Garmin Fenix 6 vs 6s vs 6x: What Is The Difference?

If you are in a hurry! here is a quick comparison of Garmin Fenix 6 vs 6x vs 6s.

Model	Fenix 6s	Fenix 6	Fenix 6
Bezel size	42 mm	47 mm	51 mm
Weight	67 grams	86 grams	96 grams
Display size	1.2 inches	1.3 inches	1.4 inches
Screen protection	Corning Gorilla Glass Sapphire glass, Gorilla Solar	Corning Gorilla Glass Sapphire glass, Gorilla Solar	Gorilla Solar, Sapphire glass
Internal memory	16GB (32GB for Pro & Sapphire only)	16GB (32GB for Pro & Sapphire only)	16GB (32GB for Pro & Sapphire only)
Battery life (GPS /GPS+Music/ Smart	25h / 6h / 9d	36h /10h / 14d	60h / 15h / 21d
Charging time	1-2 Hours	1-2 Hours	1-2 Hours
Bluetooth	Yes	Yes	Yes
Water resistance	10ATM	10ATM	10ATM
WiFi	No ( Pro & Sapphire only)	No ( Pro & Sapphire only)	No ( Pro & Sapphire only)
Garmin Pay	Yes	Yes	Yes
Garmin Music	Yes (Pro & Sapphire only)	Yes (Pro & Sapphire only)	Yes (Pro & Sapphire only)
Rating
Price

There are a lot of things to pay attention to when you are choosing your smartwatch. However, you cannot go wrong by choosing a Garmin smartwatch. Garmin has been in the smart wearable industry for a few years now, and their products truly lived up to everyone’s expectations.

They have been making the best all-around multisport and outdoor smartwatches in the industry. Garmin watches are packed with state of the art features, and they are continually pushing the technological limits.

With the latest model, Garmin Fenix 6, we’ve seen many different options to choose from, and finding the right one for you can be confusing. Let’s jump into details and find out the differences between each Fenix 6 model.

Overview of Sizes

The most significant difference that is easily noticeable for the naked eye is each Fenix model’s physical size. As they did with the previous Fenix 5 version, the Fenix 6, 6s, and 6x come with different screens and bezel sizes.

Garmin Fenix 6s is the smallest of the bunch with a 42mm diameter.

Garmin Fenix 6 is the standard size with a 47mm diameter.

Garmin Fenix 6x is the largest with its 51mm diameter.

Overview of Type

It is essential to understand that each size comes in different models. Most smartwatch manufacturers offer other models by making the smartwatches from different materials or offering premium features.

If you choose the Garmin Fenix 6, you’ll have five different models to choose from:

Silver

This is the less advanced version of the Garmin Fenix 6, and it comes with all the basic functions, and is not equipped with features like WiFi, built-in maps, Garmin Pay, Garmin Music, and more advanced features. The silver model is the budget version of the Garmin Fenix 6.

Pro

We’ve seen Pro models of Garmin watches in the past, and they are the standard edition of the watch but packed with all the advanced features. There is no difference in the build materials, so it has the same Corning Gorilla Glass and stainless steel bezel.

Sapphire

If the Pro version is not enough for you, the Sapphire model is a nice way to advance to a higher built standard. This model has the same features as the Pro, but instead of regular Corning Gorilla Glass, it has an unscratchable sapphire glass like most premium watches.

Sapphire Titanium

If you think the Sapphire version is the most premium model you can get, you are wrong. As the name suggests, the Sapphire Titanium model has the same features as the Sapphire model, but the crown is made from titanium, which is incredibly tough but lighter than stainless steel.

Pro Solar

This model has the same functions as the Pro and Sapphire models but comes with an incredible feature. It is equipped with Solar Power Glass that can pump juice into the battery when exposed to the sun. This can extend the battery life of the watch.

New Features In The Garmin Fenix 6

The latest Garmin Fenix 6 went through a lot of changes compared to its predecessor. Different versions come with different features, so let’s go through them and find out which is the best.

More:Garmin Venu vs Fenix 6: Which Smartwatch Is Better? 

Display and Lens Material

As we mentioned at the beginning, the Fenix 6s, 6, and 6x come in different sizes. The bezel size is based on the display’s size, and in this situation, all models have different display sizes.

Garmin Fenix 6s comes with a 1.2-inch multi-color display with 240x240px resolution.

Garmin Fenix 6 comes with a 1.3-inch multi-color display with 260x260px resolution.

Garmin Fenix 6x comes with the biggest 1.4-inch multi-color display with 280x280px resolution.

When it comes to the display’s visual aspect, they have the same quality and perform great with the anti-glare display even at direct sunlight. Unfortunately, none of them have a touch-sensitive display.

Additionally, there is a difference in the lens material as Garmin introduced a new Gorilla Glass or Sapphire option for each model.

You can also choose a Gorilla Solar glass that can provide an additional battery for your smartwatch. The solar option is available on all models.

Morel: Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Garmin Venu: Which Smartwatch Is Better?

Battery Life

Garmin focused on improving the battery life on their latest Fenix models, and they’ve done an incredible job. In terms of battery, each model offers a different battery life:

Garmin Fenix 6s comes with a Li-ion 180mAh battery, which can provide up to 9 days of battery in smartwatch mode, 6 hours of battery with music and GPS, or 25 hours of battery only with GPS.

Garmin Fenix 6 comes with a higher capacity Li-ion 270mAh battery capable of keeping the watch alive for up to 14 days in smartwatch mode, 10 hours in GPS and music mode, or 36 hours with GPS enabled.

