Last Updated on March 14, 2024 by Senior Editor
Right in front of you are three outstanding GPS multisport smartwatches representing Garmin’s progress so far after the release of three generations of the Fenix Series, although, there is now a newer and more equipped Fenix 7 series. Compared to the Fenix 5x and 5x Plus, the 6X Pro features higher storage capacity, underwater heart rate tracking, on-screen workout mode, a slightly bigger display, and a more stylish design. We compare the Garmin Fenix 5X vs 5X Plus vs 6X Pro to find out the differences.
The Fenix 6x is available in three models; Fenix 6x Pro, Fenix 6x Pro Sapphire, and Fenix 6x Pro Solar. The difference between the different models is that the Sapphire edition has a sapphire glass and diamond-like Carbon (DLC) coated bezel, while the Solar edition has a power glass that enables solar charging and titanium bezel. Meanwhile, the base edition has a Corning Gorilla Glass screen and a stainless steel bezel. The solar edition is the most expensive.
The Fenix 5x Plus comes in only one edition, a Sapphire edition that comes with sapphire glass and DLC titanium bezel. It has a 16GB storage capacity, wifi, and preloaded TOPO U.S. mapping and routable cycling maps. It also features blood oxygen measurement not available in Fenix 5x.
Just like the 5x Plus, the Fenix 5X comes in only Sapphire edition and also has 16GB storage for maps and onboard music storage. It’s preloaded with TOPO U.S. mapping and routable cycling maps.
Garmin Fenix 5X vs 5X Plus vs 6X Pro: Specifications Compared
| Product Info |
 Garmin Fenix 5X Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Fenix 5X Plus Specifications, Features and Price |
 Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Specifications, Features and Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $409.00 | $576.99 | Original price was: $649.99.$519.99Current price is: $519.99. |
| ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE | ABOUT DEVICE |
| Device name | Garmin Fenix 5X | Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro |
| Device type | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch | Fitness/Sport smartwatch |
| Gender | Men | Men | Men |
| Release date | March, 2017 | June, 2018 | September, 2019 |
| Predecessor | Garmin Fenix 3 | Garmin Fenix 5 | Garmin Fenix 5X Plus |
| Successor | Garmin Fenix 5 Plus | Garmin Fenix 6 | — |
| Versions | Garmin Fenix 5, Garmin Fenix 5S, Garmin Fenix 5X | — | — |
| BODY | BODY | BODY | BODY |
| Dimension | 51 x 51 x 17.5 mm | 51 x 51 x 17.5 mm | 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm |
| Weight | 98 grams | 87g (titanium), 96g | 93 grams |
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Case material | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer | Fiber-reinforced polymer |
| Strap material | Silicone, Stainless steel | Silicone, Stainless steel, Suede, Titanium | Leather, Nylon, Silicone, Titanium |
| Bezel material | Stainless steel | Stainless steel, Titanium | DLC, Stainless steel |
| Strap size | 22 mm | 26 mm | 26 mm |
| Interchangeable strap | 22 mm, Yes | 26 mm, Yes | 26 mm, Yes |
| Screen protection | Sapphire glass | Sapphire glass | Corning Gorilla Glass DX, Sapphire glass |
| Water resistance | 10 ATM | 10 ATM | 10 ATM |
| Durability test | — | — | MIL-STD-810G |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color | Black | Black, Gray | Black |
| DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY | DISPLAY |
| Display size | 1.2 inches | 1.2 inches | 1.4 inches |
| Display type | LCD, Memory-in-pixel (MIP), transflective | LCD, Memory-in-pixel (MIP), transflective | LCD, Memory-in-pixel (MIP), transflective |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 px | 240 x 240 px | 280 x 280 px |
| Pixel density | — | — | — |
| Always on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Custom watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Input type | 5 Physical buttons | 5 Physical buttons | 5 Physical buttons |
| CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY | CONNECTIVITY |
| Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth | ANT+, Bluetooth |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | No |
| GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS | Galileo, GLONASS, GPS |
| NFC | No | Yes | Yes |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY | MEMORY |
| RAM | — | — | — |
| ROM | 16GB | 16GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
| CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY | CELLULAR CONNECTIVITY |
| Technology | None | None | None |
| SIM type | None | None | None |
| Band | — | — | — |
| NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS | NOTIFICATIONS |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Reply to Notifications | - | - | - |
| MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA | MEDIA |
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No | No |
| Camera | No | No | No |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS | SENSORS |
| Sensor(s) | — | — | Thermometer |
| ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING | ACTIVITY TRACKING |
| Blood oxygen | — | Yes | Yes |
