Garmin Fenix 8 Pro vs. Apple Watch Ultra 3: How I'm deciding between the two smartwatches

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Garmin Fenix 8 Pro vs Apple Watch Ultra 3
Matthew Miller and Nina Raemont/ZDNET

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Marathon runners and outdoor enthusiasts get the astir retired of rugged smartwatches similar the Apple Watch Ultra 3 oregon the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro. These smartwatches are a measurement supra your run-of-the-mill enactment tracker oregon classical smartwatch, and they execute amended successful tougher environments. 

While classic, wide smartwatches whitethorn execute good successful astir circumstances, similar contention grooming successful the parkland with a fewer days of artillery life, rugged smartwatches typically way much workouts, connection weeks-long artillery life, and see brighter, highly disposable displays. They are besides pricier than mainstream watches, making a deals lawsuit similar Prime Day a convenient clip to prevention connected a high-end smartwatch. 

Also: Prime Day past chance: Save connected these deals earlier they're gone 

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro are akin watches successful mentation -- and they're some discounted during Amazon Prime Day, which runs until June 26. They're rugged devices with ultra-bright, readable, and vivid screens. 

The devices run successful off-grid areas to scope exigency services oregon nonstop messages erstwhile different devices' connectivity mightiness fail. Their assemblage is the outdoorsy, hyper-athletic, and progressive type. 

Still, the 2 smartwatches boast important differences. If you're considering both, here's which would enactment champion for you. 

Specifications


Apple Watch Ultra 3 Garmin Fenix 8 Pro
DisplayOLED AMOLED oregon MicroLED
Build Titanium Carbon Gray DLC Titanium
SoftwareiOS iOS and Android
Training depthGoodBest
Price$800$1,200 oregon $2,000

You should bargain the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro if... 

Garmin Messenger tin  link  via LTE and satellite
Matthew Miller/ZDNET

You privation the brightest, astir vivid smartwatch display 

The Fenix 8 Pro has a MicroLED show with a highest brightness of 4,500 nits. Garmin says the MicroLED exertion makes the ticker its brightest smartwatch ever. It's a show you tin work successful highest sunlight without an issue. That show volition outgo astir $2,000, but Garmin besides offers an AMOLED show for the Fenix 8 Pro for $1,200. 

You privation to complaint your ticker arsenic small arsenic possible

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro has a ten-day artillery life. That's a week longer than the Apple Watch Ultra 3, whose artillery lasts 42 hours, oregon 72 hours successful debased powerfulness mode. 

Also: The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro smartwatch is simply a top-selling Prime Day woody - here's wherefore I urge it

You're acceptable to splurge for the manufacture standard

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is 1 of the much high-end rugged watches you tin buy. You're getting this ticker for its sheer breadth of activities it tin way and ultra-rugged design. You'll get much information from your workouts and betterment erstwhile you bid with the Garmin than you would with the Ultra 3, including a elevation score, betterment and slumber scores, regular suggested workouts, and a sensor for attaching to a play nine oregon bike. 

It besides comes with a useful flashlight that ZDNET's Matt Miller has raved about. As a bonus, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro works with some Android and iOS devices, whereas the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is lone compatible with iOS.  

You should bargain the Apple Watch Ultra 3 if... 

Apple Watch Ultra 3
Nina Raemont/ZDNET

You privation a rugged smartwatch with the capabilities of a smartphone 

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is surely rugged, with a higher waterproof and dust-proof standing than the different smartwatches successful the Apple Watch lineup, standalone outer communications, and topographical maps for nationalist and determination parks. 

But it is besides a smartwatch that radical with larger wrists (or those who privation larger screens) deterioration each time to spell to the office, exercise, and more. You could get tons of usage retired of the Apple Watch Ultra 3 without ever utilizing it during an Iron Man oregon Tough Mudder. The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, connected the different hand, is built specifically for those rugged, outdoorsy moments. 

Also: Our favourite wellness trackers are disappearing - and that's the point

The Ultra 3 is simply a large ticker for radical who enactment successful conditions wherever they can't ever cheque their phone, but inactive privation to enactment connected and person communications from their wrist passim the day. And due to the fact that Apple excels successful making beauteous software, the UI connected the smartwatch is simply a small spot much comfy and intuitive to navigate than Garmin's.  

You're successful the Apple ecosystem 

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 is lone compatible with iPhones, portion the Fenix 8 Pro is compatible with iPhones and Android devices. You won't beryllium capable to download playlists oregon euphony from Apple Music connected a Garmin smartwatch. 

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