Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review: a smartphone on the wrist?

With the Fenix 8 Pro, Garmin has made satellite and mobile connectivity its priority. The Fenix 8 Pro turns into a “smartphone on the wrist”, but is that genuinely useful for the wearer?

Garmin makes no secret of it: the headline addition to the Fenix 8 Pro this year is inReach. Indeed, this feature alone could almost define the watch. Rather than prolonging the suspense, here is a closer look at what it delivered over a month of testing.

inReach: the long-awaited killer feature?

What does inReach’s arrival on Garmin watches bring? Put simply, it keeps you connected to the world. If you become lost in the wilderness, you can still exchange messages or make calls to loved ones using only your watch. There is no longer any need to carry a smartphone in your pocket to stay connected: the watch handles it.

The one limitation of this technology is that it is available only to Fenix 8 Pro owners, who can communicate with each other, or to people using a smartphone with the Garmin Messenger app. Before leaving, you will therefore need to ask your loved ones to download it.

In an emergency

Even if inReach were limited to this communication feature alone, it would already be excellent. However, Garmin goes further. The watch includes an “SOS” mode which, as its name suggests, should be used only in an extreme emergency.

Once triggered, it sends a message through a satellite connection - or a mobile connection where available - to the Garmin Response centre. An agent then contacts the user, their emergency contacts and the emergency services. Garmin says its “Response” team has existed for more than 20 years. It has already dealt with over 17,000 cases in 150 countries across every continent.

A new display

Subscribe to Presse-citron

Now that inReach has taken centre stage, it is time to return to the fundamentals of this smartwatch, beginning with its display. Garmin sells the watch in two sizes: 47 and 51 millimetres. The smaller model retains a high-quality AMOLED screen, while the 51-millimetre version, which costs €100 more, features a unique MicroLED panel.

It reaches 4,500 nits of peak brightness. According to Garmin, this new display makes the Fenix 8 Pro the brightest smartwatch currently available. By comparison, the iPhone 17 Pro Max has a maximum brightness of 3000 nits. Unfortunately, this new screen comes at a cost: battery life, which will be covered later in this review.

An equally robust case

To finish with the design and external appearance of this Fenix 8 Pro, it is worth pausing on the watch case. Made from titanium, it is exceptionally hard-wearing. The display is protected by sapphire glass to prevent scratches.

Ultimately, the only real drawback in the watch’s design is the loss of the 43-millimetre format. Garmin offers the Fenix 8 Pro solely in these two large sizes. It sits reasonably well even on slimmer wrists. At 70 to 93 grams, depending on the version, it is not truly heavy, but you will never forget that it is on your wrist.

Software updates

As mentioned above, the major software update Garmin has brought to the Fenix 8 Pro this year remains the arrival of inReach. Otherwise, the watch offers the same health measurements as the standard Fenix 8.

This includes highly accurate heart-rate monitoring through the Elevate Gen 5 sensor. The watch also tracks other health data, including blood oxygen saturation, heart-rate variability (HRV) and body temperature.

When it comes to GPS, Garmin provides some of the best tracking currently available. The watch uses multi-band GNSS technology alongside SatIQ. Without getting into overly technical detail, it can automatically select the best satellites to deliver accurate location tracking while preserving battery life.

In everyday use, the data always seemed consistent to me. Although my exercise heart-rate readings were below my usual averages, the arrival of colder weather - and the resulting natural reduction in my heart rate - seems a more likely explanation than the Fenix 8 Pro’s heart-rate sensor.

Is the interface still so complicated?

This has historically been Garmin’s weak point: its interface and user experience. Having worn several Garmin watches over recent years, I have to acknowledge that the brand has made significant progress.

The watch software has been redesigned with two aims. On one hand, the interface needed to become more accessible and easier for newcomers to grasp. On the other, it was essential not to remove options or data for more experienced users.

With the Fenix 8 Pro, things remain fairly “technical”. It must be said that a €1200 watch is unlikely to end up on a beginner’s wrist. It is designed for specialists and behaves accordingly. Yes, the many menus and dozens of pieces of information can feel overwhelming during the first few days.

But there is no need to worry: you adapt to it very quickly. Equally, if you have just spent €1200 on a smartwatch, that technical jargon is probably already familiar to you - or it soon will be.

Battery life: the major downside?

If this review reflected only my own experience as a user, I would say the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro offers substantial battery life, more than enough to meet every conceivable need.

Yet saying that would overlook an important detail. For this review, Garmin kindly loaned me a 47-millimetre Fenix 8 Pro. While my slim wrists appreciated that thoughtful choice, it meant I did not have the new MiniLED display. That screen has a major effect on the watch’s battery life.

To understand why, simply consider Garmin’s figures. The 47-millimetre Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED offers 16 days of battery life, including 7 days in “always-on display” mode. My month of testing supports those numbers, with one charge a week ensuring that it never left the preferred 80/20 range.

However, the picture becomes more complicated with the 51-millimetre Garmin Fenix 8 Pro and its MiniLED screen. In this case, battery life drops to 10 days, and to only 4 days with “always-on display” mode enabled. As you will understand, I cannot comment on the accuracy of this claim.

From reading several reviews written by colleagues, Garmin appears to be rather conservative in its estimates. The watch could last for around a week with normal use.

What is the verdict after one month?

So, after wearing a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro for a month, what is my view? How does this watch compare with its rivals? Does it meet my expectations?

In reality, like all very high-end watches, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro does not merely meet my expectations: it comfortably exceeds them. It can operate throughout an entire UTMB, so it has no difficulty getting through my modest 15-kilometre Sunday run.

Using this watch is like driving a racing car at low speed. It is highly pleasant, even comfortable once you have mastered the interface, but it is easy to feel overwhelmed by the product’s extraordinary capabilities. I always enjoy testing connected products, but it is important to recognise when they are not designed for us.

Should you buy a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro?

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is an exceptional watch. Yet that is probably also its greatest flaw. With so many features, sensors and such a high level of quality, it is reserved for an elite. I would not recommend it to 99% of the French population, not because it would not work for them, but because it so vastly exceeds their needs.

With a Garmin Fenix 8 Pro on your wrist, no doors are closed to you. It is an excellent watch, both for its screen and its data. Accurate, elegant and robust, it fits perfectly into Garmin’s rich ecosystem of bike computers, sensors and more. Ultimately, the question is not whether it is right for you, but whether you are right for it.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro

€1199,99

8.3

We like

• Very bright screen
• inReach feature
• Reliable health sensors
• Exceptional robustness

We like less

• Slightly limited battery life
• Very high price
• Bulky case
• Complex interface