Both the Garmin Fenix 5 and the Garmin 5 Plus are serious sports smartwatches. These two devices are especially good if you enjoy participating in outdoor sports in your spare time. These watches are a great investment if you are looking for a way to track your activity.
Although they are very similar and share the same mission, their features differ slightly. We will be deciding which of the two sports watches is the best and worth spending your hard-earned money on by focusing on ease of use and features offered.
I have chosen to address the features that make each smartwatch distinct as well as make choosing a winner much easier.
Read Related Article: Best Garmin Running Watches for 2020
Table of Contents
Garmin Fenix 5 Smartwatch
- Physical Features
- This sure is a robust watch! It combines a touch screen with buttons for ease of use. You will find it has 2 rotating bezels that protrude from the watch face.
- Water Resistance
- The Garmin Fenix 5 is waterproof to a depth of 100 meters. That means you can swim freely in the sea or pool while tracking your heart rate and distance covered.
- Display
- The screen is in color and can adapt its brightness to the external lighting is exposed to, which is especially helpful during outdoor activities. You have a 218×218 pixel touch screen, and to be honest, that is more than enough for a smartwatch.
- Activity Tracking
- Most fitness smartwatches monitor your heart rate and count how many steps you take per day, as well as reminding you to stretch and move if you haven’t done so in a while. The Fenix 5 does that and much, much more.
Your data is collected during hiking, skiing, rowing and even parachuting from a plane. So it is probably safe to say that whatever your beloved outdoor activity is, Fenix 5 is tracking.
- The App
Downloading the Garmin app will give you access to all of your fitness data, including how well you slept, calorie intake versus calories burned, it even offers news feeds. The app is basic and easy to follow.
- Notifications
If you want to see all of your mobile phone notifications on your smartwatch, then this device can do it. Just keep in mind that its function is for viewing only. The Fenix 5 won’t actually let you answer any of the calls or messages.
- Music
You can control and flick through the music being played on your phone through the app.
- Battery Life
The Fenix 5 has an amazing maximum battery life of up to 14 days. Obviously, you will need to have it on energy-saving mode and turn off any unnecessary monitoring for it to last that long.
PROS
- Waterproof and durable
- Almost every activity is trackable
- Accurate monitoring
- Sporty appearance
CONS
- Can’t connect to Wi-Fi
- Can’t store music directly on the device
Garmin 5 Plus Smartwatch
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- Water Resistance
- Enjoy swimming in waters of up to 100 meters deep. It is both water and dirt proof so don’t be afraid to take it on your camping trip folks.
- GPS Mapping
- While you are out enjoying your hike, it might be in your best interests to know the best routes to wherever you want to get to. With the 5 Plus, you will always be following the best and safest routes.
- Music
- Store up to 500 of your favorite tunes directly on your smartwatch. Leave your phone at home for once and enjoy the freedom this smartwatch will give you.
- Battery Life
- Your battery will last up to 12 days in smartwatch mode and about 18 hours while GPS is working. More than enough to get you through a holiday or fitness retreat.
- Notifications
- View all of your notifications on the smartwatch and if you are connected to the Garmin 5 Plus through an Android phone, you can even reply to any texts that pop up.
- Fitness scoring
- In addition to your activities being tracked and monitored, you will get a fitness score from 0-5 at the end of an activity. Compare your fitness level from the last 7 days.
- No need to go into the app on your phone to see all of this information, you just can get it directly from your watch.
- Sleeping Tracker
- Keeping up with sleeping statistics is just as important as knowing how active you are during the day. You can’t excel in your daily sports activities if your body hasn’t rested enough.
PROS
- Tracks sports activities
- GPS maps where you have been for analysis and guides you where you want to go
- Music is downloadable directly on the device
- Motivating feedback
CONS
- If your wrists are on the smaller end of the scale, the watch can look very dominant and indiscreet
- The display screen isn’t very clear
Winner – Garmin 5 Plus
With all of the above taken into account, I have to crown the Garmin 5 Plus the winner. The icing on the cake for me is being able to answer messages through the smartwatch itself instead of having to take my phone out of my pocket every time it vibrates. 500 song capacity is also a lot of songs and gives you the option to leave your phone at home all together during a workout session.
