The Garmin Fenix 6 tracks your health while you exercise. It fits on your wrist and uses various devices to track your progress. You learn about your breathing and heart rates as you work out.
There are smart watches, and then there are tools for the serious practitioner who needs a reliable tool on the track, road, field or wherever they are going to be working or racing.
No surprise, general consumer options are not enough. Instead, folks in the know are working with smartwatches that carry the benefits that meet field expectations versus those in a shopping mall.
The Garmin Fenix 6 as well as the Forerunner 945 from the same company stand out in performance as well as capabilities for those who need an active smartwatch for serious use.
Given the choice of either device on its own, most folks who have an idea what they are looking at are going to take both watches.
Both the Fenix 6 and the Forerunner 945 are premium packages that consistently deliver, both in terms of function as well as overall fit.
There are aspects, however, that push the two choices apart and, depending on your tastes and wants, one of the two watches is going to appeal more as a result.
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Premium GPS Running/Triathlon Smartwatch.
If you’re not the type who needs to have an assortment of differences and nuances to choose from, then the Forerunner 945 is going to suit you just fine.
However, if you’re the kind of person who likes to have choices between models, colors, fit and features, the Fenix 6 is going to be far more attractive. Where the Forerunner 945 will give you any watch you want as long as it’s the one model produced, the Fenix 6 actually gives you variety.
The Fenix series comes in a range including the 6S, the regular 6 and then the premium choice of the 6X. And, if that’s not enough, there is a standard version of these three choices as well as a professional version. The Forerunner 945 is, well, just that. Nothing else.
Believe it or not, there is even a Fenix 6 that comes with a Sapphire style lens versus the regular screen. And the body can be either titanium or a far more practical stainless steel. Again, the Forerunner is one choice, nothing more.
Sports Functionality
When it comes to how one uses a sportswatch in active mode, the Forerunner 945 wins the better points. First off, physically, the watch is designed to be ideal for active use.
Whether running or swimming or hiking, the watch is lightweight, easy to wear, and versatile. The case is a bit larger than normal, measuring at 47mm.
That might seem a bit bigger than standard for those with small hands, but it fits comfortably and the bigger screen makes it easier to see the details displayed.
For physical fit, the Fenix 6 isn’t as big as it’s previous models, but it’s still sizable as well. For folks where even this is a still a problem, then the Fenix 6S is the preferred model, with a slightly smaller case still.
That tends to make it the favorite physical choice for many. It’s always interesting with tech that the more things we want on a device, the smaller it needs to be in a physical shape.
Fortunately, even with the above, Garmin smartwatch owners can still change the straps for ones they like. The Forerunner 945 strap, however, is slightly more robust with a 22mm strap size versus the Fenix at 20mm.
The Visibility Field Factor
The Garmin Fenix 6 tracks your health while you exercise. It fits on your wrist and uses various devices to track your progress. You learn about your breathing and heart rates as you work out.
If you wear glasses, the lens and detail clarity on either watch won’t matter much without them. However, when you look close at the display, then it becomes clear the Fenix tends to stand out better.
The Forerunner 945 is no slouch, however. Instead, it provides a user at display with transflective ability and is sized up to a field of 1.2 inches across. It’s comparable to the Fenix 6S.
That said, the Fenix 6 is bigger, at 1.3 inches, and then the Fenix 6X is the whopper, at 1.4 inches in size across.
However, neither watch is a functional touchscreen for control. Instead, both the Fenix smartwatches and the Forerunner 945 are both throwbacks to older technology with actual buttons to control settings and features.
Wrapping Up the Selection
Garmin doesn’t build garbage. Both the Forerunner 945 as well as the Fenix series watches are amazing assemblies, either way. What sets them apart tends to be case by case, dependent on the whims of the consumer. Functionally, they are very comparable to each other.
That said, the Forerunner 945 is a lightweight model that tends to fit with a smaller footprint physically, has an extensive battery life, and holds up well with active life, either on the road or in the water. The Fenix smartwatches, on the other hand, are the top end of the Garmin line.
They have an amazing selection of styles and choices, provide lots of luxury features above the performance complement, and they tend to be far more flexible for different sports versus just running and swimming. The display is deep and detailed as well.
It’s a bit like the difference between a BMW and Mercedes; both are made with excellent German engineering, but the Mercedes goes farther in luxury.
That’s the difference for folks between the Forerunner’s functionality, and the Fenix 6’s premium zeal.
