Garmin has once again impressed the tech world with the recent release of their premium Fenix 7 Pro lineup, enhancing their roster with a handful of novel features that promise to eclipse the offerings of their predecessor.
Similarly, Apple has thrown down the gauntlet with their robustly designed Apple Watch Ultra, a model that seeks to carve out a niche among outdoor enthusiasts with its plethora of specific features.
But in the face of such vibrant competition, a question lingers: is the Apple Watch Ultra truly superior to the Fenix 7 Pro?
This article dives headfirst into the multifaceted world of smartwatches, comparing these two market leaders side-by-side.
So whether you’re a tech fanatic, a dedicated sportsman, or simply an informed consumer, join us as we dissect and analyze these two tech giants’ most advanced offerings to date.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Apple Watch Ultra: Price and Availability
Pricing for the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series begins at $799/£749 for the base model, increasing for different models and additional features.
The Apple Watch Ultra comes with a price tag of $799/£849/AU$1,299 for the cellular variant.
Where to Buy?
- Garmin Fenix 7 Pro: View on Amazon
- Apple Watch Ultra: View on Amazon
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Apple Watch Ultra: Specs Comparison
| Product | Garmin Fenix 7 Pro | Apple Watch Ultra |
|---|---|---|
| Design & Material | Shape: Round Body: fiber-reinforced polymer + titanium rear cover Strap: silicone | Shape: Rectangular Body: Titanium Strap: Alpine, Trail, or Ocean Loop |
| Display | 1.3” transflective | 1.92 inch LTPO OLED Retina |
| Resolution | 260 x 260 pixels | 502 x 410 pixels |
| Dimension | 47 x 47 x 14.5 mm | 49 x 44 x 14.4mm |
| Weight | 73 grams | 61.3 grams |
| Sensors | Heart rate, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, thermometer, SpO2 | Blood oxygen, electrical heart (ECG), optical heart, skin temperature |
| GPS | GPS/GLONASS/GALILEO multi-frequency positioning | L1 and L5 GPS |
| NFC | Yes | Yes |
| Connectivity | Bluetooth, ANT+, Wi-FI | Bluetooth 5.3, LTE and UMTS |
| Water Resistance | 10 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Battery | Up to 18 days | 542 mAh Up to 36 hours |
| Price | starting at $799.99 | $800 |
Related Comparison:
- Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Epix Pro: Which One to Buy?
- Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin MARQ Gen 2: Which Worth Money?
- Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Forerunner 965: Which One Is Worth the Money?
- Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Fenix 7: What’s the Difference?
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Apple Watch Ultra: In-Detph Comparison
Design and Display
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series introduces three different size options for consumers, the Fenix 7S Pro (42mm), Fenix 7 Pro (47mm), and Fenix 7X Pro (51mm).
Each watch boasts a responsive touchscreen display coupled with five navigational buttons. The MIP (Memory-In-Pixel) display exhibits clear readability even under direct sunlight, making it a reliable companion for outdoor enthusiasts. The rugged design and superior build quality further reinforce the suitability for adventurous outdoor activities.
The Apple Watch Ultra breaks away from its predecessors with a larger 49mm display, surpassing the Apple Watch Series 8. The 2,000-nit brightness assures optimal readability in bright light conditions.
The robust design features a titanium bezel coupled with a sapphire glass display for extra durability. An action button on the left side and a larger digital crown for simplified usage are added perks.
Running Features
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro showcases advanced running features like hill score and endurance score. These features measure your strength on steep elevations and your ability to sustain long efforts, respectively, providing valuable insights to optimize your running performance.
Apple Watch Ultra takes a different route with an enhanced compass app that permits waypoint saving and retracing steps, positioning it as an invaluable navigation tool. The watch also incorporates a Precision Start feature, which ensures the watch has found a GPS signal before initiating any activity, thereby guaranteeing accurate tracking.
Unique Features
One of the significant improvements in Garmin’s Fenix 7 Pro over its predecessor is its heart rate sensor. This sensor comes with more spatially diverse optical sensors, providing enhanced performance tracking for numerous sports modes.
Another unique feature of the Fenix 7 Pro is the built-in flashlight. This feature was first introduced in the Fenix 7x and has proven to be extremely useful, not only as a light source but also as a communication device, thanks to its blink or pulse ability.
The Fenix 7 Pro also has a runner-specific cadence visibility flashlight that pulses white when your arm thrusts forward and red as it moves back.
Fitness Features
Garmin has added new activity profiles to the Fenix 7 Pro such as white water rafting, Motocross, and Overlanding. It also offers two running profiles:
- Hill Score: This indicates how easy or difficult it might be to run uphill.
- Endurance Score: This measures how easy or difficult it will be for you to sustain prolonged efforts.
Garmin has slightly reworked the mapping capabilities of the Fenix 7 Pro, making it easier to read the upcoming weather conditions and adjust accordingly.
The Apple Watch Ultra offers a range of health features to help users monitor and improve their well-being. It includes a skin temperature sensor that provides insights into sleep patterns and menstrual cycle tracking.
With the ability to measure temperature every five seconds, users can identify changes in their baseline temperature and better understand factors affecting their rest and fertility.
The watch also includes features such as crash detection and a variety of workout modes, making it a comprehensive health companion for users seeking to enhance their fitness and overall health.
Smartwatch Capabilities
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro primarily concentrates on fitness and outdoor activity tracking, slightly side-lining its smartwatch capabilities. However, it does offer Garmin Pay for contactless payments, music streaming from leading platforms, and an on-watch app store for installing Connect IQ apps.
The Apple Watch Ultra, running on watchOS 9, truly shines in terms of smartwatch capabilities. It encompasses a voice assistant, cellular connectivity, and the ability to make direct calls from the watch itself. Like Garmin, it also supports NFC (Apple Pay), and music streaming, and benefits from an extensive app ecosystem.
Battery Life
Battery life plays a pivotal role for outdoor adventurers and athletes, who heavily rely on their smartwatches.
The Fenix 7 Pro series incorporates solar charging capabilities, resulting in an impressive battery life of up to 14 days in smartwatch mode and up to 122 hours with GPS functionality.
The Apple Watch Ultra, with a battery life of 12 hours with all features active, falls slightly short compared to the Fenix 7 Pro series. However, this duration is a notable improvement for the Apple Watch series and is sufficient for day-to-day use.
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro vs Apple Watch Ultra: Which Should You Buy?
Garmin Fenix 7 Pro series and Apple Watch Ultra, both deliver exceptional performance in their own spheres.
The Garmin Fenix 7 Pro is undoubtedly a solid watch, with many impressive features. However, it still lacks some features like a skin temperature sensor, which could pave the way for enhanced menstrual tracking and health data.
If you already own a Garmin Fenix 7 or a Garmin Fenix 7s, you probably won’t see a reason to upgrade to the 7 Pro. But if you have an older Forerunner and are looking to invest in an adventure-centric watch, the Fenix 7 Pro is a solid choice.
On the other hand, the Apple Watch Ultra presents itself as a versatile smartwatch with advanced smartwatch features, a large display, and additional functionalities like the Action Button and dive computer functionality.
