Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Garmin Fenix 7 – Which Should You Buy?

Choosing the right smartwatch depends on your lifestyle, fitness goals, and how much tech you need on your wrist. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 and Garmin Fenix 7 both cater to adventure-seeking users but differ in focus and features. Apple Watch Ultra 2 delivers a premium smartwatch experience with a bright display, tight iPhone integration, and advanced health sensors. Garmin Fenix 7 is built for endurance athletes, offering multi-week battery life and robust GPS capabilities. This comparison highlights the key differences to help you decide which watch better suits your daily routine and adventure needs.

Side By Side Comparison

Detailed Feature Comparisons

Design and Construction
The Apple Watch Ultra 2 features a premium titanium case with a flat sapphire crystal display, giving it a sleek and modern look. It’s built for rugged use but still maintains a high-end appearance. The Garmin Fenix 7 uses a more tactical, rugged design with a fiber-reinforced polymer case and optional steel or titanium bezel, designed for tough environments like mountain trails or triathlons.

Display Quality
Apple’s Ultra 2 boasts an ultra-bright Retina OLED display with up to 3000 nits, which remains highly visible even in direct sunlight. The Garmin Fenix 7 uses a memory-in-pixel (MIP) transflective display that excels in bright outdoor environments and consumes very little power but lacks the visual sharpness of Apple’s screen.

Battery Life
Garmin Fenix 7 is a clear leader in battery longevity, lasting up to 18 days in smartwatch mode and more than 50 hours in GPS mode. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 offers up to 36 hours, which extends to 72 hours using low-power settings. For multi-day expeditions without charging, Garmin is more dependable.

Performance and Processor
Apple’s S9 SiP delivers fast, responsive performance with support for Siri on-device and advanced gesture controls like double-tap. Garmin uses its own efficient chipset optimized for battery life rather than raw speed. It’s reliable, but not as fast or fluid as Apple’s.

Fitness and Health Tracking
Both watches are excellent for fitness, but they prioritize different metrics. Apple includes advanced health tools like ECG, blood oxygen, and skin temperature sensing. Garmin focuses on performance metrics with VO2 max, Body Battery™, training load, and recovery time. For serious training data, Garmin wins. For health monitoring and usability, Apple leads.

Navigation and GPS
Both watches offer advanced GPS features, but in different ways. The Ultra 2 uses dual-frequency GPS for accuracy in dense cities and remote areas. Garmin’s Fenix 7 supports multi-band GNSS with SatIQ™, which automatically adjusts GPS settings to balance precision and battery. Garmin also offers superior offline topographic maps and breadcrumb navigation.

Software and Ecosystem
Apple Watch Ultra 2 runs watchOS 10 with access to the App Store, robust notifications, and deep integration with iPhone features. Garmin’s OS is more limited in smart features but excels in custom workout tools and outdoor activity tracking. It works with both Android and iPhone.

Buttons and Controls
Apple uses a combination of touchscreen, Digital Crown, and an Action Button. Garmin sticks to five physical buttons, which are often preferred in cold or wet environments where touchscreens become unreliable. This makes Garmin better suited for rugged, hands-on use.

Smart Features and App Support
Apple dominates in smart features, offering LTE, Siri, text replies, and full app support from its ecosystem. Garmin has basic smartphone notifications, limited music storage, and no app store. If you want a true smartwatch, Apple wins here.

Durability and Water Resistance
Both watches are rated for 100 meters of water resistance and built with premium materials. The Ultra 2 meets MIL-STD 810H durability, and Garmin’s Fenix 7 is tested for rugged environments with long-term durability in mind.

FAQ

Can the Apple Watch Ultra 2 work with Android phones?
No, the Apple Watch Ultra 2 is only compatible with iPhones. It cannot be paired or used with Android devices.

Does the Garmin Fenix 7 have a touchscreen?
Yes, the Garmin Fenix 7 includes a touchscreen in addition to its traditional five-button layout, giving users flexible navigation options.

Which watch has better battery life?
The Garmin Fenix 7 has significantly better battery life. It lasts up to 18 days in smartwatch mode and up to 57 hours in GPS mode, far exceeding the Ultra 2’s 36-hour rating.

Is the Apple Watch Ultra 2 better for daily smart features?
Yes, the Ultra 2 offers a superior smart experience with full notifications, third-party apps, LTE support, and Siri voice commands.

Can I use topographic maps on both watches?
Topographic maps and offline navigation are more advanced and flexible on the Garmin Fenix 7. The Apple Watch Ultra 2 includes waypoint and backtrack functions but lacks full topo map support.

Which watch is better for triathlon or multi-sport training?
Garmin Fenix 7 is designed with multi-sport athletes in mind. It supports detailed triathlon metrics, advanced training load insights, and long GPS sessions without charging.

Does the Apple Watch Ultra 2 have more health sensors?
Yes, it includes additional sensors like ECG, blood oxygen, and temperature tracking, making it more advanced for health monitoring than the Fenix 7.

Can I download music on both watches?
Yes, both watches support music storage and playback. However, the Apple Watch has tighter integration with Apple Music and Spotify. Garmin also supports offline playback through Spotify and other services.

Is the Garmin Fenix 7 customizable with different bands and faces?
Yes, Garmin offers a wide range of QuickFit bands and customizable watch faces via the Connect IQ Store.

Which is more durable in extreme outdoor conditions?
The Garmin Fenix 7 is slightly more rugged with its physical buttons and broader outdoor activity support, while the Ultra 2 meets military durability standards and has a stronger display.