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Comparison Garmin Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 6: the differences, which one to choose?

Comparison Garmin Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 6: the differences, which one to choose?

April 03, 2020

2 high-end and ultra-complete multisport & triathlon watches
Forerunner 945 versus Fenix 6: the differences at a glance
Forerunner 945 vs. Fenix 6: the main features compared
Forerunner 945 and Fenix 6: autonomy comparison
Comparison of functions: 2 similar watches
Our opinion: Forerunner 945 or Fenix 6? Which one to choose ?
Where to buy the Forerunner 945 and Fenix 6 and at what price?

The Forerunner 945 and Fenix 6 are the 2 high-end multisport and triathlon watches from Garmin released in 2019. These models replace the Forerunner 935 (year 2017) and Fenix 5 Plus (year 2018).

If the 2 models are excellent (the best on the market today) and similar in terms of functions offered, the technical characteristics, autonomy, weight, design, but also the price, are relatively different and justify that there take a closer look to find out which one to choose according to the objectives sought and the budget available. Here is a comparison of these 2 watches.

Buy the Garmin Forerunner 945

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Price (from)

Pope

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€ 599 € 529

i-Run

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€ 599

Amazon

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€ 539

Rakuten

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€ 599 € 460

Buy the Garmin Fenix 6

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Price (from)

Pope

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€ 699 € 664.05 (* 1)

i-Run

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€ 599

Alltricks

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€ 599 € 570

Amazon

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€ 599 € 521

Rakuten

See the offer

599.99 €

(* 1) Discount of -5% on this product with the promo code 5A15 !

Commercial links. Non contractual prices. Please consult the merchant website.

2 high-end and ultra-complete multisport & triathlon watches

Garmin Forerunner 945: a triathlon watch with music and on-board mapping

The Forerunner 945, new in 2019, is a lightweight, multisport watch designed for triathlon and many other activities, including outdoor, mountain sports, water sports. It is equipped with a music player, embeds color mapping (roads, cycle paths and soon ski slopes), a payment solution (Garmin Pay) and ultra-complete functions for performance analysis and assistance with sports (running dynamics, physiological measurements, ClimbPro, round trip generator, assistance in the event of an incident and more). It offers in a way the best of Garmin watches and it shows in its high price.

Read our detailed review of the Forerunner 945 our reviewBuy the Garmin Forerunner 945

Garmin Fenix 6: elegant, multisport and triathlon, in 3 versions including a solar

The Garmin Fenix 6 is a high-end multisport and triathlon watch with functions similar to the Forerunner 945 but presented in a more elegant design and available in different versions (including a solar) and several case sizes to adapt to all wrists. . It offers almost the same functions as the Forerunner 945: advanced tools for performance analysis, assistance to athletes, physiological measurements, etc. The mp3 player and the mapping are optional to offer a cheaper model to people who don't need it.

Read our detailed review of the Garmin Fenix 6 and our reviewBuy the Garmin Fenix 6

Forerunner 945 versus Fenix 6: the differences at a glance

The 2 watches are very different in terms of design but very similar in terms of functionality offered (same software). The Forerunner 945 inherited all the features of the Fenix 5 Plus. The Fenix 6, released a few months after the Forerunner 945, inherited all the features of the Forerunner 945. The Forerunner 945 will also inherit the latest news from the Fenix 6. The 2 watches will also benefit from the new functions of the Vivoactive 4, Garmin's latest smart health connected watch!

It is especially in terms of design, size and weight and the autonomy of the watch that the differences are most important. The Fenix 6 is available in 9 models against only 1 for the Forerunner 945. The 2 watches do not have the same purpose.

Here in brief are the main differences between the Forerunner 945 and the Fenix 6. We detail them later in this article with commented comparative tables.

A metal crown and case back for the Fenix 6

A different, more elegant design for the Fenix 6, with a metal case back, a wide variety of materials and colors for the bracelets, an optional sapphire crystal (more robust), a stainless steel or titanium bezel but, in return, a heavier weight (50 g for the Forerunner 945 versus 58 to 93 g for the Fenix 6, depending on the model)
3 case sizes for the Fenix 6 (including a small model for thin wrists) and bracelets of different widths (like the Fenix 5 Plus).
3 versions of Fenix 6: a standard version without mp3 player, without mapping and without Wi-Fi, a Pro version with mp3 player, mapping and Wi-Fi, a Solar version with solar charging in parallel with conventional charging by cable.
Better autonomy for the Fenix 6X: 36 h GPS mode for the Forerunner 945 against 25, 36 and 60 h respectively for the Fenix 6S, 6 and 6X respectively
Intelligent battery management and 2 new modes (Shipping and Battery Saving) in addition to UltraTrac mode for the Fenix 6.
Better screen on the Fenix 6: the screen size and definition increase (except on the small 6S model): 1.3 "in 260 x 260 px for the Fenix 6 and 6 Pro model and and 1.4" in 280 x 280 px for the Fenix 6X Pro and Fenix 6X Pro Solar model versus 1.3 "in 240 x 240 px for the Forerunner 245
A solar model for the Fenix 6X Pro Solar (in addition to charging by cable) with a gain of 6 to 50% of autonomy depending on the use (smart health connected watch, GPS, etc.)
Memory : it goes from 16 to 32 GB for the Fenix 6S / 6 / X Pro models (with mp3 player and mapping).
Music storage capacity from 1000 to 2000 songs for models with mp3 player
The ski pistes : color mapping (Fenix 6S / 6 / 6X Pro and 6X Pro Solar models only) now includes the ski slopes of more than 2,000 stations worldwide (these layers will be integrated into the Forerunner 945 and the MARQ series)
PacePro:a new function to help runners better manage their pace according to the altitude profile (on the Fenix 6 and soon on the Forerunner 945)
Golf: new functions on the Fenix 6 and soon on the Forerunner 945
Voice guidance (with bluetooth headphones) along a programmed route (on the Fenix 6 and soon on the Forerunner 945)
More data fields per screen Fenix 6 (6 to 8 depending on the model)

