Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Fenix 7X

Shervin Shares
3 min readJun 7, 2023

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Hello, tech enthusiasts! Today, I’ll be sharing with you my hands-on experience of using the Apple Watch Ultra and the Garmin Fenix 7X in the heart of London.

Part 1: Battery Life & Navigation

I first looked at the battery life performance of the two watches. The Apple Watch Ultra can function for 36 hours without GPS usage, but this duration shrinks to approximately 12 hours if I engage in workout sessions. On the other hand, the Garmin Fenix 7X touts an impressive 25-day battery lifespan under regular conditions without GPS, but reduces to 42 hours is I take part in physical exercise.

Apple Watch Ultra Battery Life

Both watches were then put to the test with an outdoor walk, to see which GPS was more efficient. The Garmin Fenix 7X secured a GPS lock even before my journey began. On the flip side, the Apple Watch Ultra trailed slightly, securing the GPS lock about 10 seconds post commencement.

Garmin Fenix 7X GPS

Part 2: Running Experience & Distance Tracking

As I continued my exploration around London, I took both watches out for a run. I wore both watches, using the Apple Watch Ultra for navigation and the Garmin Fenix 7X to track the workout. However, toggling between screens on the Apple Watch was not as smooth as having separate displays.

Throughout the run, there were slight discrepancies in distance tracking between the two watches. The Apple Watch Ultra consistently reported slightly lower distances compared to the Garmin Fenix 7X. Additionally, the Apple Watch experienced some bugs following a recent OS update, causing it to fall behind the Garmin’s tracking data.

Comparison of Apple Watch Ultra vs Garmin Fenix 7x Data

Despite these hiccups, both watches performed admirably during the run, providing accurate navigation and pace information.

Part 3: Comparison & Verdict

By the end of my experiment, it was clear that each watch has its strengths and trade-offs.

The Apple Watch Ultra offered a comprehensive suite of features, including Apple Pay and robust navigation. However, it fell slightly behind in tracking accuracy and had a shorter battery life, especially during workouts. On the other hand, the Garmin Fenix 7X boasted an incredible 25-day battery life, which is a clear advantage, particularly when traveling. The trade-off is that you lose the integrated Apple features.

As I concluded my tour in London and prepared for my trip to Paris, the choice between the Apple Watch Ultra and Garmin Fenix 7X really boiled down to personal preference and specific needs.

If you would like to purchase the Apple Watch Ultra, use this link: https://amzn.to/3zVgmSw*

If you would like to purchase the Garmin Fenix 7X, use this link: https://www.playbetter.com/products/g...*

*these are affiliate links

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