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The newest version of the flagship Fenix adventure timepiece introduces a potentially lifesaving feature: no-phone messaging and SOS alerts via 4G LTE or orbital connections.

This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the previously impressive Fenix 8 by adding new mobile tech, along with an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. This is Garmin's top device and engineered to be the only tool needed to venture almost anywhere and track all your movements.

That positions it as an extremely pricey option, 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 display – nearly twice the price of the standard Fenix 8.

You do receive a significant features for your money, with best-in-class workout, movement and adventure tracking. Its complete offline maps of the world can seamlessly guide you back to the path if you lose your way without a phone, and look excellent on the sizable, sharp and super-bright display.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively offered in 47mm or 51mm case sizes, not the more compact 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a big watch for larger wrists. However the 47mm OLED version as tested boasts an extra day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, enduring a solid eight to nine days between charges.

Phone-Free Texting, Calls and Live Tracking

The company uses its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than depending on a watch plan tied to your phone provider, as with other smartwatches. But in contrast to Apple or Google's satellite-enabled products, SOS communication is not included for no cost.

Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE SMS and voice messaging, calls and LiveTrack position tracking – so your friends or family can monitor you while engaged in jogging, biking or comparable activities – along with emergency orbital SOS alerts.

Check-ins and texts over orbital are then billed on top, with higher-tier plans offering different quotas of satellite use, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited plan. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can test out the functionality.

After you have completed setup, you just venture outside minus your phone and the watch will link to LTE. You cannot use it for streaming music or comparable activities, but you can place and receive calls, dispatch texts and generally stay connected with your family and companions.

Whenever you message someone, Garmin sends them an SMS from a random number, which they can reply 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 make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin account to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.

Texting on the watch works fine but typing out texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a set of personalizable canned responses you can send to speed things up. Spoken messages and calls perform acceptably, although as with most smartwatches, you’re unlikely going to want to use it for lengthy conversations as the quality is not ideal.

LiveTrack is the handiest feature. You can set it up to on its own send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can follow your live location on a map. It’s great for monitoring race performance, but it mostly serves as a utility for someone you rely on to know your location in case something happens. It has generally functioned well, although the real position has occasionally been delayed when transitioning in and out of good LTE coverage.

All of these features are available on other Garmin devices if you bring your phone with you, but in locations where LTE lacks coverage, the satellite activates on the Fenix 8 Pro to transmit texts, location check-ins and emergency SOS.

A on-screen assistance shows you how to find the line of sight to the satellite, which then sends and receives messages within about 10 to 30 seconds. It was surprisingly straightforward to use and could be a crucial lifeline, though it is important to remember that satellite coverage is limited to the US continent, most of Canada, and most of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia north of 65 degrees latitude.

Environmental Impact

The watch is typically repairable with services available via the support site. The battery is certified to retain at least 90% of its original power after two years of regular charging. The watch lacks any recycled components. Garmin provides disposal schemes on new purchases.

Price

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

Conclusion

This Fenix 8 Pro takes a excellent outdoor watch in the regular Fenix 8 and adds LTE for texting, calls and LiveTrack – plus satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re out of coverage.

The result is an even more remarkable outdoor device for those that want to be unplugged. If you want to have someone monitor you from afar while running after dark or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.

It is quite freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that functionality comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the substantial price of the watch and the recurring fee of the inReach service to provide the features. At least it is not reliant on your phone provider so works with all brand of smartphone and carrier.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a top-tier device for someone who hates being weighed down by their phone when running, biking or trekking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a significant expense when the excellent Fenix 8 is already available.

Advantages: LTE and orbital communication, super-bright OLED screen, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated torch, phone and standalone voice control, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and routes, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre diving, physical controls and touch.

Drawbacks: extremely costly, LTE and orbital features require ongoing payment, restricted Garmin Pay bank support, voice capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality compared with competing watches.