Just like the Apple Watch 6, the Garmin Fenix 6 is also capable of monitoring your Blood Oxygen level and taking an ECG, and a ton of features to track your health. And all your regular smartwatch stuff is there too. Garmin’s own OS Ecosystem has its own app store and a nice selection of apps available in it. Thereby, choosing the right one between both could be a daunting task.
For years, Apple has maintained its lead in the premium smartwatch business with some exceptional products. This year they came out with the Apple Watch Series 6, the successor to the extremely popular Series 5 from last year.
The upgrades are subtle with the new faster S6 SOC, a new Blood Oxygen sensor, the new display with double the brightness of Series 5, improved battery life & a few little things, here and there.
The new WatchOS is also taking all these new components and creating the experience that people expect from the Apple Watches and fine-tuning that experience part by making small, yet significant improvements.
The Garmin Fenix 6 on the other hand, does what Garmin does best. Be a premium wearable that people love and desire to own, while also being a smartwatch. It does not go all-in with technological improvements but still does a lot to provide a good smartwatch experience.
You know how you have very specific expectations from the smartwatch you’re gonna buy and use every single day? Well, that’s what I’m here to help you with, if you randomly pick a smartwatch, it may not be the best fit for your specific needs. Both of these smartwatches have their advantages & drawbacks and I will help you choose the right one.
So, do you wish to find out which one of these smartwatches is gonna be the best for you? If yes, stick around as I will compare them head to head right here. In this article, I’ll be inspecting everything that matters including the displays, available sensors, all the health monitoring features, the hardware differences, battery life & much more. As I compare everything in detail, you’ll get a very clear idea of what these watches are capable of and if they’ll deliver for you.
To give you an idea, there will be some obvious differences between these watches right? The choice of materials, the shapes, the OS & Ecosystem, the availability of apps & things like that. For instance, Apple uses a rectangular frame with rounded-off edges while Garmin uses the more traditional circular shape.
The Watch OS & Garmin OS, which are completely different ecosystems, trying to make the smartwatch experience right. While you can use the Garmin Fenix 6 with both iOS & non-iOS devices such as Google Pixel, Motorola, OnePlus smartphones, etc, the Apple Watch is only compatible with iPhones.
Maybe the morning runners will grab the Apple Watch 6 but, people in the golf course may prefer Fenix 6 instead. One thing is for sure, there is a lot more to the story than what meets the eye. So if all of this sounds like something you’d be interested in, I did a detailed comparison, breaking up everything, part-by-part. So, please continue reading the rest of this article.
Contents
- Garmin Fenix 6 vs Apple Watch Series 6: Comparison Chart
- Design & Build
- Display
- Activity & Fitness Tracking
- OS and Interface
- Hardware & Performance
- Battery Life
- Connectivity Options
- Extra Features
- Warranty
- Garmin Fenix 6: The Pros and Cons
- Apple Watch 6: Pros & Cons
- Value and Price
- Should You Buy Either of Them?
