any recycled materials. Garmin offers recycling programs on recent 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 subscription packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite messaging, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
Outcome is an even more impressive outdoor device for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you from afar while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the features. Fortunately it is not dependent on your phone carrier so works 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, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless desires to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite messaging, high-luminance OLED screen, monitors everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and satellite functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable features versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
