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The newest version of the premium Fenix outdoor timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving feature: phone-free communication and SOS alerts using 4G LTE or satellite connections.

This Fenix 8 Pro builds upon the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new cellular technology, along with an available advanced microLED display in a special edition. This is Garmin's premier device and designed to be the only tool required to venture virtually anywhere and track every activity.

This positions it as an very expensive 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 display – almost twice the price of the regular Fenix 8.

You do get a significant functionality for your investment, with industry-leading workout, activity and adventure monitoring. The complete offline mapping of the globe can automatically direct you back to the path if you lose your way absent a phone, and look great on the sizable, sharp and high-luminance touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is only offered in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the more compact 43mm version available in other devices, so it is a big watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested does have an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the display always active, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Real-Time Location

The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite subscription service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your mobile carrier, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to competing satellite-capable devices, emergency messaging is not provided for no cost.

Rather, plans start at £7.99 or equivalent a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in running, biking or similar activities – plus emergency satellite SOS alerts.

Check-ins and texts over satellite are then charged on top, with more expensive subscriptions offering different allowances of orbital use, increasing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch comes with a 30-day free trial so you can test out the functionality.

Once you have completed setup, you simply venture the door minus your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You can not use it for streaming music or similar tasks, but you are able to place and receive calls, send texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a arbitrary number, which they can respond to directly to your watch. If they download the Garmin Messenger application, you can then message back and forth using typed or spoken messages, and initiate voice calls. Your contact is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger application, just a phone number is sufficient to register for texts.

Texting on the watch functions adequately but composing texts on the tiny on-screen keyboard is time-consuming. It includes a collection of personalizable canned replies you can use to expedite communication. Spoken recordings and calls perform OK, though as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy discussions as the audio clarity is less than fantastic.

LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can configure to automatically send a URL to chosen contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring competition progress, but it mostly acts as a tool for someone you rely on to be aware of your whereabouts in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you carry your phone with you, but in areas where LTE does not reach, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location updates and emergency SOS.

A guide shows you how to locate the clear view 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 crucial lifeline, though it is essential to note that satellite coverage is limited to the US mainland, the majority of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Sustainability

The watch is typically serviceable with options available via the customer service site. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of weekly charging. The watch does not contain any reused components. Garmin provides recycling schemes on recent purchases.

Cost

This Fenix 8 Pro costs from £1,029.99 (€1,199.99/$1,199.99/A$2,299). The additional Garmin inReach service packages begin from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Conclusion

The Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and incorporates LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, check-in and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

Outcome is an increasingly impressive outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone keep an eye on you remotely while exercising after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin does so without requiring anything else.

It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability carries a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the monthly fee of the inReach service to enable the service. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all make of smartphone and network.

This Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier gadget for someone who dislikes being weighed down by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but nevertheless wants to be locatable and contactable. For everyone else, it is a lot of expense when the excellent Fenix 8 already exists.

Pros: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, monitors all activities with premier GPS, built-in torch, phone and offline voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, complete offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre water resistance and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touch.

Cons: extremely expensive, LTE and satellite features require monthly payment, limited Garmin Pay bank support, speech capabilities are slow, basic smartwatch features versus competing watches.