The new features of the Vivoactive 4 (the new Garmin smart health connected watch announced in September 2019) will also be added soon to the Forerunner 945 and the Fenix 6:

monitoring hydration and estimating water losses (sweating)
Measuring the frequency of breathing during exercise (yoga, relaxation, etc.) and during sleep
More complete breathing exercises (you can choose between relaxation, cardiac coherence, etc.)
Coaching and more than 40 animated exercises (mini videos) for cardio, bodybuilding, yoga and Pilates. The animations show how to do the exercises well. It is possible to create your own exercises in the Garmin Connect application

In terms of sensors, the 2 watches are identical. They both embark on the new optical heart rate monitoring on the wrist (3rd generation) that works underwater, a pulse oX meter, the new Sony GPS chip that uses less energy.

The functions recently added to the Forerunner 945 are obviously added to the Fenix 6: Body Battery, popular route generator (Trendline , round trip generator, ClimbPro, stress assessment, access to the Galileo satellite system, detection of 'incidents (fall for example) and assistance in the event of an incident, measurement of the respiration rate, evaluation of acclimatization to altitude and heat, monitoring of the menstrual cycle for women, etc.

Forerunner 945 vs. Fenix 6: the main features compared

The look: sporty for the Forerunner 945, robust, chic and elegant for the Fenix 6

The Forerunner 945 is a performance-oriented watch. Light, with a sporty look, all plastic, with a silicone strap and a glass in Corning Gorilla Glass 3, it is essentially designed for sports use, even if it can of course be worn on a daily basis. It only exists in one case size (47 mm) and is a bit wide for small wrists.

The Fenix 6, on the other hand, is more robust (it meets the military standard STG-MIL-810) and clearly more elegant with its stainless steel or titanium bezel, a metal case back, a glass to choose between Corning Gorilla and sapphire, various bracelets in materials (silicone, steel, titanium, nylon, leather) and colors.

Available in 3 case sizes, it adapts to all wrists, even the thinnest. This watch was designed to be worn all day, in town and at work, in addition to sport. It is however heavier than the Forerunner 945 and is therefore less suitable for performance sports (competition for example). It is however perfect for outdoor use (exploration, adventure, trekking, etc.). We can of course use it for all other sports (triathlon, running, etc.). It's just that it's a little heavier.

Size and screen: 3 models for the Fenix (6S / 6 / 6X) to fit all wrists

Garmin wants its high-end everyday watch to fit on all wrists. A large case on a small wrist is not very pretty. If a large watch may be suitable for exclusively sporting use, this is not the case for a watch that you want to wear 24 hours a day.

The Forerunner 945 only exists in a single case size (47 mm) and a 1.2 "(30.4 mm) screen with 240 x 240 px resolution. The Fenix is available in 3 case sizes and screen:

6S model (Fenix 6S and Fenix 6S Pro): it is the small model (42 mm case diameter), intended for thin wrists. Its autonomy, the screen size (1.2 ") and its definition (240 x 240 px) are also smaller (the battery being smaller to fit in the case). See our comparison below.
Model 6 (Fenix 6 and Fenix 6 Pro): it is the intermediate model, 47 mm in diameter (like the Forerunner 945), with a 1.3 "screen and a larger definition (260 x 260 px).
6X model (Fenix 6X Pro and Fenix 6X Pro Solar): it is the wide model (51 mm) with the largest screen (1.4 "and 280 x 280 px) and the best autonomy. The ideal watch for people with large wrists or looking for a larger screen comfortable or greater autonomy.

Fenix 6: an à la carte watch (optional mp3 player, mapping and Wi-Fi)

To satisfy the greatest number of users, the Fenix 6 is an "à la carte" watch. In addition to being offered in 3 case sizes (like the Fenix 5 Plus), it is available in 3 models (standard, Pro and Pro Solar) offering different functions. The price varies according to the options.

Fenix 6S and 6: without mapping, without mp3 player, without Wi-Fi, with scratch-resistant Corning Gorilla Glass 3 glass. All for a starting price of € 599 (like the Forerunner 945 which, however, embeds these functions). No large version (6X) for this base model.
Fenix 6S Pro, 6 Pro and 6X Pro: with maps, mp3 player, Wi-Fi for € 100 more (or € 150 for the 6X Pro version) and a glass to choose between Corning Gorilla and sapphire (another € 100 more). Sapphire is one of the most resistant materials that exist.
Fenix 6X Pro Solar: with mapping, mp3 player and Wi-Fi (like the Pro version) but with additional solar charging (Power Glass made of Corning Gorilla and integrated photovoltaic cells), all for € 949 with a silicone strap and € 1,100 for a titanium bracelet (this is the most expensive model in the range).

With the 3 case sizes, the 3 versions and the optional sapphire crystal, the Fenix 6 is available in 9 models (6S, 6, 6S Pro, 6S Pro & sapphire, 6 Pro, 6 Pro & sapphire, 6X Pro, 6X Pro & sapphire, 6X Pro Solar).