Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Best Outdoor Smartwatch 2025

In the high-end smartwatch market of 2025, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro are the two flagship devices most sought after by adventure enthusiasts and extreme sports fans. Building on the outdoor design strengths of the Ultra 2, the Apple Ultra 3 combines durability, a bright display, and comprehensive health tracking, while seamlessly integrating with the iPhone ecosystem. The Fenix 8 Pro, on the other hand, is known for military-grade ruggedness, ultra-long battery life, and multi-satellite navigation, making it a reliable companion for extreme outdoor adventures.

Both target outdoor users, but with different focuses - Apple Ultra 3 emphasizes smart features and health tracking, while Fenix 8 Pro prioritizes durability and endurance. In this article, we’ll compare the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Fenix 8 Pro across design, display, satellite features, health tracking, and battery life, helping you choose the ultimate outdoor smartwatch that suits your needs.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Design and Durability

For adventure enthusiasts, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro are two of the most durable high-end smartwatches in 2025, but their design philosophies differ. Building on the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Apple Ultra 3 features a 49mm titanium case, available in natural and black finishes, with a sapphire crystal screen. It offers water resistance up to 100 meters, dust protection (IP6X), and built-in tools like a flashlight, compass, and diving app. Multiple straps allow seamless transitions from sporty to everyday or business wear. Also if you want to personalize your Garmin Watch Straps, you can explore our Bandletic Apple Watch Ultra 3 Bands or Garmin Fenix Watch Bands. Also do not miss the latest Apple Watch SE 3 Bands and Apple Watch Series 11 Bands.

For more information, you can also check our article of Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Ultra 3.

The Fenix 8 Pro comes in 47mm and 51mm sizes, with titanium or high-strength alloy cases designed for extreme durability. Military-grade shock, water, and temperature resistance ensure reliability in harsh environments. Physical buttons and reinforced frames make it operable even in rain, with gloves, or under extreme conditions - perfect for mountaineering, long-distance hiking, and intense outdoor adventures.

Summary: Apple Watch Ultra 3 focuses on a refined, high-end design while balancing outdoor functionality and everyday wear. Fenix 8 Pro emphasizes rugged, military-grade durability for extreme environments.

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 3 – It combines robust durability with smart features and everyday comfort, making it the most versatile choice for most users.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Display

When it comes to displays, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro take different approaches. The Ultra 3 features an always-on LTPO3 OLED display with a resolution of approximately 410×502 pixels and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits. Its slim bezels and vibrant colors, along with deep blacks, provide a clear and immersive viewing experience. It also supports a 1Hz low-refresh mode to save power, making it excellent for notifications, navigation, and outdoor activities while maintaining balanced battery life.

The Fenix 8 Pro offers multiple display options: the standard Memory-in-Pixel reflective screen is highly readable under sunlight and extremely power-efficient, while the top-tier 51mm MicroLED version reaches a peak brightness of 4,500 nits, ensuring visibility in bright or high-altitude environments. However, its resolution is around 280×280 pixels, which is less sharp and colorful compared to the Apple Ultra 3. Additionally, the MicroLED version consumes significantly more power and comes at a higher price. Its advantage lies in extreme outdoor readability rather than display refinement.

Summary: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 excels in resolution, color accuracy, and balanced brightness, offering a clear display for both outdoor and everyday use. The Fenix 8 Pro shines in extreme brightness and durability but falls slightly behind in display sharpness and power efficiency.

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 3 – It strikes the best balance between high resolution, brightness, color accuracy, outdoor readability, and battery efficiency, making it the most versatile choice for both daily wear and outdoor adventures.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Battery Life

When it comes to battery performance, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro clearly outshines the Apple Watch Ultra 3. Compared to the Apple Watch Ultra 2, the Ultra 3 has improved battery capacity and low-power mode: it lasts around 42 hours with regular use, and up to 72 hours in low-power mode. Its fast-charging feature provides approximately 12 hours of battery life after just 15 minutes of charging. While an upgrade from the Ultra 2, it still requires carrying a charger for long expeditions or multi-day outdoor activities.