- Frequently Asked Questions
- The Verdict
Garmin Fenix 6 vs Apple Watch Series 6: Comparison Chart
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Companion app | Garmin Connect | Apple Watch |
| Compatibility | iOS, Android | iOS |
| Interchangeable strap | Yes | Yes |
| Voice command | No | Siri |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Watch, Strap, Charging Cable, Documentation | Watch, Magnetic Charging Cable, Strap, Documentation |
| Starting Price | $599.99 (GPS) | $399 (GPS), $499 (GPS+Cellular) |
| Type | Fitness | Fitness |
| Gender | Unisex | Unisex |
| Shape | Circular | Rectangular with Rounded Corners |
| Case Material | Fiber-reinforced Polymer with Metal backplate | Aluminum, Stainless Steel & Titanium variants |
| Strap Material | Nylon, Silicone & Leather | Silicone, Nylon, Fiber, Leather & Metal options |
| Bezel Material | Stainless steel | No Bezel |
| Strap Size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass DX, Sapphire | ion-X Glass, Sapphire |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM (up to 100 meters) | 5 ATM (up to 50 meters) |
| Display Size | 1.3 inch | 1.78 inch (44mm), 1.57 inch (40mm) |
| Display Type | Transflective MIP LCD | LTPO OLED, 1000 nits |
| Resolution | 260 x 260 px | 448 x 368 px (44mm) , 394x324 px (40mm) |
| Always On | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Watch Face | Yes | Yes |
| SOC | N/A | Apple S6 (Dual-core) |
| RAM | N/A | N/A |
| Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
| Accelerometer | Yes | Yes |
| Altimeter | Yes | Yes |
| Ambient light | Yes | Yes |
| Barometer | Yes | Yes |
| Compass | Yes | Yes |
| ECG | No | Yes |
| Gyroscope | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen | Yes | Yes |
| Hand Wash Detection | No | Yes |
| Thermometer | Yes | No |
| Blood Pressure | No | No |
| Calories Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Distance Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | No |
| Steps Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Fall Detection | Yes | Yes |
| Swim Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual Cycle | No | Yes |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes |
| Battery type | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery Capacity | N/A | N/A |
| Battery Life | N/A | Around 18 Hours of Daily Use |
| Loudspeaker | Yes | Yes |
| Microphone | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth | Yes | Yes, v5.0 |
| Bluetooth Calling | Yes | Yes |
| GPS | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g/n | Wi-Fi 802.11, b/g/n |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes |
| SIM type | None | e-Sim (on Cellular model) |
| OS | Garmin OS | WatchOS 7 |
It can be hard to decide between both the premium smartwatches. You have to take in all the possible pointers including the raw horsepower, health monitoring, sustained battery life, the pricing options & all the little things that make the smartwatch experience whole.
I am going to discuss everything in detail but, in case you just want all the specs & features side by side, on the table, I’ve prepared that table for you, literally.
Design & Build
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Shape | Circular | Rectangular with Rounded Corners |
| Case Material | Fiber-reinforced Polymer with Metal backplate | Aluminum, Stainless Steel & Titanium variants |
| Strap Material | Nylon, Silicone & Leather | Silicone, Nylon, Fiber, Leather & Metal options |
| Bezel Material | Stainless steel | No Bezel |
| Strap Size | 22 mm | 22 mm |
| Screen Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass DX, Sapphire | ion-X Glass, Sapphire |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM (up to 100 meters) | 5 ATM (up to 50 meters) |
| Display Size | 1.3 inch | 1.78 inch (44mm), 1.57 inch (40mm) |
| Display Type | Transflective MIP LCD | LTPO OLED, 1000 nits |
| Resolution | 260 x 260 px | 448 x 368 px (44mm) , 394x324 px (40mm) |
Let’s kick things off with the design. Gramin & Apple both have a very different ideology of what a smartwatch should look like. Garmin has chosen a circular shape which has been the most common shape for watches for several decades. Apple on the other hand is using a rectangular shape with rounded corners. People like to call it more of a square-ish design but, it’s really not.
Talking about the size, Garmin has gone with 47mm casing while Apple has 40mm and 44mm options available. You can get smaller or larger casing options from Garmin but that only comes with the other variants like the Fenix 6X & 6S.
Both brands, let you customize the look of the watch right on their website. Garmin has only one case option with Fiber-reinforced Polymer housing, Stainless Steel bezel & Metal backplate. Apple Watch 6, on the other hand comes in Aluminum, Stainless Steel & Titanium casings (40mm & 44mm sizes.)
For the straps, Apple has a better variety of options available from basic Silicone to Nylon, Fiber, Leather & Metal constructions, and the new solo loop variants of these bands. Garmin has slightly limited options available with Nylon, Silicone & Leather variants. In both cases, you can mix & match any case with any strap and choose what works best for you.
Let’s talk protection now, both watches come with Glass on the base models. On the Garmin, there is a slightly more expensive Sapphire Edition available, which will come with a sapphire top. Apple includes sapphire with the Stainless Steel & Titanium casing options but, of course, those will cost you more as well.
