Garmin Fenix 8 Pro Review

Introduction

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is the update to Garmin’s outdoor smartwatch, which breaks new ground in display technology for smartwatches while also introducing new communication features that many Garmin fans have no doubt been clamouring for.

The 8 Pro becomes the first high-profile smartwatch to feature a microLED display, which could pave the way for others to follow. To complement this new display technology, Garmin is also adding LTE connectivity to enable calls and messages, making safety features less reliant on your phone. It’s also adding its InReach technology to let you communicate over satellites when LTE isn’t available.

All of these features come at a considerable cost to a watch that is already not that cheap. So, is it really worth stumping up the cash for? I’ve been testing both the microLED and AMOLED models of the Fenix 8 Pro to see if this is an outdoor smartwatch to get excited about.

Design and screen

• MicroLED only available on 51mm Fenix 8 Pro
• Thicker case design
• No solar charging for Fenix 8 Pro

Ruggedness remains the aim of the game with the Fenix 8 Pro, with the overall design not far removed from the Fenix 8.

One thing to mention is that while the Fenix 8 comes in AMOLED and solar variations, the 8 Pro is only available with an AMOLED display. There are also 47mm and 51mm sizes of the AMOLED Fenix 8 Pro. The microLED version only comes with a larger 51mm case.

You’re still getting a watch with five physical buttons, a titanium case back and bezel, and a silicone strap, which is removable. It remains a watch that’s waterproof up to 100 metres.

I’d say there are two noticeable differences. The first is the notably thicker case. Compare the 51mm Fenix 8 with the 51mm Fenix 8 Pro and it’s 14.7mm versus 17.5mm. That’s a big jump in heft, and while the weight stays largely the same, you do notice it.

The other is the biggie. Garmin has included a microLED display on one of its watches for the very first time.

Seen to be the next major display technology to be added to smartwatches, the 51mm Fenix 8 Pro features a 1.4-inch, 454 x 454 resolution display. That’s actually the same size and resolution as the one on the Fenix 8, with the difference lying in the improved brightness (4,500 nits) and improved viewing angles and clarity. 

I compared the 51mm Fenix 8 with the same-sized Fenix 8 Pro microLED, and was there a marked difference in the display performance? I’d say yes and no.

The Fenix 8 AMOLED and Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED screens are nice and bright. I noticed the improvement in viewing angles in brighter outdoor light. There is a bump in clarity, but again, it didn’t feel like it dramatically altered my experience of using microLED over AMOLED.

Software and smartwatch features

• LTE and satellite connectivity
• SOS and Garmin Response support
• Enhanced LiveTrack features

There are some significant updates for the 8 Pro in terms of its use as a communication tool. While Garmin tested the LTE waters with the Forerunner 945 back in 2021, it added cellular connectivity to unlock safety features. On the Fenix 8 Pro, it has been added to allow you to make calls, send messages, share locations, and enable live tracking.

In addition to the LTE connectivity support, you also have Garmin’s InReach technology built into the watch. This enables messaging and the ability to send voice messages over satellite systems.

Now, there are a few things to clarify first. The Fenix 8 Pro will not let you use that added source of communication to do things that other smartwatches can use it for. Streaming music or downloading apps, for instance. This is very much about using it for communication. 

The other thing to consider is that while you may not need to switch from your current LTE package tied to your phone to use it, you will need to subscribe to a Garmin inReach plan, which can cost anywhere from £7.99 to £49.99. All plans include LTE features for free, but it’s the satellite ones where you’ll need to spend more to gain greater support.

Getting things set up is a little bit of a faff. You’ll need to activate the InReach subscription in the Connect app and also download the Garmin Messenger app to your phone. This is the app that you need on your phone and watch. Crucially, it’s also the app that contacts you want to communicate with will need to download.

To test the LTE support first, I disconnected the Bluetooth connection between watch and phone and from the watch settings, made sure that LTE was enabled. I could then send texts and make and receive calls from the Garmin Messenger app on the watch.

Typing out messages is quite fiddly, but thankfully, you can also record messages as well. Is the Messenger app the slickest? No, but it worked well enough to make it useful.

