Garmin Fenix 8 vs Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra

Promised by Garmin to be the most capable lineup of premium multisport GPS smartwatches, the brand has just launched its new Fenix 8 series.

The Fenix 8 lineup sees a promising upgrade from its predecessor, the Fenix 7, and comes just months after Samsung launched its latest premium smartwatch, the Galaxy Watch Ultra, which we gave a solid four-star rating for its bold design and accurate workout tracking. 

With that in mind, how do the two smartwatches compare? We’ve listed the key differences between them, such as their respective battery life, GPS tracking capability and versatility, below. 

	Garmin Fenix 8	Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra
UK RRP	£869.99	£599
USA RRP	$999.99	$649.99
Screen size	43mm, 47mm, 51mm	47mm
Battery life (smartwatch mode)	Up to 30 days (48 with solar)	Up to 80 hours
Waterproof	10ATM	10ATM
Weight	60-102g	60.5g
Release Date	2024	2024
GPS	Yes	Yes

Price

The Garmin Fenix 8 series has a starting RRP of £869.99/$999.99 for the 43mm model with an AMOLED watchface, however this price will increase depending on your size choice and screen preference. 

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a cheaper RRP of £599/$649.99 and is only available in a 47mm size.

The Garmin Fenix 8 is available in two screen choices

The Fenix 8 series is available with a choice between two displays, a bright AMOLED screen or a low-power Memory-in-Pixel display with a solar charging lens. The AMOLED Fenix 8 is available in three sizes, 43mm, 47mm or 51mm while the solar charging option is available in just 47mm or 51mm.

One of the main benefits of the solar charging option is you can effortlessly extend your battery life, simply by being outside. Although Garmin says solar charging is not intended to be the primary charging source, it’s able to give you a boost of power without compromising on the watch’s functionality.

Otherwise, the Galaxy Watch Ultra just has one screen choice, and although it doesn’t boast any solar charging prowess, it is a very bright Super AMOLED.

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra has a double pinch function

A useful feature for controlling your watch while you’re working out or on a run, the Galaxy Watch Ultra has a double pinch shortcut. Similar to Apple’s Double Tap, simply pinch your thumb and index finger on your watch-wearing hand to answer calls, control your music or silence alarms, without needing to interact with the screen.

If you pair your Galaxy Watch Ultra with a compatible Samsung Galaxy handset then you can also use double pinch to capture photos too. 

The Garmin Fenix 8 is compatible with both iPhone and Android

Although the Galaxy Ultra can be paired with other Android smartphones and not just those from Samsung, it will not work with any iPhone. On the other hand, the Fenix 8 series is compatible with both iPhones and Androids, making it the more versatile option of the two.

Of course, the Watch Ultra, thanks to Wear OS, has far more smart features and app support, giving you more everyday functionality on your wrist. This isn’t to say that the Fenix 8 is bereft of smart features; you can message people via Garmin Messenger and even download music to listen to offline via services like Spotify and Amazon Music.

The Garmin Fenix 8 uses SatIQ technology

Both smartwatches use GPS technology, with the Galaxy Watch Ultra using dual-frequency GPS which incorporates L1 and L5 frequency bands to accurately track you, even through densely packed urban spaces.

The Fenix 8 uses SatIQ technology and multi-band GPS for its tracking. Garmin’s own SatIQ technology determines the optimum GPS mode of your smartwatch, based on your environment. This ensures you’re always accurately tracked without wasting too much of the battery life.

For example, if you’re in a densely packed area then SatIQ will automatically switch to a strong Multiband GNSS whereas if you’re in an open space, a low power GPS mode will be enabled in order to maximum battery life without compromising on positional accuracy.

The Garmin Fenix 8 has a much longer battery life

One of the biggest advantages of a Garmin smartwatch comes from its impressive battery life and the Fenix 8 series is no exception. Garmin claims its 51mm AMOLED Fenix 8 can last for up to 29-days when in smartwatch mode, while the 51mm solar model offers up to a whopping 48-days.

The Galaxy Watch Ultra falls short in comparison and offers only days rather than weeks of battery between charges. With its always-on display on, you can expect up to 60 hours of usage time while Power Saving mode offers up to 100 hours.

Early Verdict

Perhaps the most influential factor in making your decision between the Garmin Fenix 8 series and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra will come from your smartphone, as the latter is not compatible with iOS while the former is. If you do have an iPhone, then the Fenix 8 series is the only viable choice between the two.

On the other hand, the Galaxy Watch Ultra is much cheaper than the Fenix 8 and is still a hardworking health and fitness tracker, although it does lack some of the more premium tools such as a diving rating.