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The newest model of Garmin's premium Fenix adventure timepiece includes a potentially lifesaving capability: no-phone communication and emergency messaging via 4G LTE or satellite links.

This Fenix 8 Pro upgrades the already impressive Fenix 8 by incorporating new cellular technology, plus an available state-of-the-art microLED screen in a special edition. It is Garmin's top model and designed to be the only gadget required to venture virtually anywhere and monitor every activity.

That positions it as an extremely pricey proposition, priced from £1,030 (€1,200, $1,200, A$2,300) for the 47mm OLED version and climbing to a colossal £1,730 (€2,000/$2,000/A$3,399) for the 51mm variant with microLED display – almost double the price of the standard Fenix 8.

You do receive a lot of functionality for your investment, with industry-leading fitness, movement and outdoor tracking. The full offline maps of the globe can seamlessly guide you return to the trail if you lose your way absent a phone, and look excellent on the large, sharp and super-bright touchscreen.

The Fenix 8 Pro is exclusively available in 47mm or 51mm case dimensions, not the smaller 43mm version found in other devices, so it is a large watch for bigger wrists. But the 47mm OLED model as tested boasts an additional day of smartwatch battery life despite the screen on all the time, lasting a solid eight to nine days between charges.

No-Phone Messaging, Calls and Real-Time Location

The company operates its own inReach LTE (4G) and satellite service service rather than relying on a watch plan linked to your phone provider, as with other wearables. But unlike competing satellite-capable devices, emergency communication is not provided for no cost.

Rather, subscriptions start at £7.99 or similar a month, which provides unlimited LTE text and audio messages, call functionality and LiveTrack location sharing – so your friends or loved ones can keep an eye on you while engaged in running, biking or comparable activities – along with SOS orbital SOS alerts.

Check-ins and messages via satellite are then charged additionally, with more expensive plans offering different quotas of orbital usage, climbing to a £50 a month unlimited subscription. The watch includes a 30-day trial period so you can evaluate the service.

Once you have completed setup, you just head out outside without your phone and the watch will connect to LTE. You cannot use it for playing music or similar tasks, but you can place and receive calls, send texts and overall 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 application, you can then message back and forth via typed or spoken messages, and make voice calls. Your recipient is not required to have a Garmin profile to use the Messenger app, just a mobile number is sufficient to register for texts.

Texting on the watch functions fine but composing texts on the small on-screen keyboard is slow. It has a collection of personalizable pre-set responses you can use to speed things up. Spoken recordings and calls perform acceptably, though as with most wearables, you’re unlikely going to wish to use it for lengthy conversations as the audio clarity is not fantastic.

LiveTrack is the most useful function. You can set it up to automatically send a link to selected contacts whenever you begin an exercise, so they can track your real time location on a map. It’s excellent for following competition progress, but it primarily acts as a utility for someone you trust to be aware of your location in case something happens. It has generally worked effectively, although the real location has sometimes been delayed when moving in and out of good LTE signal.

These capabilities are accessible 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 send texts, position check-ins and SOS SOS.

A on-screen assistance shows 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 unexpectedly straightforward to use and could be a vital lifeline, though it is essential to remember that satellite coverage is restricted to the US continent, the majority of Canada, and the majority of Europe except for regions of Scandinavia above 65 degrees north.

Sustainability

The watch is typically repairable with options offered via the support portal. The battery is rated to retain at least 90% of its initial power after two years of weekly charging. The watch lacks any reused materials. Garmin provides disposal programs 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 subscription plans cost from £7.99 (€9.99/$7.99/A$13.50).

Verdict

The Fenix 8 Pro builds on a fantastic adventure watch in the standard Fenix 8 and adds LTE for messaging, calls and LiveTrack – along with satellite communication, location update and emergency SOS for when you’re without coverage.

The result is an increasingly remarkable outdoor device for those that desire to be phone-free. If you want to have someone monitor you remotely while exercising out at night or in the middle of nowhere, the Garmin accomplishes this without needing additional gear.

It is very freeing to be outdoors without a phone, but that capability comes at a significant cost, both in terms of the colossal cost of the watch and the recurring subscription of the inReach service to enable the features. At least it is not dependent on your phone provider so functions with all make of smartphone and carrier.

The Fenix 8 Pro is a killer gadget for someone who dislikes being burdened by their phone when jogging, biking or hiking, but still desires to be locatable and reachable. For other users, it is a lot of expense when the superb Fenix 8 is already available.

Pros: LTE and orbital messaging, high-luminance OLED display, tracks everything with premier GPS, integrated flashlight, phone and standalone commands, 8+ day battery life, Garmin Pay, full offline mapping and navigation, offline Spotify, 100-metre waterproofing and 40-metre underwater use, buttons and touchscreen.

Drawbacks: extremely expensive, LTE and orbital functions need ongoing payment, limited Garmin Pay financial support, speech capabilities are sluggish, limited wearable functionality versus Apple/Google/Samsung watches.