Help me out here, I have the Apple watch Ultra 3 and my best friend has the Garmin Fenix 8 pro with satelite and Lte capability and ofcourse there is a monthly subscripton for both services and they are hefty. Ultra 3 cellular for me is $10.00 a month and satelite service ( when there is no cell service) is free. So what am I missing?
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Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 pro features
- Thread starter chiefs1968
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Ultra 3 has full iMessage compatibility including ability to swipe-type texts (or if you're really dextrous, just regularly type them); fully seamless on-device phone service that's good enough to consider it a spare phone; seamless integration with iPhone not just on the usual suspects but stuff like multimedia and music. Automated Afib notification and ongoing monitoring and a high degree of trust by medical professionals -- my Ultra has gotten me off multiple medications. Full satellite coverage.
Both watches; huge array of running, swimming and crossfit features. Very good navigation. Next level GPS. Top-tier sleep monitoring. Strong bluetooth voice assistant features mean you don't really need a subscription if you have your phone around.
Garmin Fenix; far superior support for cycling, integration with Garmin Connect without having to resort to third-party translators like HealthFit; power-dynamics with VO2 inference not just for running but fully native with cycling too and even for unusual sports like XC skiing; a generally better and more seamless experience for triathlon; much better battery life if you don't use every feature all the time; ANT+ support for those sensors and devices that don't do Bluetooth; more controls on watch. Garmin's cheaper Forerunner 970 has the vast majority of Fenix features, though not quite the looks or the water resistance.
Intangibles -- wrist comfort. I find Apple watch better with its smoother backside and what I think is a better strap design, but others have a different experience.
Those are some of the highlights. Check dcrainmaker.com for more details. Hard to think of a better sports tech site.
Both watches; huge array of running, swimming and crossfit features. Very good navigation. Next level GPS. Top-tier sleep monitoring. Strong bluetooth voice assistant features mean you don't really need a subscription if you have your phone around.
Garmin Fenix; far superior support for cycling, integration with Garmin Connect without having to resort to third-party translators like HealthFit; power-dynamics with VO2 inference not just for running but fully native with cycling too and even for unusual sports like XC skiing; a generally better and more seamless experience for triathlon; much better battery life if you don't use every feature all the time; ANT+ support for those sensors and devices that don't do Bluetooth; more controls on watch. Garmin's cheaper Forerunner 970 has the vast majority of Fenix features, though not quite the looks or the water resistance.
Intangibles -- wrist comfort. I find Apple watch better with its smoother backside and what I think is a better strap design, but others have a different experience.
Those are some of the highlights. Check dcrainmaker.com for more details. Hard to think of a better sports tech site.
I have both watches 🫣
My experience during winter here in Denmark 🇩🇰, i prefer the Garmin. The physical buttons (when wearing gloves) is easier to press. I wear the watch on the jacket and use a HRM strap.
Navigation wise - Garmin is way ahead. You can be in a totally unfamiliar place, make a route on the watch (no need for a phone) and go for a run. I use that mainly on holidays in different countries.
I also find the Garmin to be more accurate. For example when I run in a group, and I wear my Apple Watch, and doing intervals with my running club, then we don’t stop the same place. Apparently Apple only measures distance in blocks/intervals to save battery. The same when Apple measures Heart rate, and the reason why everyone should wear a HRM.
Apple is definitely catching up, and I’m excited to see what the AWU4 can/will do.
No matter what watch you are using, it’s the training that makes you faster or better.
My experience during winter here in Denmark 🇩🇰, i prefer the Garmin. The physical buttons (when wearing gloves) is easier to press. I wear the watch on the jacket and use a HRM strap.
Navigation wise - Garmin is way ahead. You can be in a totally unfamiliar place, make a route on the watch (no need for a phone) and go for a run. I use that mainly on holidays in different countries.
I also find the Garmin to be more accurate. For example when I run in a group, and I wear my Apple Watch, and doing intervals with my running club, then we don’t stop the same place. Apparently Apple only measures distance in blocks/intervals to save battery. The same when Apple measures Heart rate, and the reason why everyone should wear a HRM.
Apple is definitely catching up, and I’m excited to see what the AWU4 can/will do.
No matter what watch you are using, it’s the training that makes you faster or better.
I just sold my Fenix 8, I got fed up with switching between that and my AWU3.