Garmin Fenix 6x has the biggest Li-ion 450mAh battery, with a whopping 21 days battery in smartwatch mode, 15 hours with music and GPS, and 60 hours in only-GPS mode.

They all have a fantastic battery life compared to some of the best selling smartwatches in the industry, and you should choose the one that works best for you.

Internal Memory

There is a massive improvement in terms of internal storage compared to its predecessor, the Garmin Fenix 5, which comes with only 64MB of storage.

The internal storage can be used for storing music for offline listening or downloading apps. Fortunately, they’ve decided to bump up the storage on all new Garmin Fenix 6 models.

All models come with 16GB of internal storage, apart from the Pro and Sapphire model, where you can go up to 32GB of storage.

More: Garmin Vivoactive 3 vs 4: Does It Worth to Upgrade?

Smartwatch and Tracking Features

When it comes to smartwatch features, the Garmin Fenix 6 comes with a lot more bells and whistles than the previous model. All of the new features are very useful and will really make you think about upgrading to the latest version.

PacePro – Dynamic Pace Guidance

One of the latest and most talked about features on the Garmin Fenix 6 is the PacePro feature. This is an intelligent function that will help you keep an optimal pace for the entire route. This is an excellent feature for people participating in marathons or other sporting activities.

This smart feature will calculate the altitude profile of the route and tell you how fast you should be running each section in order to reach your goal. It is a brilliant feature that analyzes your route while keeping track of all your parameters.

This feature is only available to the Pro and Sapphire models.

More: Garmin Vivoactive 4 vs Fenix 6: Which One To Pick?

VO2 Max Adapts Relative to Heat and Altitude

Obviously, heat and altitude can affect your performance, so Garmin decided to update this feature. The Vo2 Max will now analyze the heat and altitude to give you the best possible indication on your performance level.

Additionally, the watch will keep track of all your parameters and analyze how your body adapts to the new surroundings. This feature is very useful for runners or cyclist, and you will reach the best results using the data from your smartwatch.

Fortunately, Garmin decided to use this feature on all Fenix 6 models.

Heart Rate Monitor that Works Underwater

The previous Garmin Fenix 5 also had a heart rate monitor, but it didn’t work underwater. Since the latest Fenix 6 comes with many swimming tracking capabilities, tracking your pulse underwater can provide valuable data.

The Garmin Fenix 6 comes with the newest wrist-based heart rate monitor that can track your heart activity 24/7, even underwater. All Garmin 6 models are equipped with a heart rate monitor that works underwater. They also come with a so-called PulseOX sensor, which measures the oxygen level in your blood.

More: Garmin Fenix 5 or Fenix 5 Plus – Which One to Choose and Why?

New Interface

Garmin focused on improving the user interface in order to make data more visible even when you are doing any kind of physical activity. Since the watch doesn’t come with touch-sensitive controls, sometimes it can be hard to switch over to menus and browse data while running, for example.

The newly updated user-interface on the Garmin Fenix 6 is more structured and refined. If you already have a Garmin watch, don’t worry, you will quickly get comfortable with the new layout.

The most significant difference in terms of user-interface is in the Widgets, where you can get a lot more information simultaneously. With the previous version, your only option was to scroll to widgets and browse your data, whereas now you can combine multiple widgets simultaneously.

You can add up to 8 data fields at the same time, which makes the smartwatch very easy to use.

Pre-Loaded Maps

If you decide to go with the Garmin 6 Pro or Sapphire option, you’ll be excited to hear that they improved the pre-installed maps. These topographical Europe maps will guide you to your final destination with incredible accuracy.

This new feature works flawlessly, and it can find the optimal route no matter if you are running or cycling. You can also choose different map colors and layouts from outdoor to dark or high contrast, which work great in any environment.

More: Check our Review of Fitbit Charge 4 vs Fitbit Charge 3 here

Additional Features

Apart from the new features on the Garmin Fenix 6, they are packed with lots of other incredibly useful things that are considered as a basic functions on Garmin watches, such as:

Garmin Pay

All Garmin watches come with a great function that allows you to use contactless payment options through your smartwatch. You just have to add your card to the Garmin Connect app on your smartphone, and you are ready to go.

However, sometimes the payment doesn’t go through since Garmin Pay works with certain banks and credit cards, so make sure to check the list before making a purchase.

Other Tracking Features and Notifications

If you already have a Garmin watch, you probably already know that they are making one of the best smartwatches for outdoor use. As in any Garmin model, the Fenix 6 is also equipped with a lot of tracking capabilities that will keep an eye on your most vital data.

The Fenix 6 can track steps, stress levels, calories, heart rate, sleep quality, and many other valuable metrics.

It also works great as a smartwatch for casual use since it will receive notifications when you are getting a call, message, mails, weather updates, traffic alarms, reminders, or even notifications from your social media.

3-Axis Compass and Barometric Altitude Meter

Garmin is known for its incredible accuracy when it comes to showing reports or locations. The latest Fenix 6 is no exception.

In order to maintain that incredible accuracy and show the most accurate information about your position and surroundings, the Fenix 6 is equipped with a 3-axis compass and a barometric altitude meter. They are automatically calibrated to show the most accurate readings possible.

Which is Better, Garmin 6, or 6s, or 6x?

Since all three versions come with different features, choosing the best one is entirely based on your personal preference. Obviously, you cannot make a purchase mistake if you buy either of these watches, since they all perform outstandingly.

The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro and Sapphire versions of each model are packed with the most features. Still, suppose extra features like Garmin Music, higher internal memory, built-in WiFi, or PacePro don’t make a significant difference to you. In that case, you will be better off buying either of the regular versions.

When it comes to the regular versions, they all have almost identical features, and the only difference is the size of the display and the battery life.