This most recent version of the premium Fenix outdoor watch introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and emergency alerts using 4G LTE or orbital links.
The Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the already outstanding Fenix 8 by adding cutting-edge mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a limited edition. It is the brand's top device and designed to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track every activity.
That makes it an extremely expensive option, starting at £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED model and reaching a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm edition with microLED display – nearly twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.
Users receive a significant functionality for your money, with best-in-class fitness, movement and adventure tracking. The complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly direct you back to the path if you get lost without a phone, and appear great on the large, sharp and super-bright display.
This Fenix 8 Pro is only available in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the smaller 43mm version found in other models, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a reliable eight to nine days between charging.
No-Phone Texting, Calls and Live Tracking
The company uses its proprietary inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, like other wearables. But unlike Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, emergency communication is not included for free.
Instead, subscriptions begin from £7.99 or equivalent a month, which includes unlimited LTE text and voice messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location tracking – so your contacts or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in jogging, cycling or comparable activities – plus SOS orbital SOS alerts.
Location updates and texts over orbital are then billed additionally, with higher-tier subscriptions including different quotas of satellite usage, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the functionality.
Once you have got it set up, you simply venture the door without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for playing music or comparable tasks, but you are able to make and take calls, dispatch texts and overall keep in touch with your relatives and friends.
When you text someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random phone number, which they can reply to back to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your contact does not need a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.
Messaging on the watch works fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It has a set of personalizable pre-set responses you can send to expedite communication. Voice messages and calls work OK, although as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for extended conversations as the quality is not ideal.
LiveTrack is the most useful feature. You can set it up to automatically send a URL to selected contacts whenever you start an activity, so they can follow your live position on a map. It’s excellent for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a utility for someone you rely on to know your whereabouts in case something happens. It has typically functioned well, although the actual location has occasionally lagged when transitioning in and out of strong LTE signal.
All of these features are accessible on other Garmin watches if you bring your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the orbital kicks in on the Fenix 8 Pro to send texts, location updates and emergency SOS.
A on-screen assistance displays you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then transmits and gets communications within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a vital safety feature, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.
Sustainability
The watch is typically repairable with services offered through the customer service portal. The battery is rated to maintain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch does not contain any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs on recent purchases.
Price
This Fenix 8 Pro is priced from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The optional Garmin inReach subscription packages cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).
Verdict
This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, call functionality and LiveTrack – along with orbital messaging, location update and SOS SOS for when you’re without signal.
Outcome is an even more remarkable adventure tool for those that desire to be phone-free. 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 anything else.
It is quite liberating to be outside without a phone, but that capability carries quite a cost, both in terms of the substantial cost of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to enable the features. Fortunately it is not reliant on your phone carrier so works with any make of smartphone and network.
The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer device for someone who hates being burdened by their phone when jogging, cycling or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For everyone else, it is a significant money when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.
Advantages: LTE and satellite messaging, super-bright OLED display, tracks all activities with best-in-class GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.
Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay financial compatibility, speech capabilities are sluggish, basic smartwatch functionality compared with Apple/Google/Samsung watches.
