Breaking down every key Garmin Fenix 8 Pro feature, from LTE and SOS to MicroLED

What you need to know

• The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is the brand's first model with InReach satellite and cellular connectivity.
• With an InReach subscription, the Fenix 8 Pro is a standalone device with voice calling, messaging, and LiveTrack location sharing.
• While the default Pro uses AMOLED, Garmin is also selling a 51mm MicroLED model that hits 4,500 nits of brightness.
• It shares every feature with the Garmin Fenix 8, though the Pro has slightly worse battery life.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro has two game-changing technologies: long-requested cellular and satellite connectivity, and a new MicroLED display that was leaked last year. One turns the Fenix 8 Pro into a true standalone smartwatch; the other gives it fantastic visuals, at the expense of battery life.

Announced on September 3, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED ships in two sizes: 47mm ($1,200) and 51mm ($1,300), making it just $100 more than the Garmin Fenix 8. In exchange, you can subscribe to the InReach service and stay connected with friends and family on long outdoor excursions, whether your phone is dead, at home, or out of LTE range.

The Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED only comes in one 51mm size ($2,000); while cheaper than the Garmin MARQ series, it's still one of Garmin's most expensive models ever. In exchange, you get the brighest smartwatch display ever, courtesy of 400,000 individual LEDs that prevent the burn-in you get with AMOLED displays.

Here's everything we've learned about the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, including how much an LTE/ satellite subscription costs and where it's available, how the Pro compares to the Fenix 8 for battery life, and what the fuss is with MicroLED displays.

How LTE and satellite works on the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro currently gets cellular coverage in 34 countries and territories, listed here. Essentially, it's available in the U.S. and Canada, most of Europe, Japan, Australia, and New Zealand.

You won't be able to use your current cellular plan or native phone app, nor will you get a dedicated phone number to send SMS messages. You'll need to subscribe to an InReach account, and the people you contact will need to download the Garmin Messenger app (Android and iOS) to enable calling, two-way messaging, or LiveTrack location data from your Fenix 8 Pro to them.

The Fenix 8 Pro uses low-powered LTE-M cellular networks that maximize battery life. Garmin states that it relies on "multiple roaming providers worldwide" and that most cell towers support LTE-M. However, it notes that it can't control coverage or signal quality in specific territories and that LTE-M signals are particularly affected by large concrete or steel buildings.

Previously, the Fenix 8 supported Garmin Messenger, but only with your phone and an InReach satellite device as an intermediary, with satellite as the sole method of communication. Now the Fenix 8 Pro stands alone and offers both.

Image 1 of 2

A Fenix 8 Pro InReach account includes both LTE and satellite messaging. The maps above show the 32 countries and territories where satellite messaging and SOS are supported, including "up to 50 miles offshore" for every country listed. Japan, Australia, and New Zealand are excluded.

Any areas above 65ºN, such as Northern Canada, can't get a satellite signal because "the satellite network will orbit below the horizon." Even in eligible areas, trees or terrain can also block the signal in any area.

Like the Pixel Watch 4, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro will connect with Skylo satellites. Garmin says it'll take about 30 seconds to establish a satellite connection, then about 10 seconds to send your queued messages, after which you'll receive any messages queued from others.

Unlike Garmin's dedicated InReach Messenger Plus, the Fenix 8 Pro can't send voice messages or photos over satellite; you'll need an LTE connection. But you can, at least, send out text messages, generic check-in messages, or SOS requests via satellite.

Garmin has four consumer InReach plans: Enabled ($7.99/month), Essential ($14.99/month), Standard ($29.99/month), and Premium ($49.99/month).

That link shows the plan differences, but Enabled gives you unlimited LTE text, voice, and LiveTrack, plus complimentary emergency SOS satellite messages. For non-emergency satellite use, you pay $0.10 per check-in message or location update and $0.50 for full messages or weather requests.

The higher-tier plans give you more complimentary photo/ voice messages and unlimited location check-ins. But since the Fenix 8 Pro can't use either of those, they're not worth the cost.

Most people will make do with the $8/month Enabled plan; it costs less than the $10/month you'd normally pay your carrier for cellular calling on an LTE smartwatch, though it isn't quite as seamless to use.

What's different about the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro?

If you compare the Garmin Fenix 8 against the Fenix 8 Pro, the latter obviously gives you cellular voice calls, text and voice messaging, and LiveTrack, along with satellite messaging and SOSs. But these new features come with noticeable trade-offs, aside from the higher price.

The Fenix 8 Pro 47mm measures 16mm thick, or 2.2mm thicker than the Fenix 8 47mm; the 51mm Pro measures 16.5mm (a 1.8mm gap), while the 51mm Pro MicroLED hits a whopping 17.5mm thick.

The Fenix 8 was already on the thick side for Garmin watches; now, the Pro lineup is significantly bulkier than nearly any fitness watch on the market, and likely won't be especially comfortable for sleep tracking; you'll probably want to get the Garmin Index Sleep Monitor, too.

Thankfully, the Fenix 8-to-8-Pro weight gap is negligible, so it won't be less comfortable. Still, the Fenix 8 was already on the heavy side if you're used to Garmin models that use fiber-reinforced polymer instead of titanium.

The Fenix 8 and 8 Pro share identical training software and map tools, plus the same design perks like sapphire glass, 10 ATM water resistance with dive-proof buttons, and an MIL-STD-810H rating for thermal and shock.

While the Fenix 8 Pro is longer-lived than most Garmin watches, it does lose some battery life compared to the base model. And the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED burns through much more battery life than the AMOLED model, a serious trade-off for better visuals.

This battery breakdown shows how the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED only loses 1–2 days of battery compared to its predecessor, most likely because it has the same 2,000 nits of brightness as the Forerunner 970 and Venu X1, double what the base Fenix 8 offers. It's a fair compromise for better outdoor visibility.

With the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, though, you lose over two weeks of battery life compared to the Fenix 8 or 8 Pro. Combined with the much-thicker design and high price, this groundbreaking new display will need to be pretty excellent to accept the trade-offs.

Is the MicroLED Fenix 8 Pro worth it?

Right now, AMOLED smartwatches like the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, Apple Watch Ultra 2, and Google Pixel Watch 4 max out at 3,000 nits, delivering vivid colors that are visible in direct sunlight. Now, Garmin is promising 4,500 nits on its MicroLED display, making it the "brightest smartwatch ever." But do you need this 50% boost?

Garmin is promising a "revolutionary display that produces rich colors and high pixel densities with wide viewing angles and superior readability — even in direct sunlight."

The Pro's 1.4-inch, 454 x 454 display has the same pixels per inch as other Garmins, so we're not sure about pixel density gains. And while MicroLEDs are hypothetically supposed to be more battery-efficient than OLEDs, the Fenix 8 Pro's real-life usage doesn't reflect that.

It seems the current upside to this new technology is the enhanced brightness, improved color gamut, and prevention of any AMOLED burn-in thanks to the lack of a backlight. It's best suited for athletes with the discretionary income to buy the best thing available, even if it's not the most practical.

As it is, the AMOLED Fenix 8 Pros are already expensive enough compared to most Garmin watches, but the MicroLED model almost makes them look affordable!