Fenix 3 vs. Fenix 6 – Which One Is Better?

As the years pass by, technology has been getting more and more integrated with every single aspect of our lives, and honestly, it’s not all that bad!

With more and more people getting invested in the fitness world, the popularity of smart fitness watches has drastically increased over the course of the last few years.

Some people who are enthusiasts are often willing to be investing in highly-priced products to get their hands on to the premium features.

Hence, today we will be comparing two of the premium smart sports watches of Garmin, Fenix 3 vs. Fenix 6. Fenix 3 is Fenix 6’s predecessor, and both of these fall in the premium category. So without further ado, let’s get right into the battle.

Fenix 3 vs Fenix 6 – Comparison Chart

Garmin Fenix 3

Fenix 3 is definitely not the latest and greatest smartwatch in the market. In fact, it was released way back in 2015, but still, it is not a useless cube of garbage.

Coming to its design, it has a decent display of about 1.2 inches and an adequate resolution of 218 pixels diameter.

And it uses a color system called Chroma, which makes the outdoor viewing experience very easy.

However, when the power saver mode is on, and the display is in monochrome, viewing can get a bit difficult under direct sunlight.

You will get a rubber strap with the regular Fenix 3, which is comfortable as well as grippy.

The battery is also decent with 16 hours of battery life in regular mode and up to 50 hours of usage with the low power mode.

You will get impressive performance with this product, and it honestly does everything quite well.

From accurate mapping to precise analytics of your speed, it does it all with a delay of only a couple of seconds.

Active outdoor runners and cyclists will also be glad to hear that it has a barometric altimeter which allows the product to adapt to its surroundings to provide the most accurate analytics.

However, the bummer is to unlock the advanced features such as vertical oscillation, recovery time, and VO2 max can only be measured with the additional purchase of the HRM-Run heart rate strap.

A good thing is that this watch works in several different conditions, whether it is skiing, swimming or running.

Although you will get detailed analytics of your activities, the sleep tracking of this watch is not the most precise one you will get, we’ll say that it is so-so in sleep tracking, but the step tracking is precise.

In addition to all that, you should note that it displays smart notifications of your phone with ample details, which are honestly expected at this price point, and also, the connectivity with the app is also pretty great.

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Garmin Fenix 6

The Garmin Fenix 6 is quite literally one of the latest and greatest smart sports watch you will get with your money in today’s market.

The design of the watch is definitely nice but not very high fashion by any means.

A 1.3” display is packed with a resolution of 260×260 pixels, which means it is very sharp, and you will have a pleasant time using this watch.

You should also note that the screen used is AMOLED, which makes the blacks of the watch inkier and the colors more vibrant.

This does not have a touchscreen. Instead, you have to navigate using buttons, which is not a bad thing.

To make it long-lasting, the watch has a sturdy and robust design that is not too heavy either, although it may look chunky.

Being the latest watch in the game, the Fenix 6 has an updated GPS navigation system which is very snappy and precise.

This watch would be a feature-packed beast if we had to summarise it in a few words. The good news is that with this product, the heart rate sensor is built-in.

So you don’t have to worry about buying a heart rate strap. Consequently, you will be able to measure your recovery time as well as track your sleep cycle better.

You can basically control everything with this watch (okay, that might be an overstatement).

In fact, you can also very comfortably control your music using the controls of the watch.

You might have already guessed that this watch is extremely versatile, and you will get great performance out of it, whether it is in your gym or a triathlon.

We have to mention the astounding battery life of this beast, though; the battery of this product will keep you supported for about 14 days with regular use and an insane 48 days in power-saving mode with just one full charge. Furthermore, charging is also relatively fast.

Related Guide: Garmin Fenix 5 or Fenix 3

Difference between Garmin Fenix 3 and Fenix 6

Let’s compare both Fenix 3 and Fenix 6 to let you know which one is better.

Design and Display

Both of these watches have similar displays, but the display of the Fenix 6 is a bit bigger with a 1.3” diameter, and Fenix 3 has a 1.2” diameter screen.

Therefore, Fenix 6 is bulkier, but both of them are robust and have a long-lasting design.

They also share the lack of a touchscreen, and both are operated by buttons. The Fenix 6 does have the sharper display though with the AMOLED screen and presents more information on the screen.

Mapping and Battery Life

The mapping experience for these two watches are very similar, and they are both quite decent.

It is worth to mention that because of the larger and more vibrant screen, the Fenix 6 is more comfortable for GPS navigation, but they are both very accurate.

Battery life is something very important for any piece of tech, and although both of these watches have decent batteries, the battery of the Fenix 6 is MUCH better.

Performance Metrics

A good thing with both of these products is that they both have a barometer and an altimeter, which allows for more precise tracking of speed, distance, and calories burned.

They’re also very good at step tracking. Yet again still, Fenix 6 has the upper hand here as well with its countless sensors and features.

You will get a heart rate sensor built-in with the Fenix 6, while with the Fenix 3, you’ll have to buy an additional heart rate strap.

The Fenix 6 also excels more in sleep cycle tracking where the Fenix 3 lacks a bit.

They are both quite versatile and suitable for gyms, so they perform well in most cases, and they’re also water-resistant with decent water certifications.

Cost

In simple words, being the latest smartwatch in the market, the Fenix 6 significantly more expensive than the Fenix 3, and we’re not talking 50 USD more, its price is multiple times of the Fenix 3.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here we have the most commonly asked queries regarding the Fenix 3 and Fenix 6:

Verdict

Hopefully, you have a clear understanding of both of the products discussed today after going through this Fenix 3 vs. Fenix 6 article.

We must add that between the two products, if you had to choose, and considering you have an ample amount of money saved for this purpose, go for the Fenix 6.

After all, it is the better one. However, Fenix 3 is much cheaper, and it is a great option if you’re on a budget.