The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro has arrived, offering some compelling upgrades on the standard Garmin Fenix 8 but at a higher price — a much higher price, in fact, if you opt for the microLED Fenix 8 Pro, which is the most expensive Fenix yet thanks to its innovative and incredibly bright display.
If that screen doesn’t compel you to buy the Fenix 8 Pro, then whether it’s worth upgrading will depend mostly on how much you’d value satellite and LTE connectivity on a watch, which can be a lifesaver if you regularly venture off the grid.
I’ve outlined all the key differences between the Garmin Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro below to help you make your choice between two of the best Garmin watches ever made.
Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: price
The Garmin Fenix 8 is a very expensive watch itself, costing from $999.99 to $1199.99 depending on the size and materials you opt for. There are three sizes to pick from — 43mm, 47mm, and 51mm, two screen types — AMOLED or memory-in-pixel — and two materials — steel or titanium. The titanium models are lighter and have more durable sapphire crystal displays.
There are no memory-in-pixel models of the Fenix 8 Pro, which goes on sale on 8 September, but you do still have two screen types to pick from. The AMOLED model costs $1199.99 or $1299.99 and there are two sizes — 47mm and 51mm.
More expensive still is the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, which costs $1999.99 and only comes in the largest 51mm size. All models of the Fenix 8 Pro have titanium bezels and case backs and sapphire crystal screens.
Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: specs
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED | Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED | Garmin Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED |
Price | $999-$1199 | $1199-$1299 | $1999 |
Size | 43mm, 47mm or 51mm | 47mm or 51mm | 51mm |
Thickness | 13.8mm (43mm & 47mm), 14.7mm (51mm) | 16mm (47mm), 16.5mm (51mm) | 17.5mm |
Case weight (titanium) | 44g (47mm), 52g (47mm), 64g (51mm) | 56g (47mm), 65g (51mm) | 68g |
Display | Glass or sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal | Sapphire crystal |
Connectivity | None | LTE & satellite | LTE & satellite |
Smartwatch battery life (raise-to-wake) | 10 days (43mm), 16 days (47mm), 29 days (51mm) | 15 days (47mm), 27 days (51m) | 10 days |
Smartwatch battery life (always-on) | 4 days (43mm), 7 days (47mm), 13 days (51mm) | 8 days (47mm), 15 days (51mm) | 4 days |
GPS battery life (all-systems) | 18 hours (43mm), 30 hours (47mm), 54 hours (51mm) | 26 hours (47mm), 47 hours (51mm) | 16 hours |
Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: design and display
The display on the Fenix 8 Pro is the main design upgrade on the standard model of the watch, and that includes the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED, which has a brighter screen than the Fenix 8 AMOLED.
Then there’s the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, which offers the brightest display of any smartwatch at 4,500 nits, with over 400,000 individual LEDs used. This extra brightness helps to make the screen more visible, especially when viewed from an angle.
There is no memory-in-pixel model of the Pro, though, which means those who value battery life above all will be best served by the Fenix 8 Solar or Garmin Enduro 3 instead.
The Fenix 8 Pro watches are also thicker and heavier than the standard Fenix 8, and don’t come in the smallest 43mm size available for the Fenix 8, which is a shame for those with thinner wrists who’d value the connectivity and safety features.
Comparing the 51mm models of the watches, the titanium Fenix 8 AMOLED is 14.7mm thick, and the case weighs 64g. The Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED is 16.5mm thick and the case weighs 65g, and the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED is 17.5mm thick and the case weighs 68g.
Other than these differences, the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro mostly share the same design, with a red accent on the start button of the Pro models being one other notable difference, along with a louder speaker.
Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: connectivity
The MicroLED display on the Fenix 8 Pro was a pleasant surprise, but the extra connectivity it offered is a feature people have been hoping for on a Fenix for several years.
Both the Fenix 8 Pro models offer satellite and LTE connectivity, though you will need a separate subscription to use these features, which you buy through Garmin and costs from $7.99 a month — a 30-day free trial is available.
The LTE connectivity allows you to take and make calls, send and/receive messages and voice messages, as well as get weather forecasts and use Garmin’s LiveTrack feature, so friends and family can track you during activities.
If you’re in areas without cellular coverage, you can use the satellite connectivity on the Fenix 8 Pro watches to send basic messages and your location, and use Garmin’s emergency response services, like the brand’s InReach devices.
The standard Fenix 8 doesn’t offer any of these features, so you have to carry your phone or another device with you if you need connectivity.
Garmin Fenix 8 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: battery life
The brighter screens and connectivity features on the Fenix 8 Pro do reduce its battery life. There isn’t a major difference between the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED and Fenix 8 AMOLED, but the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED has much shorter battery life than the 51mm Fenix 8 AMOLED.
If you have the screen always on, the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED lasts four days on a charge in watch mode, whereas it lasts 13 days in always-on mode with the Fenix 8 AMOLED. If you use the Pro’s LiveTrack features during activities, the battery life on both Pro models will drop considerably, too.
| Row 0 - Cell 0 | Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED 51mm | Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED 51mm | Garmin Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED |
Watch mode | 29 days | 27 days | 10 days |
Watch mode (always-on) | 13 days | 15 days | 4 days |
GPS-only | 65 hours | 56 hours | 18 hours |
All-systems GPS | 54 hours | 47 hours | 16 hours |
Multi-band GPS | 49 hours | 41 hours | 15 hours |
Multi-band GPS + LiveTrack | N/A | 19 hours | 10 hours |
Garmin Fenix 8 vs. Garmin Fenix 8 Pro: should you upgrade?
The connectivity features and brighter display on the Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED are a good reason to get it over the Fenix 8 for $100 more, though I expect the older Fenix 8 will start to appear in sales more regularly going forward.
It’s a much bigger price jump to the Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, and it’s also a considerably thicker watch that only comes in one size, so unless you’re very excited about the new display, it’s not going to be the best option in the range.
If you already have a Fenix 8, then trading that in for the newer model will only be worthwhile if the connectivity features are vital for you, which could be the case if you’re regularly spending time in the wilderness and need the satellite connectivity in particular.
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