Coming to water resistance, the Garmin Fenix 6 has a 10 ATM rating which allows it to survive under 100 meters of water. The Apple Watch Series 6 has a lower 5 ATM rating which means it can survive under 50 meters of water. That is half of what the Garmin offers but, both of these watches are going to be perfect for swimming. But, don’t go skin diving with these as none of them can survive that.
Display
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Size | 1.3 inch | 1.78 inch (44mm), 1.57 inch (40mm) |
| Type | Transflective MIP LCD | LTPO OLED, 1000 nits |
| Resolution | 260 x 260 px | 448 x 368 px (44mm) , 394x324 px (40mm) |
| Always On | Yes | Yes |
| Custom Watch Face | Yes | Yes |
When it comes to display sizes, Apple has beaten Garmin from a sheer viewing area perspective. Garmin has a 1.3-inch display with a resolution of 260 x 260 px. Apple has 2 different display sizes for the two different case sizes. There is a 1.78-inch display on the 44mm model with a resolution of 448 x 368 px and for the 40mm model, the display size drops a little bit at 1.57-inch with a resolution of 394 x 324 px. In both cases, Apple Watch Series 6 has bigger & higher resolution displays compared to the Garmin Fenix 6.
Garmin & Apple have used very different technologies for their displays. Garmin has gone with a Transflective Memory-In-Pixel (MIP) type Display while Apple has gone with an LTPO OLED display. MIP displays use a backlight to get bright & have good outdoor visibility. However, Apple’s LTPO OLED display will draw less power, have better colors & has 1000 nits brightness which means excellent outdoor visibility.
No matter what Garmin does here, Apple has outperformed them in the display department for sure.
Now, if you are worried about Always On Display functionality, rest assured, both of the watches have always-on displays. The MIP display on the Fenix 6 is pretty power-efficient, so it won’t draw too much power, despite having a backlight. The LTPO OLED display on the Watch Series 6 is quite power efficient as well. When you’re not using the display, Apple will dim the brightness significantly to save some extra juice and when you start using it, the brightness will boost back on.
Of course, both displays are touch-enabled and the touchscreen experience will be more or less the same. Anyway, both companies let you use custom watch faces. Garmin has a decent number of useful watch faces which should be appealing to health & sports enthusiasts.
Apple has a lot more variety when it comes to customizing your Apple watch. Plus, with the new WatchOS 7, they have added even more new watch faces, an option to share custom watch faces with other Apple watch users & custom watch faces for various activities.
Needless to say, although both Garmin & Apple offer good displays with a lot of customization options, Apple does reign supreme in this department. Apple’s versatility & the effort to be useful to all types of users, push them ahead of the competition. Anyway, if the extra features don’t really matter to you, the Garmin Fenix 6 is pretty cool too.
Activity & Fitness Tracking
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| ECG | No | Yes |
| Blood Oxygen Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Monitor | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Swim Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Distance Tracking (Running) | Yes | Yes |
| Step Tracking | Yes | Yes |
| Fall Detection | Yes | Yes |
For any kind of smartwatch that has its main focus on health, the built-in sensors take a huge part in monitoring your activity & the everyday aspects of your life. There are some basic sensors & some more advanced sensors that are required for good health monitoring & fitness tracking.
Thankfully both the Fenix and the Apple Watch have all of the necessary sensors with some cool extra ones. So, you shouldn’t have an issue in this department, regardless of the model you go for.
Now, the fitness tracking features are great on both of the watches. However, the Fenix 6 does not come with an EGC monitoring system which the Watch Series 6 has. So, if you’re worried a lot about your heart, you might be better off with the Apple Watch. Do note that both of these watches do come with a regular Heart Rate Monitor so, that’s something you’ll also get in the Garmin.
