Garmin Fenix 6 vs. Garmin Forerunner 945 – Which one should you choose?

Nowadays, any sports practice that we carry out seems to be incomplete if we do not record it in some way. Either through our phone or using more specialized devices such as these digital watches.

That is where Garmin stands out, the North American company that has filled the market with premium category smart watches for those who want to carry the most advanced technology on their wrist together with a careful and attractive design.

For this reason, we want to introduce you to the Garmin Fenix ​​6 and the Garmin Forerunner 945, two very similar smartwatches that will allow you to record your sports practices, maintain constant monitoring of your vital signs (heart rate, blood oxygen level…) in addition to having a powerful GPS connection so you never get off track.

But how important are the differences between the two models? We anticipate that your experience can vary a lot, so do not miss this analysis if you want to know which Garmin watch is ideal for you.

Garmin Fenix ​​6 vs. Garmin Forerunner 945 – Comparison Table

Below you can see the main differences and similarities between both models. But before, pay attention to the following paragraph.

The models we are going to compare below are the standard 47mm Garmin Fenix ​​6 and the Garmin Forerunner 945.

Appearance is not at odds with functionality

This is the first thing to assimilate. If you look at these watches you can appreciate the differences in terms of design.

On the one hand, the Fenix ​​6 presents a more classic look, according to the watches of a lifetime. It is made up of a stainless steel bezel that gives it strength and a remarkable presence. Instead, the Forerunner 945 follows a sportier line, with a bezel made of fiber-reinforced polymer.

This is reflected in the weight. The Forerunner 945 reaches 50 grams, while the Fenix ​​7 goes up to 80 grams. Be careful because we are talking about a considerable difference between one and the other. If for you lightness prevails above all things, you have found your watch.

As for the screen, both the Fenix ​​6 and the Forerunner 945 use Corning Gorilla Glass DX, synonymous with resistance and durability.

What screen are we left with?

In this regard, the Fenix ​​6 takes the cake, both in terms of size and image quality.

It must be clarified that this is not an insurmountable difference, but one that must be taken into account. You may notice how the Fenix ​​6’s screen is slightly larger than the Forerunner 945’s and features a higher resolution.

However, one point against these two models is that neither has a touch screen, leaving all the control in five buttons distributed along the sides of the watch.

Finally, if we talk about the immersion capacity, the Fenix ​​6 comes out better since it can withstand up to 10 ATM. The Forerunner 945, on the other hand, stays at 5 ATM. This can also be a crucial point when choosing a future watch, since you will have to assess the activities you want to carry out, especially those related to water.

Sensors and location

We entered to assess a point in which we found hardly any differences.

Both the Fenix ​​6 and Forerunner 945 are made up of the same sensors and are capable of monitoring the same activities and offering you the same data: heart rate, blood oxygen values, temperature, etc.

They also make use of multiple satellite systems that guarantee location and orientation with an almost zero margin of error.

To mention more aspects in which both watches coincide, we can mention the calorie counter, the distance traveled, as well as other more technical ones such as the altimeter or the presence of a compass. That means you won’t have to be doing sports continuously to enjoy the features of a Garmin watch.

But what is most striking is the ability of these devices to offer a personalized experience, since both the Fenix ​​6 and the Forerunner 945 are capable of making suggestions or determining your performance based on the historical record of your data.

We close this section by mentioning that the map display is available on the Forerunner 945, but not on the Fenix ​​6. This does not mean that you cannot follow routes on the Fenix ​​6, since it will indicate the way to follow at all times, but it will not you can see the map on the screen. This wins the Forerunner 945 a lot of points.

Which battery is superior?

We now focus on one of the strengths of the North American company.

Everything mentioned so far would not make much sense if it were not backed by a long-lasting battery that allowed it to get the most out of its potential. In this sense, both the Fenix ​​6 and the Forerunner 945 are very even at the battery level. With standard use, both have a duration of up to fourteen days. They also coincide in numbers if you use them with GPS activated, since the two models are around 10 hours of use.

To mention a difference, the Fenix ​​6 has more variety when it comes to managing the battery, which can allow you to stretch it more (always at the cost of losing performance).

It is necessary to qualify a bit if we talk about solar charging, since in higher models of the Fenix ​​6 this option is available. However, neither the standard Fenix ​​6 nor the Garmin Forerunner 945 have the solar charging function.

Memory and connectivity

We close this analysis by referring to aspects that may seem more superficial at first glance, but that may be decisive when deciding on one or the other.

We start talking about memory. It’s not something any of these watches excel at. The Fenix ​​6 only has a capacity of 64 MB, while the Forerunner only stores 200 hours of activity. Therefore, if storage capacity is important to you, perhaps you should look at other models.

However, it should be noted that the Forerunner 945 does allow you to store music, something that the Garmin Fenix ​​6 does not offer.

As far as connectivity is concerned, the Forerunner is once again the winner, since it has a Wi-Fi connection. Again the Fenix ​​6 lacks this feature.

Finally, both models allow the option to pay using the watch thanks to the Garmin Pay system and are compatible with both Android and Apple.

What watch do we choose?

After analyzing these two models of Garmin watches we have made a decision. We are left with the Garmin Forerunner 945. We tell you our reasons.

First of all, the Garmin Forerunner 945 can be found at a much cheaper price than the Garmin Fenix ​​6. This is the main basis of our argument, since, in addition, the Forerunner 945 model has map display, Wi-Fi connection and the ability to store songs. There is no comparison.

However, the Garmin Fenix ​​6 is a higher range and it shows in some aspects such as the screen.