| Blood Pressure | No | No | No |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG tracking | No | No | No |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Fall detection | No | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual cycle | No | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim-tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater heart rate tracking | No | No | Yes |
| On-screen workout | No | No | Yes |
| Sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY | BATTERY |
| Battery type | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer | non-removable Lithium-polymer |
| Battery capacity | — | — | — |
| Battery life | GPS/HR mode: Up to 20 hours, Smartwatch mode: up to 12 days, Utratrac mode: up to 35hrs | GPS: Up to 32hrs, Smartwatch: Up to 20 days, UltraTrac mode: Up to 70hrs | Battery saver mode: 80 days, Expedition GPS mode: 46 days, Smartwatch mode: up to 21 days |
| Charging type | Charging dock | Charging dock | Charging dock |
| Charging time | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours | 1-2 hours |
| Solar charging | No | No | No |
| PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM | PLATFORM |
| Chipset | — | — | — |
| CPU | — | — | — |
| GPU | — | — | — |
| Operating system | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS |
| MISC | MISC | MISC | MISC |
| Companion app | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect | Garmin Connect |
| Compatibility | Android 5.0+, iOS 11.0+ | Android 5.0+, iOS 11.0+ | Android 5.0+, iOS 11.0+ |
| Payment system | None | Garmin Pay | Garmin Pay |
| Voice command | No | No | No |
| Find my phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Box content | Charger, Garmin Fenix 5X, Manual, Straps | Charger, Garmin Fenix 5X Plus, Manual, Straps | Charger, Garmin Fenix 6X Pro, Manual, Straps |
Garmin Fenix 5X vs 5X Plus vs 6X Pro: Fitness Tracking Features
| Garmin Fenix 5x | Garmin Fenix 5x Plus | Garmin Fenix 6 Pro | |
| Activity Tracking Features Steps counter, floors climbed, fitness age, Move IQ intensity minutes and distanced traveled. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Body Battery Energy Monitor Lets you see your body’s energy levels throughout the day so you can find the best times for activity and rest. | No | No | Yes |
| Pulse OX Sensor The Pulse Ox sensor gauges your blood oxygen saturation during the day and as you sleep to show how well your body is absorbing oxygen. | No | Yes | Yes |
| Stress Tracking Helps you find out if you’re having a calm, balanced or stressful day. Relax reminders will even prompt you to do a short breathing activity when you’re feeling stressed. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Menstrual Cycle Tracking Lets you use the Garmin Connect™ app to track your cycle, log physical and emotional symptoms and learn about training and nutrition during each phase of your cycle. Even get cycle tracking information on your wrist. | No | No | Yes |
| Hydration Tracking Log your daily fluid intake as a reminder to stay hydrated. You can even have an auto goal for hydration that adjusts based on how much sweat you lose during activities — even underwater. | No | No | Yes |
| Respiration Tracking See how you’re breathing throughout the day, during sleep and during breath-work and yoga activities. | No | No | Yes |
| Advanced Sleep Monitoring Get a full picture of how you’re sleeping, with a breakdown of your light, deep and REM sleep stages as well as Pulse Ox and respiration data | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart Rate Tracking The watch constantly samples your heart rate2 and will alert you if it stays high while you’re at rest. It also helps gauge how hard you work during activities even underwater. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Mindful Breathing When you want to relax or focus, you can start a breath-work activity, and this watch will track your stress and respiration to help you get a better understanding of how you’re breathing. | No | No | Yes |
| On-Screen Animated Workout Modes Easy-to-follow, animated cardio, strength, yoga and Pilates workouts come preloaded on the watch, and you can download more from the Garmin Connect app. | No | No | Yes |
| Preloaded Workout Modes Track all the ways you move with more than 20 preloaded GPS and indoor sports apps — including walking, running, cycling, pool swimming, golf and more. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Garmin Coach Get a personal running coach on your wrist, for free, to help you train for your next 5K, 10K or half-marathon. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safety and Tracking Features When your watch and phone are paired, your live location can be sent to your contacts manually or — during outdoor activities — automatically with built-in incident detection. Also Livetrack, Group LiveTrack and Live event sharing allow you to invite other to join you in your training. | Yes, lacks Live event sharing and Assistant | Yes, lacks Live event sharing | Yes |
| Gym & Fitness Equipment Available gym profiles; Strength, Cardio and Elliptical Training, Stair Stepping, Floor Climbing, Indoor Rowing, Pilates and Yoga. | Yes | Yes | More |