Both of the watches also come with a Blood Oxygen Sensor (aka Pulse Oximeter). The sensor will shine a light on your wrist and read the reflection of that to get an idea of your blood oxygen level. However, these aren’t supposed to be replacements for medical pulse oximeters & may give slightly inaccurate readings. In case you want a more accurate reading, if you place the sensor on your thumb & then check it, you’ll get a slightly better reading compared to your wrist.
For running, workout, swimming & sports fans, both Apple & Garmin will provide you with great options. However, Garmin does have some smart running features and some great cycling modes built-in. So, if you are looking into those sections or even if you play golf a lot, you may find the Fenix 6 fitting your needs better.
OS and Interface
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| OS | Garmin OS | WatchOS 7 |
| Voice Control | Activated by saying "Voice Command" | Siri |
| Companion App | Connect IQ | Apple Watch |
Garmin & Apple both have their own operating systems. Garmin uses their Garmin OS in the Fenix 6 & all other smartwatches, while Apple of course uses their new WatchOS 7 for the Apple Watch Series 6. As mentioned earlier, both of the watches do support a variety of watch faces. However, Apple does have more customization options available with faces for different activities and it also lets the user create their custom watch face which can even be done with Animojis created on their iPhones.
Moving to functionality, both Garmin & Apple will let you track your health & activity, right on the watch. You can track how far you’ve run or how much altitude you’re on or what is your blood oxygen level in real-time. Navigation options are there, so you don’t have to whip out your phone every time to find a location. There is also direct integration to services like Spotify & the music can be played directly on your Bluetooth headphones or Airpods in case you’re using the Apple Watch.
Talking about voice control, Apple of course has full Siri integration while Garmin has a more basic voice control system. You can activate them using “Hey Siri” on the Apple Watch or by saying “Voice Command” on the Garmin. If you get the cellular model on the Apple Watch, you can make calls or send messages using voice alongside, doing all the other Siri stuff you’d expect. Garmin on the other hand has a relatively limited set of voice commands for navigation, brightness & volume control, etc. So, as far as being smart goes, the Apple Watch Series 6 takes the crown there.
Garmin has it’s Connect IQ store with a decent variety of Apps starting from popular music apps like Spotify, Deezer, alongside navigation apps & watch faces. The App Store for the Apple Watch has a better collection of apps & watch faces. However, how much this is gonna be an advantage or drawback for you, will depend on what exactly you need on your smartwatch.
If you’re just looking for something good enough for sports & workout, the Garmin will hold up fine. If you want to get as many features as you possibly can, the Apple Watch is going to do better. Both Garmin Connect & Apple Watch companion apps do a great job of keeping a track of your watch activities & controlling it.
Hardware & Performance
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| SOC | N/A | Apple S6 |
| RAM | N/A | N/A |
| Internal Storage | 32GB | 32GB |
Garmin doesn’t really advertise what SOC they are using on the Fenix 6 but, it’s probably something from the Snapdragon Wear series from Qualcomm. As I do not have confirmation in this department, I cannot talk about any SOC specs for the Fenix 6. However, I do know that the performance of Fenix 6 is pretty good with almost no occasional hiccups. It also has 32GB of internal storage, so it should not run out even with a bunch of apps installed.
Apple has been using their own SOCs in most of its products & the Apple Watch Series 6 is no exception. The Apple S6 chip powering the new Apple Watch is around 20% faster than the S5 chip which powered the Watch Series 5.
Apple also included the W3 wireless chip that they have been using since Series 4 and added the new ultraband U1 chip for spatial awareness & effortless communication with other U1 equipped devices like the iPhone 11 series. It has equipped the Series 6 with 32GB of internal storage which is the same as the Fenix 6.
Battery Life
If you want to have a great smartwatch experience, it is not possible without a great battery life. Thankfully, both the Fenix 6 and the Apple Watch Series 6 have excellent battery life. Although you do need to keep in mind, if you get the GPS+Cellular version of the Apple Watch, it’ll drain a bit faster when you have cellular data enabled.
