Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Ultimate Comparison for Outdoor Sports and Smart Features

In the smartwatch market, Garmin Fenix 8 and Apple Watch Series 10 represent two distinct directions: the former focuses on professional outdoor sports, making it ideal for extreme adventures and high-intensity training, while the latter excels in a comprehensive ecosystem and smart experience, making it the perfect choice for daily health management and tech enthusiasts. Garmin and Apple are both among the top 10 best sports watch companies in the world, each with deep expertise in the field of sports smartwatches. You can check our article about Garmin Fenix 8 review and Apple Watch Series 10 review.

This article will provide an in-depth comparison of these two flagship products in terms of design, display performance, sports features, health monitoring, battery life, pricing, and overall value, helping you choose the smartwatch that best suits your needs.

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Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Price

The starting price of the Apple Watch Series 10 is $399 for the base non-cellular version, with the price increasing depending on size and LTE capabilities.

In contrast, the Garmin Fenix 8 is priced higher, ranging from $999.99 to $1199.99, depending on the model and size. The Fenix 8 offers AMOLED displays and solar charging options, catering to different size preferences. While the price of the Apple Watch Series 10 is similar to the previous generation, the Garmin Fenix 8 is priced higher, positioning it as a more premium smartwatch option.

Overall, the Garmin Fenix 8 is better suited for those focused on outdoor sports and extreme activities. Although it is more expensive, its professional features and durability justify the price. The Apple Watch 10, on the other hand, offers a more competitive price, making it ideal for users already within the Apple ecosystem, providing a wide range of everyday smart features.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Specifications

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Design, Size and Weight

Garmin Fenix 8 and Apple Watch 10 represent two distinct design philosophies, catering to different user groups. The Fenix 8 focuses on durability and ruggedness, designed for outdoor adventures and extreme sports, while the Apple Watch 10 prioritizes a sleek, lightweight design, ideal for daily wear and smart ecosystem integration.

Garmin Fenix 8

The Garmin Fenix 8 features a titanium or stainless steel case with a sapphire crystal display, offering military-grade resistance to heat, shock, and 10 ATM water resistance, making it suitable for extreme environments. It comes in 43mm, 47mm, and 51mm sizes and features a QuickFit interchangeable strap system, supporting silicone or nylon bands for easy customization. Additionally, it includes reinforced waterproof tactile buttons on the sides to enhance durability.

Apple Watch Series 10

In contrast, the Apple Watch 10 uses an aluminum or titanium case, paired with a stainless steel and tempered glass back, providing IP68-rated water and dust resistance. Available in 42mm and 46mm sizes, its bezel-free rounded design makes it sleek and lightweight. Weighing only 36.4g with a 9.7mm thickness, it offers a more comfortable wearing experience for daily use. Meanwhile, the Fenix 8 is larger and heavier, weighing 102g with a 14.7mm thickness, making it better suited for extreme outdoor conditions.

Bandeltic Recommendation

• If you are passionate about outdoor adventures and extreme sports, and need a rugged, durable smartwatch that can withstand harsh environments, the Garmin Fenix 8 is the better choice. It offers military-grade protection, 10 ATM water resistance, and multiple size and quick-change strap options, ensuring reliability in demanding conditions.
• If you prioritize comfort, style, and smart ecosystem integration for everyday use, the Apple Watch 10, with its sleek, lightweight design, IP68 water resistance, and deep Apple ecosystem integration, is the ideal option for daily life and smart interactions.
• If you want to looking for a premium Apple Watch bands or Garmin Watch bands such as Garmin Fenix Watch bands and Apple Watch Series 10 bands(including Apple watch Series 10 42mm bands and Apple Watch Series 10 46mm bands), Bandletic, a professional sport watch straps brand, is your best choice.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Display

Garmin Fenix 8

The Garmin Fenix 8 features a 1.4-inch AMOLED touchscreen with high brightness, vibrant colors, and sharp clarity. The screen is optimized to remain visible even in bright outdoor conditions, making it especially suited for outdoor sports. While its screen size is smaller than the Apple Watch 10, its high pixel density of 458 PPI ensures an excellent visual experience.

Apple Watch Series 10

The Apple Watch 10 is equipped with a 1.96-inch OLED screen with an ultra-narrow bezel design, providing a more immersive visual experience. With a brightness of up to 2000 nits, it delivers clear display performance both indoors and outdoors. Its resolution is 416 × 496 pixels, offering fine details, though its 330 PPI pixel density is slightly lower than the Garmin's, it still provides a very clear display.

