Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Fenix 7: Best Rugged Wearables

Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Fenix 7

After a year of rumours, Apple’s finally developed a rugged and premium Smartwatch called Apple watch Ultra. Its new design and larger display can take your exploration and outdoor activities even further. The Apple watch Ultra also has advanced features only found on Garmin. To see how advanced the Apple Watch Ultra is, we’ll compare it to the durable Garmin Fenix 7.

We want to see how the Ultra stacks up against a smartwatch made for outdoor use. Even though the Series 8 is made by the same company, comparing the two won’t really tell us anything. As an example, we’ll use Garmin’s Fenix 7 outdoor/adventure smartwatch. This is about what the Apple Watch Ultra will be competing with on the market.

Specification

Apple Watch UltraGarmin Fenix 7
Screen1.92 inch1.3 inch
Pixel502×410 OLED260×260 MIP
Dimensions49 x 44 x 14.4mm47 x 47 x 14.5mm
Weight61.3g79g
Storage32GB16GB (Standard/Solar)
32GB (Sapphire Solar)
OSWatchOS 9Proprietary
Battery36 hours (normal),
60 hours (low power)
Solar: 14 days (normal),
87 days (low power)
ConnectivityBluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi, 4GBluetooth, NFC, Wi-Fi, ANT+
Durability100m water-resistant100m water-resistant

Design

Let’s begin starting with the design right now Apple watch Ultra sits a top Apple Smartwatch lineup which goes exactly the opposite direction of the word known as affordable and it’s like series 8 just came from the gym with the 49 millimeter case the watch Ultra is more rugged and durable whereas the Garmin Fenix 7 is already durable and comes in 3 different sizes for the two millimeter 47 millimeter and 51 millimeter.

Both watches feature materials like titanium and Sapphire, design wise Apple watch Ultra comes in a semi-rounded rectangular with a flat Sapphire display instead of the round edges that we have seen in the previous models the digital Crown is now larger and the side button is raised from the case making them easier to use even while wearing gloves. The watch Ultra has a new action button that can give you quick and physical control over a variety of functions.

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The Garmin Fenix 7 comes in a rounded solar charge touch display with 5 physical buttons to give you full flexibility and the ability to use it in extreme conditions moreover the Fenix 7 is bright enough to deliver stats even under sunlight, at this point Apple watch Ultra comes with a surprise because it has the brightest display ever compared to other smart watches with up to 2 000 nits of brightness at its peak you can see every workout metric and detail packed watch faces pretty easily.

Apple’s new rugged Smartwatch Now features 3 brand new straps with a unique approach which are the Alpine Loop and Ocean band furthermore both watches are water resistant for up to 100 meters and have an IP6X dust proof rating.

Shape

The shape of the case is the most obvious difference between the Garmin Fenix 7 and the Apple Watch Ultra. Garmin watches are usually round, while the Apple Watch has a square shape with slightly rounded corners. Both will have people who like them and people who don’t. Apple explains its decision by saying that all text-based smartphone notifications, such as messages, emails, etc., can only be shown well in a list format. Garmin has a smaller range of smartphone notifications that can be shown on the watch, so the problem isn’t as bad.

Performance

Let’s talk about how it works and what it has. The Apple Watch Ultra has the same powerful tracking sensors as the Series 8 model. Even the Garmin Fenix 7 has these sensors, such as heart rate, blood oxygen level, temperature, and many more. However, the Garmin Fenix 7 has some activity tracking features that the Apple Watch Ultra doesn’t have.

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Apple has always made the best heart rate sensors, and now the Watch Ultra has an ECG and a third-generation optical heart rate sensor. Apple also added a temperature sensor, which is a big part of Women’s Health tracking but can also be used for other activities and health checks. Garmin, on the other hand, has a thermometer that isn’t very accurate. Both the Apple Watch Ultra and the Garmin Fenix 7 have accelerometers, but the Apple Watch Ultra has a high-G accelerometer that can detect not only falls while running or cycling but also car accidents and send the location to dispatchers and your emergency contacts.

Garmin’s GPS and accurate tracking is one of its best features, and Apple had to do the same with the Apple Watch Ultra. They did it by putting dual frequency GPS into a new antenna design that gives it a longer range and uses less power. You can get great accuracy and exact measurements. Not only that, but you can use the new action button to set waypoints that will help you find your way back. If you forget to set waypoints, don’t worry, the Apple Watch Ultra will automatically start tracking for your way back. Also, the 86-decibel siren on the Sonic Salvation can’t be found on any other SmartWatches yet.

If you get lost, hurt, or need to call for help, all you have to do is hold down the action button. This siren can be heard up to 600 feet or 180 metres away.

Sensors

Both the Fenix 7 and the Apple Watch Ultra have a similar set of sensors, which is hard to believe but is true: a multi-frequency GPS, barometer, accelerometer, gyroscope, and compass. The Apple Watch Ultra is a legacy of Cupertino’s huge health department. It has an ECG measurement, and the two models for women also have a temperature measurement and a pulse oximeter.

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Since Apple also wants the Apple Watch Ultra to appeal to divers and people who like water sports, it has a sensor that measures the temperature of water. This sensor is not useful in the mountains. But we think it’s smart that the Apple Watch Ultra has an emergency call siren built in. The Ultra got the ability to detect falls from the Series 4, but it was made possible by the Apple Watch’s accelerometer, Gyroscope, and machine learning. Heart rate measurement has been a standard feature of these watches for years, and the differences between manufacturers are mostly in how they use and interpret the data.

Apple partnered with renowned underwater innovators who wish Outdoors to deliver you a full featured dive computer on your wrist.

Battery

In terms of battery life, the Apple Watch Ultra’s thicker case gives it room for a bigger battery. The question is, how much bigger? Apple says it will last up to 36 hours on a single charge and up to 60 hours in low power mode. This is a huge improvement over the previous Apple smart watches, but it’s nothing compared to the Garmin Fenix 7, which can last up to 28 days on a single charge and up to a year on a single charge.

Conclusion!

Apple Watch Ultra costs 799 $, while the Garmin fenix 7 starts at 699 $, but the 51-millimeter Sapphire solar Edition costs 999.99 $. In short, both Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Fenix 7 are very durable, and they have some similar features. In some cases, Apple Watch Ultra wins, and in other cases, Phoenix 7 wins. However, Apple Watch Ultra has some interesting features that Garmin should add to their smart watches.