This most recent version of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite connections.
The Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's premier device and designed to be the only tool needed to explore virtually any location and track all your movements.
That positions it as an very pricey option, starting at £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 edition with microLED screen – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your money, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. Its full offline mapping of the world can automatically guide you return to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and high-luminance display.
The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version available in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charging.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service plan instead of relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile provider, like other wearables. However unlike competing satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not provided for free.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while out running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS messaging.
Location updates and texts via satellite are then charged on top, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can evaluate the functionality.
After you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you are able to 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 arbitrary number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they install the Garmin Messenger application, you can then communicate back and forth using text or spoken communications, and initiate voice calls. Your recipient does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Texting on the watch works adequately but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of customisable pre-set replies you can use to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls perform OK, although as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for lengthy discussions as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a URL to selected contacts every time 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 tool for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally worked effectively, although the real position has occasionally lagged when moving in and out of good LTE signal.
All of these capabilities are available 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 transmit texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to locate the clear view to the orbital system, which then transmits and gets messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US mainland, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for parts of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original capacity after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro costs 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).
Verdict
The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re without coverage.
Outcome is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you wish to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without needing additional gear.
It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the service. Fortunately it isn’t reliant on your phone provider so works with any brand of smartphone and network.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or trekking, but still wants to be trackable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch features compared with competing watches.
