The newest iteration of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece includes a life-saving capability: phone-free messaging and SOS messaging via 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating cutting-edge cellular tech, plus an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is the brand's top device and designed to be the single gadget needed to venture almost any location and monitor all your movements.
This positions it as an very pricey proposition, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – nearly double the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users get a significant functionality for your investment, with best-in-class fitness, activity and adventure tracking. Its full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, crisp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm size available in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription plan instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But unlike competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Rather, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which includes limitless LTE SMS and audio messaging, calls and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or family can monitor you while out jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and messages over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier plans including different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the service.
Once you have completed setup, you just venture the door minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch 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 app, you can then communicate reciprocally via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, only a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.
Texting on the watch functions adequately but typing out texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Voice recordings and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended discussions as the audio clarity is not fantastic.
LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to on its own send a URL to chosen contacts every time you start an exercise, so they can follow your real time position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your whereabouts in case an incident occurs. It has generally functioned effectively, though the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE coverage.
All of these features are available on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE lacks coverage, the orbital activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, position updates and emergency 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 surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital lifeline, however it is important to remember that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees north.
Environmental Impact
The watch is generally repairable with options available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any recycled 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 subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Conclusion
This Fenix 8 Pro builds on a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus orbital communication, check-in and SOS SOS for when you’re out of signal.
The result is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while exercising out at night or in the remote areas, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at quite a price, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach plan to enable the features. At least it isn’t reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a significant expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and satellite communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions require monthly subscription, restricted Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.