The Fenix 8 Pro demonstrates Garmin’s battery advantage: the AMOLED version can last 27-28 days in smartwatch mode, while Expedition mode exceeds 40 days. Even with continuous GPS tracking, it maintains around 90 hours of battery life. The top-tier MicroLED version, despite its higher brightness, still achieves 10 days of usage, making it ideal for ultramarathons, long-distance hikes, or multi-day adventures without frequent recharging.

Summary: In the Apple Watch Ultra 2 vs Ultra 3 comparison, the Ultra 3 balances performance and battery life for everyday and outdoor use, while the Fenix 8 Pro excels in extreme endurance, built for long expeditions and demanding conditions.

Winner: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro – Its battery life far surpasses Apple’s, allowing users to tackle multi-day adventures or extreme conditions without worrying about power.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Smart and Satellite Features

When it comes to smart and satellite communication, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro focus on different strengths. The Ultra 3 supports 5G cellular + two-way satellite messaging, allowing you to send messages, trigger emergency SOS, and share your location even without a phone signal. It integrates seamlessly with the Apple ecosystem, including iPhone, Siri, Apple Pay, and other apps, and comes with two years of free satellite service - perfect for daily life and occasional outdoor adventures. Users comparing Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Fenix 8 Pro often note how convenient this setup is for both city use and light outdoor trips.

The Fenix 8 Pro, on the other hand, emphasizes reliable communication in extreme environments. With the Garmin inReach satellite system + LTE (select models), users can send two-way messages, request weather updates, share locations, and access 24/7 SOS services. Its core advantage is high reliability and global coverage in remote areas, ideal for multi-day hikes, ultramarathons, mountain expeditions, or extended off-grid missions. Although it requires a paid subscription, the Fenix 8 Pro’s satellite capability provides unmatched safety and communication for long-term off-grid adventures.

Summary: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 excels in smart ecosystem integration, convenience, and emergency connectivity, while the Fenix 8 Pro delivers superior satellite reliability and continuous communication in remote conditions.

Winner: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro – Its satellite features offer unmatched coverage and reliability, making it the top choice for long-distance, off-grid adventures.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Fitness and Performance

When it comes to fitness, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 focuses on intelligence and user experience. With Workout Buddy powered by Apple Intelligence, it delivers real-time voice coaching that adapts to your heart rate, pace, distance, and activity rings. The redesigned Workout app makes customization easier, while seamless integration with Fitness+, Apple Music, and Podcasts keeps motivation high.

Ultra 3 also features dual-frequency GPS, automatic track detection, cycling power meter support, stroke recognition with SWOLF scoring for swimmers, and even works as a dive computer with Oceanic Plus - covering running, cycling, swimming, diving, and more.

Compared with the Garmin Fenix 8, which already delivers reliable multi-sport tracking and essential training features, the new Garmin Fenix 8 Pro takes performance to the next level. Also read the article Garmin Fenix 8 vs. Garmin Fenix 8 Pro for more knowledge.

 On the other hand, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro emphasizes professional-grade data and endurance performance. Supporting over 80 sports modes, it delivers advanced insights such as VO2 Max, Training Status, Endurance Score, Hill Score, and detailed running dynamics. With its multi-band, multi-GNSS positioning, it ensures highly accurate tracking even in dense cities or rugged mountain terrain.

Most importantly, its ultra-long battery life supports multi-day adventures without charging, while seamless compatibility with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and other third-party platforms makes it the go-to choice for serious athletes.

Summary: The Apple Watch Ultra 3 shines with intelligent coaching, seamless ecosystem integration, and precise GPS, while the Fenix 8 Pro dominates with deeper performance metrics, broader sport modes, and unmatched endurance.

