I’ve spent the last three weeks with a Garmin Fenix 8 on my left wrist and an Apple Watch Ultra 3 on my right. It looks ridiculous. People at the gym stare. My wife thinks I’ve finally lost it. But honestly, it’s the only way to cut through the marketing fluff and figure out which of these silicon slabs actually deserves your money.
For years, the debate was simple. You bought an Apple Watch if you wanted a mini-phone on your wrist. You bought a Garmin if you were the kind of person who ran marathons for fun.
But it’s 2026. The lines are blurring. Apple has added "Vitals" and "Training Load" metrics that look suspiciously like Garmin’s homework. Garmin has added voice assistants and AMOLED screens that are actually readable in the sun. So, is Garmin better than Apple Watch? Well, it depends on whether you view your watch as a tool or a companion.
The Battery Life Reality Check
Let’s talk about the elephant in the room. Or rather, the charger in the wall.
My Apple Watch Ultra 3 is a beast compared to the standard Series 11, but I’m still topping it off every other day. If I go for a three-hour trail run with GPS and music, I’m looking at the battery percentage with a bit of anxiety by dinner time. Apple says you can get 72 hours in low-power mode, but that feels like driving a Ferrari in a school zone. You’re turning off all the stuff you paid for.
Then there's the Garmin.
The Fenix 8 (the 51mm AMOLED version) just doesn't care. I went ten days without even thinking about the proprietary charging cable. If you opt for the Solar model with the MIP display, you’re looking at nearly a month. There is a specific kind of "mental freedom" that comes with never checking your battery percentage.
One thing that drives me nuts about Garmin, though? That charging port. It’s still that four-pin plug that feels like it was designed in 2012. If a speck of dust gets in there, it won't charge. Apple’s magnetic puck is just... better. It’s elegant. It works.
Sensors and the "Data vs. Insight" Problem
Here’s where it gets nerdy. According to several 2025 and 2026 validation studies, including data often cited by experts like The Quantified Scientist, Apple still holds the crown for heart rate accuracy during high-intensity intervals (HIIT).
When your heart rate spikes from 110 to 170 in thirty seconds, the Apple Watch sensor reacts almost instantly. My Garmin sometimes lags by 10 or 15 seconds.
Why Garmin Might Still Win for Athletes
Even if the Apple sensor is slightly "faster," Garmin’s Body Battery and Training Readiness are miles ahead in terms of interpretation.
Apple gives you the numbers. It shows you your HRV (Heart Rate Variability) and your resting heart rate in the Vitals app. But it doesn't always tell you what to do with them. Garmin, however, looks at your sleep, your recent stress, and your training load to tell you: "Hey, you’re at a 12/100 today. Maybe just go for a walk."
It feels like having a coach who actually knows you. Apple feels more like a doctor who hands you a clipboard of lab results and walks out of the room.
The Ecosystem Trap
If you have an iPhone, the Apple Watch is essentially a limb. You can reply to texts with your voice, unlock your Mac, control your Apple TV, and pay for coffee with a flick of the wrist. The integration is seamless. It’s "sticky."
Garmin’s "smart" features are... okay. You get notifications, but on iOS, you can’t reply to them. You can use Garmin Pay, but half the banks in the US still don't support it. You can listen to Spotify, but the interface feels like navigating a 2004 iPod.
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But Garmin has buttons. Five glorious, clicky, physical buttons.
Try using an Apple Watch touchscreen when it’s pouring rain or when your hands are dripping with sweat during a 10-mile run. It’s a nightmare. The "Action Button" on the Ultra helps, but it’s not the same as being able to navigate an entire interface without ever touching the glass.
Sleep Tracking: A Surprising Twist
I used to think Garmin was the king of sleep. They’ve been doing it longer, right?
Actually, the recent data suggests Apple’s sleep stage tracking is more aligned with medical-grade EEG sleep studies. Garmin tends to overestimate "Deep Sleep" for me. If I’m lying in bed reading a book, Garmin thinks I’m napping.
However, Garmin’s "Sleep Coach" is better at telling me why my sleep sucked. It’ll point out that my late-night glass of wine tanked my HRV. Apple just shows me a graph.
The Price of Professionalism
Neither of these is cheap.
- Apple Watch Ultra 3: Generally sits around $799.
- Garmin Fenix 8: Can easily climb to $999 or even $1,100 for the titanium/sapphire versions.
Is Garmin better than Apple Watch if it costs $300 more? If you are training for an Ironman, yes. The maps alone are worth it. Garmin’s offline TOPO maps are incredible—you get contours, points of interest, and "Up Ahead" markers for aid stations.
Apple’s Maps app is beautiful, but it’s still fundamentally designed for a city. Even with the new offline topographic maps in watchOS, it doesn't feel as "adventure-ready" as the Garmin.
The Verdict Nobody Wants to Hear
If you want a device that makes your life easier, buy the Apple Watch. It’s the best piece of technology I own. It’s a phone, a wallet, and a safety device (the fall detection and satellite SOS are literally life-savers).
But if you want a device that makes you a better athlete, buy the Garmin. It’s a tool. It doesn't want to distract you with Instagram notifications; it wants to tell you that you’re overtraining and need to eat more carbs.
Your Next Steps
- Check your bank: Does your credit card even work with Garmin Pay? Check the Garmin website before you ditch Apple Pay.
- Review your workout history: If 90% of your workouts are under 90 minutes, the battery life of a Garmin is a luxury, not a necessity.
- Try them on: The Fenix 8 is a thick watch. If you have smaller wrists, the "S" versions are better, but they lose some battery life. The Apple Watch Ultra is "one size fits most," and it's surprisingly light for its size.
Decide if you want a smartwatch that does fitness, or a fitness watch that tries to be smart. Once you pick a side, stick with it for at least a month to let the algorithms actually learn your body.