New Garmin Watches Are First Wearables to Feature MicroLED Technology
Two new versions of the Garmin Fenix 8 were announced today. Both models support emergency calls, and one of them is the first smartwatch to feature a microLED display. This is a new technology that should provide incredible brightness even in sunlight, but with a downside: shorter battery life and a higher price.
Two new watches
Both new watches are versions of the Fenix 8 , the company’s flagship fitness smartwatch released last year. Previous models have featured AMOLED or solar-powered MIP displays. Today, Garmin is adding two more models to the family:
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Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED (from $1,199.99): Similar to the Fenix 8 AMOLED, but with LTE and satellite support for emergency messaging and calling. Available in 47mm and 51mm models (the larger size is $100 more).
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Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED ($1,999.99): The watch also supports LTE and satellite connectivity, and is 51mm in size. It features a microLED display, a revolutionary new type of display that delivers much brighter images than ever before.
Both models will go on sale on September 8, 2025.
Why microLED is so important for wearables
Most smartwatch screens are built around OLED or AMOLED displays — the brightly pixelated ones you’re used to seeing on the Apple Watch or, for that matter, your smartphone. Some older watches use MIP or LCD displays, which reflect ambient light or may be backlit. ( You can read more about the pros and cons of both types of displays here .)
But microLED is a new technology that hasn’t been seen in smartwatches before. LEDs can now be made so small that they’re roughly the size of a pixel (hence the name “micro”). The microLED version of the Fenix 8 Pro has more than 400,000 tiny LEDs on a circular screen that’s 454 x 454 pixels. (Both versions of the watch have the same resolution.)
The main difference for users is that these screens are bright . MicroLED displays do not contain organic components (the “O” in OLED or AMOLED), which allows manufacturers to put much more energy into them without worrying about burn-in.
Garmin claims its microLED display delivers 4,500 nits of brightness. For comparison, the Apple Watch Series 10 has 2,000 nits and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 has 3,000 nits. Garmin doesn’t typically list the brightness of its AMOLED watches in nits, so it’s hard to compare, but it’s safe to say that 4,500 nits is far more than you’d expect from any other model.
However, this comes at a cost in battery life. The microLED version of the Fenix 8 Pro drains its battery much faster than its more traditional AMOLED counterpart, judging by these comparisons across different usage scenarios:
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Smartwatch mode : 10 days for microLED, 27 days for AMOLED
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Smartwatch mode, always-on display : 4 days for microLED, 15 days for AMOLED
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All satellite systems (while active): 37 hours for microLED, 60 hours for AMOLED
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All satellite systems, but with always-on display : 16 hours for microLED, 47 hours for AMOLED
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All satellite systems, multi-band and LTE livetrack : 17 hours for microLED, 21 hours for AMOLED
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As above, with LTE LiveTrack but with always-on display : 10 hours for microLED, 19 hours for AMOLED
The Fenix 8 Pro supports cellular and satellite connectivity, but it’s not as useful as you might expect.
Both Fenix 8 Pro models (microLED and regular AMOLED) come with two types of connectivity for emergency communications. Unfortunately, it’s not the type that lets you receive notifications from multiple apps, as you’d expect from an Apple Watch.
The Fenix 8 Pro supports two connectivity options. The first is LTE. It usesLTE-M signals, a low-power type of cellular service available in most places with cellular coverage. The second is a satellite connection similar to what’s used in the company’s InReach line of emergency satellite communicators . (Garmin calls the new connection “InReach on your wrist.”)
These technologies allow you to make voice calls and send text messages, as long as the person you’re calling or texting has the Garmin Messenger app installed on their phone (or also has a Fenix 8 Pro). That way, you’ll be able to receive messages from a partner who knows you’re in the woods, but you won’t get random messages from coworkers or friends who don’t have the app.
To use these features, you’ll need an InReach subscription, including the SOS Response feature, which allows you to contact Garmin’s call center and potentially dispatch a search and rescue team to your location in the event of a major emergency. According to this Garmin page , an InReach subscription costs $7.99 or $14.99 per month, depending on the plan you choose. Fenix 8 Pro users can opt out of the $39.99 activation fee. That page also notes that the Fenix 8 Pro doesn’t support satellite connectivity for real-time location tracking.