Winner: Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - In the comparison of Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Fenix 8 Pro, Garmin takes the lead with superior endurance data, satellite accuracy, and battery life, making it the ultimate choice for professional and endurance athletes.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Health Monitoring

When it comes to health monitoring, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro each have their strengths, but they focus on different priorities. The Ultra 3 emphasizes daily health management with a broad, intelligent feature set:

• Heart Rate Monitoring: The Ultra 3 uses the S10 chip to optimize heart rate tracking, capturing daily and exercise fluctuations accurately, with alerts for abnormal heart rates.
• Blood Pressure Alerts: It introduces high blood pressure notifications by passively analyzing vascular response trends over 30 days, alerting users to potential chronic hypertension. This feature is pending FDA approval but is expected to roll out in over 150 countries.
• Blood Oxygen Monitoring: Supports SpO₂ measurement for daily or high-altitude environments, using environmental light sensors to reduce measurement errors.
• Sleep Tracking: A new sleep scoring system evaluates sleep duration, consistency, and interruptions, providing a clear daily score to improve sleep quality.
• Other Health Features: Includes ECG, irregular rhythm notifications, sleep apnea alerts, and ovulation predictions, delivering comprehensive health insights.

In contrast, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro focuses more on athlete-oriented physiological metrics:

• Heart Rate Monitoring: Offers heart rate zone analysis, combined with training load and recovery metrics, ideal for endurance athletes.
• Blood Oxygen Monitoring: Uses multi-spectral technology for accurate readings in complex environments.
• Sleep Tracking: Integrates heart rate, respiration, and activity data for comprehensive sleep reports, with some models supporting sleep apnea detection.
• Stress Monitoring: Analyzes stress levels using heart rate and activity data, providing relaxation suggestions.
• Limited Clinical Health Features: Lacks high blood pressure notifications or ECG monitoring, focusing on fitness data rather than medical-grade insights.

Overall, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 excels in daily health management and medical-grade health monitoring, covering heart rate, blood pressure, blood oxygen, and sleep comprehensively. The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is better suited for users who prioritize physiological data and training optimization but falls short in clinical health features.

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 3 - It offers smarter, more comprehensive health monitoring, making it the superior choice for daily health management and advanced health insights.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Price and Value

The Apple Watch Ultra 3 starts at $799, offering strong value considering its advanced features. With 5G connectivity, dual-way satellite communication, and enhanced health monitoring, it provides a high-end experience at a relatively accessible price, especially for iPhone users.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is significantly more expensive. The AMOLED version starts around $1,199, larger sizes cost about $1,299, and the top-tier MicroLED edition can reach $1,999 - more than double the price of the Ultra 3. Adding LTE and inReach satellite subscriptions increases the total cost further. Garmin is designed for extreme use cases and serious outdoor adventurers, offering unmatched durability and long-term battery performance.

In short, if budget and cost-effectiveness matter, Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the clear choice. For those seeking ruggedness, long battery life, and specialized outdoor tools, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro justifies its premium price.

Winner: Apple Watch Ultra 3 – offers more advanced features at a lower entry price, making it the best value for most users.

Apple Watch Ultra 3 vs Garmin Fenix 8 Pro - Final Verdict

Conclusion & Recommendation

In summary, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Garmin Fenix 8 Pro each have their strengths:

• If you want comprehensive health monitoring, seamless smart ecosystem integration, and convenient satellite emergency communication, while maintaining comfort for everyday wear, the Apple Watch Ultra 3 is the clear choice. It offers great value and leads in health and smart features.
• If your focus is on extreme outdoor durability, ultra-long battery life, and multi-day off-grid adventures, with advanced performance metrics and training insights, the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is the better fit. Its reliability and satellite communication capabilities in harsh conditions are unmatched.

Recommendation: For daily use and overall health management, choose Apple Watch Ultra 3; for extreme adventures and endurance activities, choose Garmin Fenix 8 Pro.