Garmin Fenix 6 Specifications, Opinion, 5 Plus Comparison

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The new Garmin Fenix 6 comes only 14 months after the significantly updated Fenix 5 PLUS range. The updates to the 5 PLUS were mostly software+hardware fixes and, this time round the updates we see in the Fenix 6 DO include some new smart & sport features but, most crucially, we are seeing the Fenix play catch-up with decently powered hardware to match the MARQ and the Forerunner 945.

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Now that you can get your hands on the Fenix 6, here we look at

• Is it worth the upgrade? ie What is new compared to the Fenix 5 Plus
• What are the differences in specs between Fenix 6 models?

Let’s start off with the differences between the new models

Garmin Fenix 6 Model Comparison

Here we have the 3 new models (6s, 6, 6X) with their Base, PRO, Sapphire and SOLAR variants.

Here are the headline differences, simplified slightly for readability

• Pro Version – Each ‘Pro’ version has STREAMING MUSIC and to make streaming work it needs WiFi. You only get the maps on the Pro version too as well as up to 4g of added weight.
• Pro Version Sapphire – This just adds in a more scratch-resistant Sapphire Screen over the lower model’s Gorilla Glass
• Solar – You guessed it, this adds solar charging which is claimed to increase all battery life in all modes by about 10%. This requires a new type of solar screen construction.
• The 6S is the small version, 6 the medium and 6X the large and yes bigger can be better
  • Screen Resolution – 6s is 240x240px, 6 is 260x260px, 6X is 280x280px. Larger screens are the same pixel density BUT support readability with more data fields per screen – 6 on the F6 and 8 on the F6X)
  • Case Size – 6s is 42 x 42 x 13.8 mm, 6 is 47 x 47 x 14.7 mm, 6X is 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm
  • Weight – 6s is 62g, 6 is 83g, 6X is 93g (individual models vary)
  • Battery Life – 6s 25 hours GPS and 6 hours GPS+Music and 60 UltraTrac, 6 36 hours GPS 10 hours GPS+Music 72 hours Ultratrac,  6X 60 hours GPS, 15 hours GPS+Music, 120 hours UltraTrac (+10% with Solar)
  • Price – Fenix 6X ($749.99 – $1,149.99),  Fenix 6 (599.99 – $999.99), Garmin Fenix 6s ($599.99 – $899.99) Eu/£ similar

The more you spend, the bigger and more durable watch you will get and the longer the battery life will be. Screens on the larger models will NOT look better per se…just bigger with more screen real estate.

The decision between models is simple. If you have small wrists you go for the small one. Everyone else gets the regular Fenix 6 whose battery life and physical size is great. If you want maps or music or bang your screen around a lot you get the PRO and Sapphire options respectively. However, I can only see the 6X Pro model and the 6X Solar model being suitable for people with very specific size and battery needs – having said that you guys are probably just going to get the most expensive one…because you can.

The detailed hardware specs and detailed comparisons are further below

Garmin Fenix 6 vs Garmin Fenix 5 Plus Comparison

Last year, I wholeheartedly recommended everyone to skip the Fenix 5 series and go to the more superior 5 Plus series. I will still recommend the now mostly bug-free 5 Plus series to most people. But if you are on the Fenix 3 or are just itching to upgrade your 5 Plus then Q: what will the Fenix 6 give you over and above the current Fenix 5 Plus?

A: Quite a lot

I have slightly generalised this Fenix 6 to Fenix 5 Plus comparison due to the complexity of the number of variants (further below the comparison to the Fenix 5 is also added in the detailed comparison).

There are new features for all key sports as well as new smart, physiological and hardware features.

• PacePro – This is only available on courses/routes and conceptually you might think it’s like graded pace. I guess it sort of is, but it’s more like a tweaked pace tool to account for yoru planned changes in effort over gradients and also to account for whether you want a positive or negative split. 
  
• FIRSTBEAT – The Fenix 6 catches up with all the features on the Forerunner 945 namely
  • Training Load Focus – the ability to look below the surface of your training load to understand the degree to which high-intensity aerobic efforts, low-intensity aerobic efforts, and anaerobic efforts contributed to your total training load.
  • An updated Activity Summary screen that includes a label that describes the primary benefit of your workout (recovery, endurance base, VO2max, lactate threshold, tempo, anaerobic threshold, and speed) and also reveals the specific number that corresponds to the Training Load contribution of your finished workout.
  • Race Time Predictions were updated to incorporate insight from trends in your Training Load, weekly mileage, and the presence of long runs in your training history. These elements combine to improve on the more traditional, less personalized predictions that relied solely on your current fitness level (VO2max) and general references regarding the sustainability of various intensity levels over time.
  • Body Battery is a popular addition that combines All-day Stress data, physical activity, and the restorative power of sleep into a single easily understood metaphor. Among other things you can instantly see when a bad night’s sleep or an unusually stressful day at work will make a hard workout less beneficial than normal.
  • The impact of environmental factors is brought into focus with the addition of acclimatization tracking. You will be able to watch as your physiology adapts to help you perform better in higher elevations or in ways that help you manage the effects of hotter, more humid climates. This information is also factored into your performance analytics so that a decrease in performance capability attributable to your environment isn’t mistakenly attributed to unproductive training activities or poor recovery.
  • Recovery Time estimates have been updated based on the “latest sports science”. This means adjustments are made based on your acute/chronic training load ratios and additional care is given to ensure adequate recovery after workouts that produced Training Effect scores that significantly exceed those of your normal training efforts.