| Training, Planning and Analysis Features Available run profiles; Running, Treadmill Running, Indoor Track Running, Trail Running. GPS speed and distance, customizable activity profiles, advanced training, VO2 Max., heat and altitude acclimation, training load, training effect, auto and manual mutisport activities, Garmin and Strava live segments. | Yes | Yes | More |
| ClimbPro Feature Use ClimbPro ascent planner on downloaded courses to see real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs, including gradient, distance and elevation gain. | No | No | Yes |
| Outdoor Recreation Features Outdoor recreational features include hiking, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, stand up paddleboarding, rowing, kayaking, jumpmaster, tactical | Yes | Yes | More |
| Multi-GNSS Support Access multiple global navigation satellite systems (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) to track in more challenging environments than GPS alone. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| TOPO Maps Preloaded Topographical (TOPO) maps allow you use TOPO maps with Trendline Popularity Routing to find the best routes and navigate your adventures effortlessly | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Ski Maps Preloaded Ski maps allow you view run names and difficulty ratings for 2,000 worldwide ski resorts. | No | No | Yes |
| Round-trip Routing Enter a distance you want to travel, and get suggested routes that will bring you back to your starting point. Trendline™ popularity routing helps you find the best local paths. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Turn-by-turn Navigation Follow a route or course with help from turn-by-turn directions, which let you know ahead of time when the next turn is coming. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ABC sensors Navigate your next trail with ABC sensors, including an altimeter for elevation data, barometer to monitor weather and three-axis electronic compass | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Running Features Available run profiles include running, treadmill running, indoor track running, trail running | Yes | Yes | More |
| PACEPRO Technology A first-of-its-kind PacePro feature helps keep you on pace with grade-adjusted guidance as you run a course. | No | No | Yes |
| Golf Courses Access full-color CourseView maps for more than 41,000 golf courses around the world, and get button targeting and the PlaysLike Distance feature. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swimming Features Available swimming profiles; pool swimming, open water swimming, swimming/running. Other features include; tracks metrics such as distance, pace, stroke count, stroke distance and SWOLF. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Underwater Wrist-based Heart Rate Tracking Features underwater wrist-based heart rate tracking that helps you manage your swimming intensity. | No | No | Yes |
| Altimeter Floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Garmin Fenix 5X vs 5X Plus vs 6X Pro: Battery Life
| Fenix 5X | Fenix 5X Plus | Fenix 6X Pro |
|
Smartwatch mode: Up to 12 days GPS/HR mode: Up to 20 hours UltraTrac™ mode: Up to 35 hours without wrist heart rate | Smartwatch: Up to 20 days GPS: Up to 32 hours GPS and Music: Up to 13 hours UltraTrac™ mode: Up to 70 hours | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days GPS: Up to 60 hours GPS and Music: Up to 15 hours Max Battery GPS Mode: 120 hours Expedition GPS Activity: 46 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: 80 days |
The Differences And Which is Best?
Although slightly more expensive, the Fenix 6X Pro is the best choice. And for the following reasons;
- The 6X Pro also has a slightly wider display than the 5X Plus and 5X, yet the same case sizes. This allows you to see more at a glance. Moreover, it’s slimmer, sleeker, and a finer smartwatch thanks to the slimmer bezel.
- The 6X Pro with 32GB onboard storage capacity is twice that of the 5X Plus and 5X which both have a 16GB storage capacity.
- Although all three watches are preloaded with TOPO maps, the Fenix 6x Pro comes with additional maps which include road/trail and ski resort maps.
- Both Fenix 5x Plus and 6x Pro feature blood oxygen measurement which is not available in Fenix 5x.
- Incidental fall detection is also present in Fenix 5x Plus, Fenix 6x Pro but not in Fenix 5x.
- The Fenix 6x Pro has the most gym, run, and recreational profiles. The Fenix 6x Pro also has more golfing features than Fenix 5x and 5x Plus.
- The Fenix 6x Pro also feature under-water heart rate tracking which is not present in the Fenix 5x and 5x Plus.
- There is an NFC in the Fenix 5x Plus and 6x Pro that enables Garmin Pay – a non-contactless payment system that allows you to make payments directly from the watch. The Fenix 5x lacks NFC.
- Moreover, the 6X Pro has a longer battery life than the other two which will see you go longer from a single charge.
In other words, the Fenix 6x Pro has a better design and more features but will cost you a little more.
Alternatively, the Fenix 5x Plus is a cheaper alternative.