Garmin releases Fenix 8 Pro for $2k with LTE connectivity and battery life killing microLED display
The Fenix 8 Pro is now here after a series of last-minute leaks. Arriving just over a year after the Fenix 8 (curr. $1,099.99 on Amazon), the Fenix 8 Pro features minor tweaks that make its case about 2 mm thicker than the Fenix 8. Additionally, the new 16.5 mm thick smartwatch only comes in 47 mm and 51 mm variants, all without Solar charging.
Memory in Pixel (MiP) display technology has been completely omitted, too. By default, the Fenix 8 Pro ships with a familiar 1.4-inch AMOLED display that resolves at 454 x 454 pixels. Alternatively, Garmin offers the Fenix 8 Pro as the first smartwatch with a microLED display. On its website, Garmin claims that this new display allows the Fenix 8 Pro to reach 4,500 nits for a 50% brightness improvement on OLED-backed smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra 2.
While the Fenix 8 Pro microLED can dim each pixel individually, this variant comes with significant battery life drawbacks. Specifically, Garmin quotes up to 4 days of battery life with its always-on display functionality activated. By contrast, its AMOLED sibling offers up to 15 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.
Nonetheless, both variants ship with an LTE modem and satellite SOS connectivity via the inReach subscription service. Consequently, the Fenix 8 Pro can make and receive calls or messages using the Garmin Messenger app. The Fenix 8 Pro starts at $1,199.99 as a 47 mm smartwatch with an AMOLED display, with a $100 surcharge applied for its 51 mm variant. Meanwhile, the microLED option is only available with a 51 mm case size for a whopping $1,999.99.
