In-Depth Comparison: Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED vs Apple Watch Ultra 2
8 min reading time
The Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED and Apple Watch Ultra 2 are two high-end smartwatches aimed at adventure seekers, athletes, and tech enthusiasts. Both devices pack a variety of advanced features, but they cater to slightly different needs and preferences. This in-depth comparison will break down the differences across key categories, helping you make an informed decision.
1. Design and Build Quality
Both watches feature rugged designs, but the differences in their aesthetic choices and build materials are notable.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: This model retains the signature rugged Fenix design, crafted from premium materials like titanium or stainless steel, depending on the variant. It has a 47mm case size and an AMOLED display, which adds vibrancy and color contrast compared to previous MIP displays in Fenix models. The Fenix 8 is built for extreme durability and comes with five physical buttons, making it easy to use in challenging conditions or when wearing gloves.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 is designed with a titanium case and a flat sapphire crystal display, creating a premium yet rugged aesthetic. The 49mm case is larger than the Fenix 8, giving it a more substantial wrist presence. It retains Apple’s iconic digital crown and action button for navigation. The Ultra 2 is also water-resistant up to 100 meters, making it suitable for diving and water sports.
Verdict: The Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED offers a more rugged, adventure-focused design with its physical buttons and robust build, while the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is sleeker, with a more modern design that is still durable enough for harsh environments.
2. Display
The display is one of the most significant differences between the two devices, particularly since the Fenix 8 now features an AMOLED display.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: The addition of an AMOLED screen in this model brings a 1.3-inch vibrant, high-resolution display. The AMOLED technology provides deeper blacks, vivid colours, and higher brightness, making it much more attractive than the older MIP displays. This makes the Fenix 8 AMOLED more comparable to the Apple Watch Ultra 2 in terms of visual quality, especially for maps and activity tracking.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 features a 1.92-inch Retina OLED display, which is larger and brighter, with a peak brightness of 3000 nits, making it incredibly easy to read in any light condition. The OLED technology delivers rich colours and exceptional clarity, which is great for interacting with apps, notifications, and fitness metrics.
Verdict: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 takes the lead in terms of sheer size and brightness, but the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED closes the gap with its own high-quality AMOLED display, offering a similar visual experience in a smaller size.
3. Battery Life
Battery life is an area where Garmin traditionally outperforms Apple, but let's see how they compare with the Fenix 8 AMOLED.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: Even with the AMOLED display, the Fenix 8 delivers impressive battery life, offering up to 16 days in smartwatch mode, depending on usage, and up to 47 hours in GPS mode. With solar charging capabilities, users can extend battery life further, making it a great choice for long expeditions without regular charging access.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 offers up to 36 hours of battery life in normal use and up to 72 hours in low-power mode, which is a considerable improvement over other Apple Watch models. However, it still falls short of the Fenix 8 in terms of overall longevity, especially when using GPS features extensively.
Verdict: The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED wins in terms of battery life, especially for adventurers who need extended usage without frequent charging. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers solid performance but requires more frequent recharging, especially with heavy use.
4. Health and Fitness Tracking
Both watches are equipped with comprehensive health and fitness tracking features, but they differ in depth and focus.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: The Fenix 8 comes packed with advanced sports tracking for activities such as running, cycling, swimming, skiing, and even multi-sport events like triathlons. It features Garmin’s multi-GNSS system for precise GPS tracking, VO2 Max, SpO2 monitoring, HRV (heart rate variability), sleep tracking, and more. Its data-rich ecosystem caters to serious athletes and adventurers, offering features like ClimbPro, PacePro, and real-time stamina tracking.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 has a robust fitness tracking suite, including heart rate monitoring, SpO2 tracking, and sleep analysis. It also offers an FDA-approved ECG feature, which is a significant advantage for users with heart health concerns. The Ultra 2 integrates seamlessly with Apple Fitness+, providing guided workouts and tracking metrics across a range of activities. Additionally, the watch is capable of diving up to 100 meters with depth and water temperature tracking.
Verdict: The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED provides a more advanced set of tracking tools for outdoor activities and endurance sports, making it ideal for serious athletes. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 excels in health monitoring, particularly with its ECG feature, and is well-suited for users who are already within the Apple ecosystem.
5. Smartwatch Features and Ecosystem
When it comes to smartwatch features and ecosystem integration, Apple Watch Ultra 2 excels in this area due to its connection with the broader Apple ecosystem.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: While the Fenix 8 supports notifications, music playback, Garmin Pay, and some basic app functionality, it’s primarily designed as a fitness and adventure tool. Garmin's ecosystem is more fitness-centric, with support for Garmin Connect and third-party sports apps, but it lacks the extensive app ecosystem of Apple.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 functions as a full-fledged smartwatch with access to the App Store, Apple Pay, Siri, and seamless integration with iPhones. It supports a wide variety of apps and offers an unmatched level of smartphone-like functionality, allowing users to make calls, send texts, and even access turn-by-turn navigation.
Verdict: If you need a smartwatch that’s deeply integrated with your smartphone and can handle a wide range of everyday tasks, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is the superior option. The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is more specialised for fitness and outdoor enthusiasts but lacks the broader app support and ecosystem features of the Ultra 2.
6. Navigation and Outdoor Features
Both watches excel in navigation and outdoor features, but Garmin takes a more advanced approach.
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Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: The Fenix 8 is equipped with multi-GNSS support, including GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo for precise tracking in challenging environments. It offers Topographic maps, real-time breadcrumbs, turn-by-turn navigation, and features like ClimbPro and SkiView for specialised outdoor activities. The watch also supports offline maps, which is crucial for adventurers venturing into areas with no cellular coverage.
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Apple Watch Ultra 2: The Ultra 2 offers GPS tracking and works well with Apple Maps, but it doesn’t provide the same level of detailed mapping or offline capabilities as the Fenix 8. However, for urban environments, it integrates seamlessly with iPhones, making navigation intuitive for city dwellers or casual adventurers.
Verdict: For hardcore adventurers, the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED offers far more advanced navigation tools and offline capabilities. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is great for casual adventurers and urban environments but lacks the depth needed for serious exploration.
7. Price
- Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED: Priced around $1990, depending on the model and features (such as solar charging or sapphire crystal).
- Apple Watch Ultra 2: Priced round $1599, offering a premium option that’s slightly more affordable than the Fenix 8 AMOLED.
Verdict: The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is more affordable, especially considering its broader range of features for everyday use. However, the Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED justifies its higher price with its specialised outdoor and fitness features.
Conclusion
Both the Garmin Fenix 8 47mm AMOLED and the Apple Watch Ultra 2 are top-tier smartwatches, but they cater to different types of users:
- The Garmin Fenix 8 AMOLED is the perfect choice for adventurers and athletes who need extensive tracking, long battery life, and rugged outdoor features.
- The Apple Watch Ultra 2 is ideal for users who want a versatile smartwatch with excellent health tracking, a brilliant display, and integration into the Apple ecosystem.
Your choice will largely depend on whether you prioritize fitness and adventure tracking (Fenix 8 AMOLED) or smartwatch functionality and ecosystem integration (Apple Watch Ultra 2).
