Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 5 Plus? Which one To Get
Garmin smartwatches have taken on the fitness market with its amazing range of running watches with all the features ready at hand. This article is focused on two smartwatches from Garmin, namely – Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 5 Plus.
These watches compliment our workout sessions and give us an accurate measurement. They also provide smartphone connectivity which makes all the physical activities a fun game for you.
First, we will talk about the products separately. Then, we will move on to the differences both these watches have between them.
And last but not the least, the reviews section to determine the winner.
Overview (Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 5 Plus)
Forerunner 945
- Premium GPS running/triathlon smartwatch with music
- Download songs to your watch, including playlists from Spotify, Amazon Music or Deezer (may require premium subscription with a third party music provider)
- Performance monitoring features include Vo2 Max and training status with adjustments for heat, altitude Acclimation status, training load focus, recovery time, and aerobic and anaerobic training...
- Garmin Pay contactless payment solution (available for supported cards from participating banks) lets you make convenient payments with your watch so you can leave your cash and cards at home
- Full color, onboard maps guide you on your run so you never get lost during your workout
Last update on 2024-04-21 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Garmin’s Forerunner 945 is an upgrade from the last 935 version. It is impressive to know that Garmin has managed to include so many sensors in its slim body of 13.7 mm thickness.
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There is an optical heart-rate monitor, barometric altimeter, pulse oximeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer, and a thermometer.
It consists of a fiber-reinforced polymer casing and the silicon band is perforated, making it easy to use after a sweaty workout.
The 1.2 inch display offers clear visibility in broad daylight which makes it easy for outdoor activities.
The display has a Corning Gorilla Glass display which has low glare and is scratch-resistant.
This multisport smartwatch support 30 different indoor and outdoor sports like running, strength training, open water swimming, skiing, etc.
If your sport is not there in the watch, you can customize the list by adding an entry.
Forerunner 945 consists of a v3 heart-rate sensor and pulse oximeter. It is the first watch in the Forerunner series to have a v3 sensor.
It is primarily used for altitude acclimation. The watch monitors your heart rate even when you are taking a rest and gives you an idea if you are under-training or overdoing the exercises.
Apart from the basic features like distance, sleep, stress and pace, it contains some advanced features like Climb Pro, Training Load Focus, and a new altitude and heat acclimation.
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus
- Premium multi sport GPS smartwatch that estimates heart rate at the wrist and includes color TOPO maps featuring trend line popularity routing to help you find and follow the best paths
- Fit for adventure with rugged design that features stainless steel or diamond like carbon (DLC) Titanium bezel, buttons and rear case
- Easily store and play up to 500 songs on your watch, and connect with Bluetooth headphones (sold separately) for phone free listening
- Garmin Pay
- Built in navigation sensors include 3 axis compass, gyroscope and barometric altimeter as well as multiple satellite system (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) network capability to track in more challenging...
Last update on 2024-04-20 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Garmin’s new Fenix 5 Plus tries to blend both sport and style in a seamless manner. They are a better outdoor companion as opposed to the former Fenix models.
This high-end smartwatch has interesting new features like Garmin Pay and music storage.
The on-board mapping feature lets you discover new training routes and navigate through unfamiliar areas.
The watch also has a pulse oximeter to avoid dangerous circumstances during training session in high altitudes.
The watch has a 42 mm case and a 1.2 inch display. The watch also has a fiber-reinforced polymer with a metal rear cover.
It provides tracking for popular exercises like running, treadmill, biking, hiking, and additional workout sport activities like stand-up paddle boarding, skiing, trail running, climbing, pilates, strength training, and others. You can also customize the menu to add your favorite menus.
Felix also monitors basic activities like calories burned, distance, pace and cadence, heart-rate zones, stride length, vertical oscillations, recovery time and much more.
Tip – Also Look at Forerunner 735XT vs Forerunner 935 & Different Triathlon Gears
Differences (Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 5 Plus)
There are not many differences between the two watches save for some features and design.
General Design
Forerunner 945 is made of fiber-reinforced polymer while Fenix watches are made of stainless steel or titanium.
Their material makes them much heavier as compared to Forerunner series. Forerunner comes only in one size while Felix comes in numerous sizes like regular, 5S and 5X.
In short, Fenix models are much more durable than Forerunner watches.
Temperature Acclimation
Environmental factors such as high temperature or high altitudes affect our training performance.
Although high altitude training impacts your performance in a positive way but there is a temporary VO2 max decline.
This feature is available only in Forerunner 945. Felix 5 Plus do not have temperature and altitude acclimation.
Training Focus metrics
Training metrics involve many different stats on which your performance is evaluated. It is a multisport watch which provides different outdoor and indoor activities and monitor your performance on different levels. You can custom entry the metrics you want in the watch.
These metrics are only available in Forerunner 945. The training focus metrics is absent from the Felix edition. Body Battery Score is another feature which is not available in Felix models but in Forerunner.
Battery
Talking about the battery backup, Forerunner 945 is a better product with 36 hours of battery life in GPS mode, if you use music with GPS then it runs for 10 hours, while in UltraTrac mode, it can go up to 60 hours.
In Felix 5 Plus smartwatch, 18 hours battery backup is available in GPS mode. If you are using music service with GPS, then it stays up to 8 hours and in UltraTrac mode, the battery life is of 42 hours.
Health and activity metrics
Health metrics like Optical heart rate monitor (Garmin Elevate V3), Pulse Ox sensor (checks blood oxygen saturation levels), stress tracking, advance sleep monitoring, altitude acclimation are slightly better in Forerunner 945 than in Fenix 5 Plus.
Reviews (Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 5 Plus)
Our final thoughts on the two watches are that both of them have almost the same features.
Forerunner 945
Forerunner 945 is a full-featured, multisport GPS watch with many interesting features like temperature and altitude acclimation and a great battery life.
It is a combination of the best technological features, beautiful design and is much less expensive than Fenix.
Fenix 5 Plus
Fenix 5 Plus is also a great pick with all the great features as in Forerunner 945, although it lacks some of them. The battery life is not very impressive but it is made up of a very strong material and resilient. Another great thing about Fenix is that it is available in great designs. It is more expensive than Forerunner model.
Therefore, it is necessary to look for the crucial features and what do you want from your watch personally.
Fenix is a better companion if you love doing rugged outdoor activities. And if you prefer things compact, then Forerunner is a go for.
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