The Fenix 6 is rated for up to 14 days of regular smartwatch standby time. However, that’s not usage time so, that is not what you’re gonna see in real life. Here’s a list of all the different modes & their rated battery life.
| GPS | Up to 36 hours |
| Smartwatch | Up to 14 Days |
| GPS + Music | Up to 10 hours |
| Max Battery GPS Mode | Up to 36 hours |
| Expedition GPS Mode | Up to 28 Days |
| Battery Saver Watch Mode | Up to 48 Days |
The Apple Watch, on the other hand, has been rated for 18 hours of regular use on a single charge. Now, depending on how you’re using it & what you’re using the most the battery life will differ quite a lot. Here’s the list of how it may look like in different situations.
| Daily Rated | Up to 18 hours |
| With Family Setup | Up to 14 hours |
| Talktime (LTE) | Up to 1.5 hours |
| Audio Playback | Up to 11 hours (Local) or 8 hours (Streaming) |
| Indoor Workout | Up to 11 hours |
| Outdoor Workout | Up to 7 hours (GPS) or 6 Hours (GPS+LTE) |
The Watch Series 6 will take around 1 hour to charge from 0% to 80% and around 1.5 hours to charge to a full 100%. For Fenix 6, Garmin doesn’t really mention charging time on their website but, users have reported around 3 hours for getting to a full 100% so, that’s what you should be expecting as well.
Needless to say, the Fenix 6 with less activity going on, can last you longer than the Watch Series 6. So, if you’re gonna do the basic stuff more, the Garmin might be a better choice. However, if you need the cellular connectivity & the smart features, Apple Watch Series 6 is what you should be looking at.
Connectivity Options
| Garmin Fenix 6 | Apple Watch Series 6 | |
|---|---|---|
| Navigation | GPS, GLONASS, Galileo | GPS/GNSS |
| Wi-Fi | 802.11 b/g/n | 802.11 b/g/n |
| Bluetooth | Available | Available, v5.0 |
| Cellular | No | LTE & UMTS (on Cellular model) |
The connectivity options are kind of a strong suit for the Watch Series 6. The Fenix 6 has GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth & ANT+ for the connectivity options. The Watch Series 6 has GPS/GNSS, Wi-Fi 5 (802.11 n) & Bluetooth 5.0 and an optional cellular option with support for LTE & UMTS. Garmin doesn’t offer cellular connectivity on the Fenix 6.
Extra Features
Garmin Fenix 6
Pace Pro: Garmin’s Pace Pro is a smart running feature that lets you create a pace plan by selecting a distance by yourself or choosing one from the Garmin Connect courses. Then Garmin will give you dynamic grade-adjusted pace guidance using the distance you’re covering & your elevation profile.
Cycling Features: Garmin has a bunch of cycling profiles including Outdoor, Indoor & Mountain Biking. You can track & improve on your cycling skills, set new goals, break older ones, and a lot more just with the included functionality.
Garmin has a bunch of extra features like Blood Oxygen monitoring, smart running, modes for swimming, running on a treadmill, cycling, surfing, etc.
Apple Watch Series 6
ECG: Starting from Series 5, Apple has added an optical sensor to take your ECG, at the bottom of the watch. This year Apple has included the 2nd generation of that Optical Heart Sensor & it should be better to take your ECG.
Blood Oxygen Monitor: The latest addition to the Series 6 is the new Blood Oxygen Monitor. The new Blood Oxygen Sensor shines a light through your wrist & and reads the reflection to determine your blood oxygen level. However, you’ll get a much better reading if you hold the sensor above your finger instead of your wrist.
The Apple Watch also has a tracking mechanism in place for swimming, cycling & stuff like that with custom watch faces to track all those stats. As a bonus, you can also make hands-free phone calls, if you have the cellular model.
Warranty
The Garmin Fenix 6 comes with a 1-year limited warranty and the Apple Watch Series 6 also comes with a 1-year limited warranty. However, do remember that both of these are International warranties so, in case you travel to other countries for work, you don’t have to worry about your watch getting dead & not having a warranty to fix it. These are premium smartwatches so you do get the warranty, no matter where you are in the world.
