Garmin has announced the Fēnix 8 Pro series, the newest generation Premium GPS smartwatches. It is the first time that the manufacturer has incorporated his Inreach technology for satellite and mobile connectivity into a watch. This allows users to send messages along the way, share their location and even make emergency calls without having their phone with them. All that is not cheap.
The Fēnix 8 Pro appears in two versions: a model with an Amoled screen and a model with a microled display. The latter in particular is new in the smartwatch market. The 51mm Microled model provides a brightness of up to 4500 Nits and must therefore also be legible in bright sunlight.
Communication without a telephone
With the built-in Inreach functions, users can send text messages and location updates. When connecting to the LTE network, the smartwatch also offers speech calls, short speech messages, LiveTrack-sharing and weather forecasts. In emergency cases, the SOS function can pass on a signal to the Garmin Response Center, which informs emergency services and contact persons and coordinates communication.
Robust design and sports functions
The watches are designed for use in heavy conditions, with watertightness suitable for diving, metal buttons, titanium edges and a built-in LED bag lamp. They also support functions such as endurance and hills scores, training suggestions, navigation with pre-installed maps, dynamic route planning, an ECG app, sleep coach and Garmin Pay.
Prices and availability
The Fēnix 8 Pro- Amoled appears in 47mm and 51mm variants and lasts up to 27 days on one battery charge in smartwatch mode. The fēnix 8 Pro-Microled only comes in 51mm version and has a battery life of a maximum of 10 days. The suggested retail prices are € 1,199.99 and € 1,999.99 respectively. Both models are available from 8 September.