While I didn’t require making use of that Garmin InReach emergency service, I was able to try out the live tracking features, which now usefully doesn’t lean on your phone to send preferred contacts a link to your movements and let you know when you’ve finished tracking.

When making calls, you’re getting plenty of volume and not the clearest call quality. A dedicated Garmin Messenger call app joins the Messenger app to offer a dedicated app to handle your calls.

For many who spend days really out in the wilderness, I can see the appeal of these added features. If you’re mainly sticking to city terrain, maybe not so much. Especially given the cost.

Fitness tracking 

• Preloaded topographic maps 
• Same tracking and training features as Fenix 8
• ECG and new evening reports

With the focus on the Pro on new connectivity support and display technology, there isn’t actually a huge amount that’s new on the tracking, mapping, and training front, aside from some added diving modes.

So the experience with both versions of the 8 Pro has been nearly identical to my time testing the Fenix 8 51mm in 2024. 

This is still a watch that features Garmin’s impressive multi-band GPS support, making it handy when tracking near tall buildings or more densely wooded environments. You’ve got Garmin’s latest Elevate Gen 5 heart rate sensor, which also unlocks ECG readings. That is, once you have all set it up in the Connect app first.

Garmin’s mapping and navigation features are among the best, and that doesn’t really change with the 8 Pro. You’ve got nice AMOLED screens to view maps, and the turn-by-turn navigation works well too.

Where Garmin ups the ante on the competition is the available mapping-related features. There’s the Up Ahead mode, which is helpful if you’re using the watch for a race and need to see key points of interest that are coming up. You also get dynamic round-trip routing, which is handy if you need to adjust your route back home, and the watch will change your route based on that deviation.

You’re also getting a bucketload of training and training analysis features to tap into. Training Readiness remains a standout metric for Garmin. It can offer some guidance on when to train or when a rest day is long overdue.

You’ve got access to Garmin Coach, which has recently been bolstered with the addition of strength training plans. There are also daily suggested workouts, which are primarily designed for runners and cyclists, to offer suggestions. You can also choose to turn them off if you don’t want or need them in your life.

Garmin has recently introduced Connect+, a subscription element to its companion app. Having spent five months using it, I’m not sure many desperately need to pay extra on top of what is already a very expensive piece of hardware. If you’re already going to pay for that additional InReach plan, things are already going to get pricey.

Battery life 

• Improvement on Fenix 8 in always-on display mode
• Battery drop in best GPS accuracy battery life
• Up to 21 hours of battery with LTE in use

Battery life is an interesting one on the Fenix 8 Pro, especially with regards to the MicroLED version. As mentioned, I’ve been using the 47mm Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED model and the 51mm Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED model. Compare the battery numbers to the Fenix 8 series and there are some small wins, but also some losses in the battery department.

In general, the Fenix 8 Pro series offers a boost in battery life when using the watch with the screen set to always-on. That is apart from the MicroLED version, where that number drops compared to the 51mm Fenix 8 AMOLED.

I’ll start with the Fenix 8 Pro 47mm, which promises 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and eight days with the screen on at all times. With the best accuracy GPS mode in use, you’ll get 30 hours of tracking. Add LTE into the mix, and that drops to 11-12 hours.

The Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, in contrast, offers up to 10 days of battery life or 4 days in always-on display mode. With the best accuracy GPS, battery life is 34 hours. Add LTE in and you’ll get up to 17 hours.

I would say if you’re comparing the battery performance of the Fenix 8 AMOLED to the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED, the battery differences are small. These are still AMOLED watches that can last for a couple of weeks, depending on GPS accuracy and whether you decide to keep that screen or not.

In the case of the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, it’s a different story. The battery performance is generally shorter compared to the same-sized 51mm Fenix 8 AMOLED and Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED models. When I ran for an hour and a half with the MicroLED model at full brightness and with the always-on display mode, the drop was more severe.

The Pro series watches will still get you through days and potentially weeks of tracking. That microLED display technology, however, can be a bit of a battery hog.

Should you buy it?

FAQs