The Fenix looks better, has buttons, great battery life and is "good enough" as a smart watch.
I kept the AWU as its "good enough" as a sports watch and I prefer not having to take my phone with me when running or walking the dog, especially now its summer and I'm just wear shorts and a vest.
A smart watch is a tool, have the right tool that makes your life easier.
The Fenix looks better, has buttons, great battery life and is "good enough" as a smart watch.
I kept the AWU as its "good enough" as a sports watch and I prefer not having to take my phone with me when running or walking the dog, especially now its summer and I'm just wear shorts and a vest.
A smart watch is a tool, have the right tool that makes your life easier.
1rottenapple
macrumors 603
Ultra is for causal. Garmin for hardcore. I know someone who is a triathlete super in shape dude. And also another ultra marathon and they’re are only garmin. They don’t use always on display and they wouldn’t be caught dead with an ultra.
Apple Watch Series 10: A Runner's Review
For some the Apple Watch is enough ;-)
Garmin software is just terrible. The selection of apps for their watch is poor and the app buying experience is sub par to say the least. People complain about the walled Apple garden, get ready for the Garmin walled garden. Unless you need the battery life and some obscure metrics that only obsessives worry about go AW.
deckard666
macrumors 65816
My mates 8 - had a play with it a few weeks ago and found it a little laggy if I am honest....but I wouldn't say no if he gave me it.....although I didnt realise it doesnt support Barclays, Lloyds, Halifax, and HSBC for payments which would be a pain
Plus -
Plus -
- Your Apple Watch Ultra 3: Apple treats satellite connectivity purely as an emergency safety net. Because they partner with Globalstar and cover the massive overhead themselves, they offer Emergency SOS via Satellite for free. The catch? You can only use it when you have zero cell service, and it is strictly for emergency services or quick "Check In" pings to family. You can’t just sit on a trail and have a casual text conversation with your friend.
- The Fenix 8 Pro: Garmin baked their inReach technology right into the Pro. This isn’t just a "break glass in case of emergency" button. It uses the Skylo satellite network to allow true two-way off-grid messaging. Your friend can literally stand on a mountaintop with zero cell service and text anyone back and forth through the Garmin Messenger app just to chat. Because it behaves like a live global pager, Garmin routes it through their hefty, multi-tiered inReach consumer subscriptions.
2. The LTE Disconnect
- Your Ultra 3: Apple uses a standard eSIM that mirrors your iPhone's existing phone number. Your carrier treats it like an add-on device, which is why it's a flat $10/month. You get full phone calls, regular SMS texting, and data streaming for music.
- The Fenix 8 Pro: Garmin's LTE is not a phone replacement. It does not give the watch a phone number, and it cannot make traditional voice calls or send standard SMS texts. Instead, that expensive subscription pays for a dedicated Garmin data network that handles things like LiveTrack (letting people track their run in real-time without a phone), audio voice messages within the Garmin ecosystem, and incident detection alerts.
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LionTeeth
macrumors 6502
Actual professional marathon runners use a combination of: the cheapest garmins, Apple Watch, or nothing
And I highly doubt they would care about being "caught dead" wearing an Apple Watch.
1rottenapple
macrumors 603
deckard666
macrumors 65816
xDKP
macrumors 68030
This is one of the big ones still - Apple is assisted by 3rd party apps here, where both Footpath and now Strava can assist with routes in new areas - you just need to plan a bit ahead on your phone. Wish Apple would do it natively.
I hate this analogy - unless you run over 100K at a time, the Ultra is easily enough. All sensors are as good now a days and intervals, special workouts and pacing functions are amazing - the battery is the limiting factor here, but not for people not doing super long ultras.
We have reached a point a long time ago, where it's more a question of taste and that is amazing - both Coros, Garmin, Apple and more make great running watches
This is a big problem. While I'll generally stand up for Garmin Connect, they have done a slovenly job with Express, which still neither handles MTP properly on the Mac nor is it updated for Apple silicon universal binary. And the number of system updates they've needed for the x40 Edge series is extraordinary. In just over three years, we're now up to version 31.33. It's a bug fix smorgasbord, three point updates in the last month alone. Hey, at least they're still fixing x40 bugs even with the (far less battery-efficient) Edge x50 series out. So I'll give them that.....