Garmin - Fenix 6 Series
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Based on 1 year's data from Mar 17, 2026 How it works
I have a garmin fenix 6 pro and it’s underestimating my calories daily by about 200. According to the watch data and tracking every morsel of food religiously, my weekly deficit is ~2200 calories. I’ve lost between 0.5-0.8kg/week for the last 4 weeks. That means my real deficit is over 3500 calories per week. Every BMR/TDEE calculator does the same, underestimates for me. I barely exercise and get about 8000 steps per day at work. 1400 cals a day, 5ft 3 and currently 149lbs
💯 I waited to upgrade my 6s Pro, which was seeing significant battery decline, until the fenix 8 came out. No 8s with MIP, max battery life of like four days?? Ended up buying a 7s Pro at a significant discount and it’s drastically better than the 42mm version of the 8.
Fenix 6X PRO. Was a new open box item in John Lewis and marked down to £276 about 3 years ago. I’d been looking at an instinct and then saw this and jumped on it. Can’t fault it.
All true except advanced metrics. They are also present in Fenix (it has even more features for hiking) and Instinct. Forerunner is not more advanced. The rugedness is mostly about the bezel. In fenix and instinct it has a rim which gives extra protection to the screen. But that means rugged watches are more bulky what can be a problem in the gym. The real question is lightness of forerunner vs battery life of fenix /instinct
Touch screen is better for maps, quicker customization of data fields and easy shortcuts on the watchfaces. There is also much more detailed summary after workouts. I didn't know about the flash light when I changed from 6X. But it really is extremely useful
Touch screen is better for maps, quicker customization of data fields and easy shortcuts on the watchfaces. There is also much more detailed summary after workouts. I didn't know about the flash light when I changed from 6X. But it really is extremely useful
Fenix 6X Sapphire! Works really well in open water. In the pool, it may lose a lap here and there but I've never lose more than 4 laps in a 3000 yard swim.
Garmin Fenix 6 and 7 are having some hot deals right now. Go Sapphire for the extra protection. But if you only need the bare minimum, Forerunner 2xx
why not both? if you get like a Fenix 6 used then you can also get a Garmin 130 Plus for the bike. I use my watch for the overall measurement, but the 130 allows me to have a screen in front of me (I don't sync the bike computer to my workouts).
I have Fenix 6x Sapphire and it's amazing for multi sport. New watches just came out, so anything lower than the 8 is going for less on the used market.
Not required, unless you plan to make it a lifestyle. Then you need to plan accordingly. I have a Garmin Fenix. My view (just for me) is that I want a sports watch with smart features. Not a smart watch with sport features.
My Fenix 6X Sapphire is awesome for all the tri sports and more. You can get them at time under $500 now.
I just went from a Fenix 6s to a Fenix 8, and I'm really glad I upgraded screens from MIP to AMOLED (along with size to 47mm). Not as important to everyone, but I think it's something worth comparing and considering.
I'd suggest creating a list of features in your AWU that you can't live without, then seeing if Garmin can support it. This will help you decide if you'll be ok with the tradeoffs and also potentially help you assess what you truly "need" out of a watch. I would also assess the features on the Garmin watch you're interested in, and see how that compares with the AWU. You may end up with things you "need" or really want that the AWU doesn't have (e.g., battery life or flashlight). Afterwards, assess your tradeoffs both ways. You might find one is missing more than the other, or one is missing more important things to you. I got the F8 (AMOLED 47mm) recently and now I don't know how I was even surviving with only the 9 days on my F6S before this! I forget the last time I even charged it. The flashlight has also been very helpful for random things. Also, I would recommend sticking with an AMOLED display, I think you'll be very underwhelmed with a MIP one coming from your AWU.
there's more of us out there than you realize. I'm actually realizing the reason I got the fenix was to have the smallest sports tracker with the highest battery (woman with small wrists) and the best screen (Amoled is visible, wehre MIP is lmost invistible) But I'm finding the overnight data from garmin to be less and less useful or even mentally healthy, so I'm going back to using my analogs more and more. And they are prettier.
Get a garmin Fenix, doesnt really matter which model as long as it’s not ancient, off eBay
Actually the buttons on apple watch ultra are far better. The buttons on my new Fenix are spongy crap with no click.
I just bought a Fenix solar last night and so far it's a giant POS. The UI is ass, syncing Bluetooth is stupid, Garmin pay is garbage and the battery life isn't anywhere close to advertised.
And really, i have Siri on my Fenix - so all these smart features are on my Fenix. I don’t need to answer messages or read emails on my watch. It’s enough to be able to read a notification. If it’s important I grab my phone. Did the same on my awu. It looks ridiculous when somebody is typing a message with his watch, isn’t it?