Bandeltic Recommendation

• If you need a watch with stronger outdoor visibility and higher pixel density, the Garmin Fenix 8 is the ideal choice.
• If you prefer a larger, more immersive display, the Apple Watch 10 is better suited for everyday use.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Health and Fitness Tracking

The Garmin Fenix 8 is a smartwatch designed for extreme sports and outdoor activities, offering a wide range of sports modes like running, cycling, swimming, and hiking. It accurately records data during activities and provides detailed analysis to help users improve their performance. It also features heart rate monitoring, blood oxygen detection, stress management, and sleep tracking, offering a comprehensive understanding of one's health. Additionally, the Fenix 8 includes diving capabilities, dynamic route planning, and other specialized features that make it ideal for extreme environments.

The Apple Watch 10 excels in health monitoring, supporting heart rate tracking, blood oxygen measurement, ECG, and fall detection, making it perfect for everyday health management. It provides precise activity tracking for running, cycling, swimming, and hiking, along with custom route tracking and automatic trajectory recording to optimize training data.

The Garmin Fenix 8 offers over 100 sport modes, with dedicated features for strength training and diving, making it especially suited for extreme sports enthusiasts who require accurate data. In contrast, the Apple Watch 10 focuses more on comprehensive health monitoring and is ideal for users looking for all-around health tracking, particularly within the smart ecosystem.

Bandeltic Recommendation

• If you enjoy extreme sports and outdoor adventures, the Garmin Fenix 8 is your best choice.
• If you prioritize comprehensive health tracking and smart connectivity, the Apple Watch 10 is better suited for everyday wear and fitness tracking.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Smartwatch Features

Garmin Fenix 8

Supports voice control and Bluetooth calling, allowing users to connect to their phone’s voice assistant for functions like switching workout modes, viewing navigation, and receiving notifications.

It also supports Alipay QR code payments and transport cards, enhancing daily convenience. Although its app ecosystem is more limited, it's ideal for those focused on sports functionality and long battery life. The voice note feature lets users record ideas and tag locations, making it great for outdoor tracking. The interface is geared towards professional users with a focus on extreme sports and extended usage.

Apple Watch 10

Deeply integrated with iOS, it supports Siri voice assistant, Apple Pay, message replies (voice-to-text), and more, making daily life more convenient. It also allows for answering calls, controlling music, and navigating, providing a highly intelligent user experience. Apple Watch 10 offers rich health monitoring features, such as ECG and blood oxygen tracking, and supports third-party apps through watchOS, excelling in smart functionality. It's not only great for daily health management but also efficiently handles various tasks in work and life.

Bandeltic Recommendation

• Garmin Fenix 8: Ideal for outdoor sports enthusiasts, especially those needing long battery life and professional sports features.
• Apple Watch 10: Perfect for those seeking an intelligent lifestyle, health tracking, and deep integration with the Apple ecosystem.

Garmin Fenix 8 vs Apple Watch 10 - Which One is Right for You?

If you're an outdoor sports enthusiast or an extreme sports lover, the Garmin Fenix 8 is the ideal choice. This watch supports various extreme sports, features long battery life, and has a durable design, making it perfect for outdoor use while providing precise performance data to track your activities.

On the other hand, if you focus on daily health management, smart features, and stylish design, the Apple Watch 10 is more suited for you. It offers health tracking features like ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, and integrates seamlessly with iOS devices, making it an excellent choice for daily fitness and smart living needs.

Bandeltic Recommendations:

• Outdoor adventurers and extreme sports enthusiasts: Choose the Garmin Fenix 8. With exceptional battery life, durability, and a variety of professional sports modes, it's perfect for high-intensity activities like hiking, diving, skiing, and provides accurate data and stable performance in extreme environments.
• Users seeking smart living and health management: Choose the Apple Watch 10. Ideal for those who value health monitoring, smart features, and stylish design, with built-in ECG, blood oxygen monitoring, and perfect integration with the Apple ecosystem, making it an excellent choice for everyday use and fitness.
• Travelers or professional athletes who need long battery life and precise data analysis: Choose the Garmin Fenix 8. If you require long-lasting use and rely on professional sports data (such as VO2 max, training load, etc.), this watch is the best choice, especially for long trips and extreme sports.
• Apple users who prefer daily convenience and health management: Choose the Apple Watch 10. For those already owning Apple devices and leaning toward a smartwatch for daily management, the Apple Watch 10 offers health features, smart integration, a stylish design, and easy usability, making it perfect for daily wear.

Summary: The Garmin Fenix 8 is ideal for users who need high durability and professional sports features, while the Apple Watch 10 is better suited for those focusing on smart features, health monitoring, and stylish design for everyday use. Choose based on your needs and budget.