Garmin Fenix 6: The Pros and Cons
- A bunch of sports and activity tracking features
- Pace Pro for smart running
- Long battery life
- Premium materials
- No cellular option
- Only available in a single size
- Low app availability
Apple Watch 6: Pros & Cons
- Cellular (LTE+UMTS) model available
- 40mm & 44mm cases to choose from
- ECG & Blood Oxygen Monitors
- Better availability of apps
- Versatile customization options with a large selection of straps
- Tracking ready, custom watch faces
- The steel & titanium cases cost a lot
- The battery can drain pretty fast during calls
Value and Price
None of these smartwatches are value-oriented. These are premium smartwatches and if you want them, you need to pay the luxury price tags.
The Garmin Fenix 6 starts at $599.99 for the watch & the silicone strap & if you want the sapphire edition that’ll bump up the price to $799.99. Now, if you want to customize Fenix 6 with other bands the price of the regular version can go up to $749.99. The price of the sapphire version will also bump up respectively when you pair it with more expensive brands.
The Apple Watch Series 6 starts at $399 for the 40mm & $429 for the 44mm model with the Aluminum casing. To add cellular connectivity you’ll need to spend $100 extra bumping the prices up to $499 & $529. The Stainless Steel & the Titanium variants will cost $699 for the 40mm & $749 for 44mm models. These only come with a GPS+Cellular option.
Customizing with different bands, you can push the value up to $1299 so if you have extra cash lying around, then maybe you would wanna do that but, even if you’re sticking with the default bands, you should be fine.
Should You Buy Either of Them?
If you’ve made it this far, chances are, you already want to purchase one of these premium smartwatches for yourself or maybe for a family member. So, before you go ahead and do that, here’s a list of the people who will benefit from getting one of these, the most.
- People who work out daily in the gym, run, swim, or play intensive outdoor sports, can benefit best from the Apple Watch Series 6.
- People who play golf, ride a Hybrid or Mountain bicycle, run or swim, can benefit best from the Garmin Fenix 6.
- If you’re buying for elderly people who stay at home alone (or alone most of the day), they can benefit from the Apple Watch. Its health monitoring & SOS features come in handy during an emergency.
- If you’re getting the watch to monitor your kids, again the Apple Watch is a better option.
In most cases, you’ll be fine with the Apple Watch however, if you have the specific features which the Garmin Fenix 6 does better, maybe spending the extra money will be worth it, in that case.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. If you want to keep track of your health & daily activities, a good smartwatch is absolutely necessary. However, if the ones I mentioned are way over your budget, you can even try cheaper options with fewer features or even fitness bands if you want.
Apple provides the WatchOS 7 starting from Watch Series 3, just get that model & you can save a huge chunk of money.
Technically, the Fenix 6 has better water resistance at 10 ATM (100 meters) while the Watch Series 6 has a water resistance of 5 ATM (50 meters). For swimming, you can choose any of them. Both are great for swimming in pools. However, do not take these for under ocean skin diving as none of them are going to survive that.
Of course. None of these are medical instruments, so they may give slightly inaccurate readings or show a false alarm once in a while.
The Verdict
To conclude, let’s take a look at the major takeaways from this comparison between the Garmin Fenix 6 and the Apple Watch Series 6. For your convenience, I have listed everything as points below.
- Both of these watches are more than capable and you can’t go wrong with any of them.
- When it comes to smart features & a better ecosystem, Apple does it better than Garmin.
- Some sports professionals may find the Fenix 6 more compelling than the Watch Series 6.
- Families will find the Apple Watch to be more useful than the Garmin.
- If the price isn’t an issue, getting the versions with a Sapphire top layer will give you better scratch resistance.
So, between the two, check which one will check the most boxes for you. If the Fenix 6 does that, pick it up. Or if you find the Apple Watch to be more your jam, maybe go for that instead.