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Home » Fitness » Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Forerunner 945 review: Best fitness smartwatches on the market – 7NEWS.com.au

When it comes to wearable fitness accessories, youd be hard pressed to have a conversation without Garmin getting a prominent mention.

Whys that? Well look no further than two of their latest high-end watches the Fenix 6 Pro and the Forerunner 945.

Both put their direct competition to shame in a lot of areas, measuring more metrics than most average athletes will ever need. But dont be fooled into thinking thats where it stops. These watches now go well beyond just fitness.

But how do they stack up against the best smartwatches on the market right now?

I took both these bad boys for test runs and two weeks in, it became rather apparent that I barely scratched the surface of what theyre capable of.

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

Garmin Forerunner 945

Negatives

Garmin Fenix 6 Pro

Garmin Forerunner 945

Coronavirus restrictions and the realisation I still had to work meant I wasnt able to explore the Ski resort or golf course maps that are provided on both models.

But as far as running, swimming and cycling goes, its hard to find smartwatches that will give you feedback like the F6 Pro and Forerunner 945.

Not to mention the inbuilt Spotify, Strava compatibility (because if you didnt flex on your fitness-crazed friends, did it really even count?) and Garmin Pay are easy to access and mean you can leave your phone at home when heading out for a run. Unfortunately, theres no cellular option, so if you do, you wont be receiving any messages or calls.

As with all things tech, the data can be overwhelming, especially if you dont know what youre looking for.

Fortunately, a newly condensed widget view and easily customisable watchface means you can get a simplified analysis of key data fields, including distance, pace, heart rate, VO2 Max and Relative Effort, all in the one place.

If all of that becomes too much to understand, the body battery offers a simplified summary of the energy you have exerted through the day and what percentage of your battery is still available.

I also used the F6 Pro to track an outdoor weights season and was pleasantly surprised with the accuracy of the reps, given wrist-based readings can sometimes be a little off the mark.

The Forerunner 945, despite boasting a somewhat minimalist design, also packs a mean punch, perhaps bigger than youd expect. It includes a heart rate monitor, built-in maps, barometric altimeter, pulse oximetre, gyroscope and accelerometre in addition to all the basic pacing metrics.

Fenix 6 Pro

Lets start with F6 Pro It comes with a $1,399 price tag for a reason (there are cheaper options available).

A rugged design, with increased screen size from the Fenix 5, it doesnt look like a plastic toy on your wrist, like so many fitness watches do. From the second you scroll through its features, you can tell this watch is meant for more than just your weekend jog around the park.

Its weight suggests the same but that may not be for everyone.

The stainless-steel casing make it a standout in appearance but bulkier than watches like the Forerunner 945 something you can notice when running. If youre after a good heart rate reading, its probably worth tightening the strap before a run as the increased size means it can move around a bit more on your wrist.

No, its not a touch screen, however its five buttons are easy to utilise while exercising.

This watch came with the standard silicone band but the QuickFit design means it is incredibly easy to swap over if you want to change up the look.

Forerunner 945

The Forerunner 945 has a near identical shell/case as its predecessor, the FR935 - because why change a winning formula?

Sleeker and lighter than the Fenix 6 Pro, the Forerunner 945 comes with a 22mm perforated silicone band, making it a dream to wear, even during a serious sweat session.

It boasts a 47mm screen with fibre-reinforced polymer casing that makes it a dream to use. Despite the ample size of the watch face, the Forerunner 945 is sleek.

All of the features mentioned above are wrapped up in a 13.7mm watch case, meaning at times I forgot I even had it on a real benefit if you plan on utilising the body battery feature.

It was a welcome change to leave my phone at home, with both watches pre-installed with Deezer and Spotify.

Youll need a set of Bluetooth headphones as theres no speaker on either device. After connecting for the first time, youre good to go. Both watches will prompt you to turn on the headphones once activating the music feature.

The controls are easy enough to access while exercising too.

Both watches offer an indulgence of battery modes which vary anywhere from 36 hours to 46 days.

Should you need it to, the F6 Pro and Forerunner 945 can both last upwards of 46 days without a charge. Yes, you read that right.

Admittedly this is the absolute extreme battery conservation mode.

Conversely, the Max battery mode can last up to three days, while using Garmins UltraTrac mode that records track points and sensor data less frequently. Or up to 36 hours in full GPS mode.

I was somewhere in between and managed to go seven days in between charges with consistent heart rate tracking and smart notifications switched on. This included three or four 10km runs (using Spotify the entire time) and a couple of swims.

In short, both batteries are elite.

Yes both watches offer Garmin payment options, music playback services and smart notifications from your smartphones. You can read your text messages and answer phone calls from both, if your phone is within range.

But lets be clear, these are fitness smartwatches first and foremost.

They rightly knock off Apple and Samsung in the fitness departments, but they arent going to offer all the bells and whistles you see on the tech-focused smartwatches.

Its also important to note that theres no cellular option if thats something youre interested in.

Forerunner 945

The Forerunner 945, put simply, is hard to fault.

It analyses all the crucial running metrics the F6 Pro does, is more comfortable to run with and more affordable.

If you are keen to take your training to the next level, youd be hard pressed to find a smartwatch that could help you more than this.

Fenix 6 Pro

The one question you have to ask yourself before considering the F6 Pro is what do I actually need?

If fitness (and a bit of premium wrist candy) is not the primary motivation, there are probably cheaper models that would suit you better.

In my opinion the titanium finish makes the F6 Pro perhaps the best looking smartwatch on the market at the moment.

So if the thicker design isnt a problem for you and youre after an elite multi-sport smartwatch, this can definitely become your day-to-day smartwatch.

Originally posted here:
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Forerunner 945 review: Best fitness smartwatches on the market - 7NEWS.com.au

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Home » Fitness » Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Forerunner 945 review: Best fitness smartwatches on the market – 7NEWS.com.au