Garmin Fenix 8 Pro Smartwatch Aims to be Rugged Companion for the Relentless, Complete with Satellite Connectivity

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro debuted with a presence that captivated athletes and explorers looking for a challenge. This watch does more than simply track your runs and treks; it’s a lifeline in the bush, providing a connection when phones fail, and with a screen so brilliant that it can be seen in direct sunshine. With satellite messaging, LTE calls, and a micro-LED screen, it feels tailor-made for people who push the boundaries.

Available in two sizes—47mm for $1,200 and 51mm for $1,300 with an AMOLED display or a premium 51mm micro-LED for $2,000—the Fenix 8 Pro comes with a price to match its ambition. These aren’t casual fitness trackers; they’re tools for serious athletes and explorers. The 47mm and 51mm AMOLED models have up to 27 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, while the micro-LED version has 10 days, way more than the one or two days of the mainstream smartwatches like the Apple Watch Ultra 2. Garmin’s LTE-M network, a low-power cellular connection, helps stretch that battery life, with up to 19 hours of live tracking during workouts. For those who venture far from civilization an $8 monthly subscription (with 30-day free trial) unlocks LTE and satellite connectivity, though satellite messages incur per-use fees.

Garmin has finally integrated its inReach technology so you can have two-way satellite communication. Out of cellular range and without a phone in sight you can send texts, share your location or send an SOS to Garmin’s worldwide response center which will communicate with rescue crews and supports many languages. Unlike the Apple Watch Ultra 2 which has no satellite messaging and the Google Pixel Watch 4 which has emergency only satellite capability, the Fenix 8 Pro lets you check in with friends and family for non-emergencies too. LTE now includes voice calls, voice messages, weather updates and LiveTrack links for real-time location sharing.

The 51mm micro-LED display is impressive; with over 400,000 individual LEDs it reaches 4,500 nits—Garmin claims it’s the brightest watch screen ever. This isn’t just numbers; it means your maps, data and notifications will be clear in bright sunlight or at odd angles during a trail run. The AMOLED models aren’t as bright but are expected to reach 2,000 nits, the same as the current Forerunner 970 and Venu X1. Both displays are protected by scratch-resistant sapphire crystals and titanium bezels with raised edges to withstand scratches during rough use. The watch is water resistant to 100m so you can dive whether you’re swimming in open water or exploring underwater.

Titanium bezels, leakproof metal buttons, and an LED flashlight are designed for athletes who require dependability under difficult environments. The buttons are glove-friendly for mountaineers and winter runners, and the fast release band system lets you to replace silicone straps with leather or metal for everyday use. The micro-LED variant weighs 93g (with the band) and is heavier and thicker than the AMOLED devices, which is a trade off for the display.

The Fenix 8 Pro inherits a bunch of features from recent models including endurance and hill scores, daily suggested workouts, preloaded TopoActive Maps, dynamic round-trip routing and the Garmin ECG app (for users 22 and older, where available). New additions include a calculator app, custom focus modes, an emoji keyboard for Android users and expanded morning and evening reports. Multisport athletes get triathlon adaptive training plans and running economy metrics. These build on last year’s Fenix 8 dive functionality and speaker/microphone but the real leap here is connectivity, not new sports modes.

The AMOLED models can last up to 27 days in smartwatch mode, while the micro-LED version, despite its power-hungry display, lasts 10 or 4 days with the always-on display. The micro-LED variant has a GPS-only mode that lasts 44 hours, but LTE LiveTrack reduces that to 17. This is far superior to the Apple Watch Ultra 2’s two-day battery life. However, the micro-LED’s poorer battery life compared to AMOLED feels like a setback given the technology’s promise of efficiency.

The Fenix 8 Pro is priced between $1,200 and $2,000 more than competitors like the Apple Watch Ultra 2 ($799) and Samsung’s Galaxy Watch Ultra ($649). The $8 monthly subscription for connectivity adds up especially since satellite messaging incurs additional per message fees. Apple and Google offer free satellite SOS (at least for now) making Garmin’s approach seem less generous especially for a $2,000 watch.