The newest iteration of the top-tier Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and SOS messaging using 4G LTE or satellite links.
This Fenix 8 Pro enhances the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile technology, plus an optional advanced microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier model and engineered to be the only gadget needed to venture virtually anywhere and track all your movements.
That makes it an very expensive proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a substantial £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED screen – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.
You do get a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class workout, activity and outdoor tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can automatically direct you return to the path if you get lost absent a phone, and look great on the large, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.
The Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, omitting the smaller 43mm size available in other models, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as reviewed does have an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.
Phone-Free Texting, Calling and Live Tracking
Garmin uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and orbital service service instead of depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. However in contrast to competing satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for no cost.
Instead, plans begin from £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts via orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans including various allowances of satellite usage, climbing to a £50 a month all-inclusive subscription. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.
Once you have completed setup, you simply venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or similar activities, but you can make and take calls, send texts and generally keep in touch with your family and friends.
Whenever you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary phone number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger app, you can then message reciprocally via text or spoken communications, and make voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, only a mobile number is sufficient to sign up for texts.
Messaging on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It includes a collection of personalizable canned responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with the majority of wearables, you’re not going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is less than ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to chosen contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can track your live position on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition performance, but it primarily acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your location in case an incident occurs. It has typically functioned well, though the actual location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.
These features are accessible on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital 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 transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly easy to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is essential to note that orbital coverage is restricted to the US continent, most of Canada, and the majority of Europe excluding regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is generally repairable with options available through the customer service portal. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its initial capacity after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused 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 optional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.
The result is an increasingly remarkable adventure tool for those that want to be phone-free. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the remote areas, the Garmin does so without needing anything else.
It is quite freeing to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries a significant price, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so functions with any brand of smartphone and carrier.
This Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, cycling or trekking, but nevertheless wants to be trackable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a lot of money when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.
Pros: LTE and orbital communication, high-luminance OLED display, tracks all activities with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, voice and standalone voice control, 8+ day endurance, Garmin Pay, full offline maps and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, buttons and touchscreen.
Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite functions require ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay bank compatibility, speech capabilities are slow, basic wearable features compared with competing watches.