• Storage is doubled to 32Gb for Music + Maps + Activities and this includes double the amount of space for music (approx 2000 songs). You can get extra free maps and there is now support for Spotify and AmazonMusic.
• Weight – broadly similar
• Battery Life – Generally about double the time for GPS usage, about 2 hours more for Music+GPS and at least 50% more in UltraTrac mode. Expedition Battery Mode takes you even further between charges by further compromising on the GPS points recorded.
• Power Management – The Suunto 9 stole a march on this many months ago and now Garmin has caught up and arguably overtaken them. There are pre-canned battery modes and you can also customise and view changes on-the-fly but the bottom line of this is that battery life is mostly about managing GPS and the screen. However, the normal battery life on the Fenix 6 is SO GOOD that I can’t see these extra modes being useful except for highly specific athlete use-cases and those occasional times where you’ve just simply forgotten to charge it up properly.
• ClimbPro is not new to the Fenix but the new 2019 styling that was introduced on the Edge 530/830 is included.
• Topo maps, golf courses and ski runs are added and updated. Are you on La Face at Val d’Isere?…the F6 knows that. Tip: Skiing dynamics will be introduced with the HRM-PRO soon (probably in time for winter 😉 )
• Screen – The 5S and 6S have the same screen size but you get a bigger screen for the new Fenix 6 and for the new Fenix 6X.
• Incident detection and alerting – or just simply alerting someone that you have a problem
• PulseOx – Mostly useless, except for acclimation, but now you have it. This is NOTHING to do with MOXY/Humon‘s SmO2.
• Body Battery – this is a nice feature on the 945 and you will love it on the Fenix 6. HRV-enabled readings give you a steer towards understanding your 24×7 energy reserves.
• Swimming sees the implementation of oHR (finally!) and of CSS (critical swim speed – sweet…#later).
• Sensors – The ELEVATE oHR sensor is updated as well as the now-ubiquitous Sony GNSS chip, there are probably many other sensors and component updates inside, including the faster processor. In some ways, sensors are one of the most important aspects for athletes considering an upgrade. All the reviewers tend to say how wonderful the latest greatest Garmin oHR and GPS tend to be but, after LONG and detailed looks I tend to agree with the experiences of MANY USERS and have a ‘meh’ moment. I then usually say “accuracy is about the same as before” and recommend the athlete back to their old chest strap and running pod. Nevertheless, I’m going to torture myself and do months of testing all over again but honestly folks, the end recommendation WILL be the same. Although to be fair to Garmin the new Elevate sensor IS more accurate than the previous one but I’ll need to wait until the reduced circulation experienced in my COLD WINTER runs to see REALLY how much better it is.

Advice

These are nice watches and a notable set of upgrades even over the Fenix 5 Plus series. You’ll get some bugs but the earlier MARQ and Forerunners from 2019 share much of the same firmware and so will have mostly ironed the obvious bugs out by now.

For sports usage, the 935 is awesome and for outdoors usage, the Fenix 3 is cool enough. If like me, you want to get a few more features then the 5 Plus, Forerunner 945 and Fenix 6 series all deliver those. It all comes down to how much money and inclination you have for the latest, truly-greatest gadget. Although, of course, the MARQ range are EVEN better, so maybe that is the truly greatest gadget

If you have a small wrist or want music playback, then your intended watch choice becomes more obvious. Very, very few of you will need the uber-battery of the Fenix 6X…and you’re just getting what is perhaps a too-big watch for your normal-sized wrists.

At these prices, it’s worth spending a bit more either on an insurance policy or the sapphire glass. Otherwise get the Fenix 6 base model or Pro.

Price, Availability & Discounts

Fenix 6X ($749.99 – $1,149.99),  Fenix 6 (599.99 – $999.99), Fenix 6s ($599.99 – $899.99) Eu/£ similar

One of the problems now is that there are just too many Feinx 6 options for retailers to stock all of them.

Immediate Availability:  For the 945 they took orders and effectively were less than truthful about the delivery dates. Another “well-known retailer” in the UK also had significant issues with credit card payments for the recent Edge/Forerunner releases, also not having stock. Wiggle in the UK have an exclusive on the Fenix 6X Pro.

I’ll do my best to steer you once again towards PowerMeterCity in the USA (super-high Trust Pilot Rating) and Wiggle in the UK and EU

Garmin Fenix 5 Comparison: Garmin Fenix 5 Specifications vs Garmin Fenix 5 Plus specifications vs Garmin Fenix 6 Specifications

This is worth a close look at. It’s sourced from Garmin and thus may contain errors. However, it might also give an insight into some mini-features that are not YET in the device but which soon will be through later announcements. (Comparisons between the Fenix 6 models are further below)

Garmin Fenix 6s Specifications vs Garmin Fenix 6 Specifications vs Garmin Fenix 6x Specifications

This has to be the most boring features comparison table ever….play “spot the difference”.

Price, Availability & Discounts

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Fenix 6X ($749.99 – $1,149.99),  Fenix 6 (599.99 – $999.99), Fenix 6s ($599.99 – $899.99) Eu/£ similar

Return back to the main Garmin Fenix 6 Review