The Garmin Fenix 6 series is here and it consists of 3 sets of multisport GPS smartwatches which include; the 6 and 6 Pro, 6s and 6s Pro, and 6x Pro and 6x Pro solar. These smartwatches will be succeeding in the Fenix 5 series; 5, 5S and 5X respectively. Each of these 6 is available with sapphire glass which will cost you more.
The Fenix 6 series is more compact and slimmer than the Fenix 5 series. The new Fenix 6 also has more activity tracking and battery saver features that will see these lots last a little longer. In this comparison though, we’re comparing the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus vs 6X Pro vs 6X Pro Solar specs and features – three of Garmin’s most outstanding premium GPS smartwatches and undoubtedly some of the very best for comprehensive activity tracking.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus vs 6X Pro vs 6X Pro Solar – Specifications
| Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar | |
|---|---|---|---|
 |  | | |
ABOUT DEVICE | |||
| Device name | Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar |
| Device type | Fitness/GPS/Classic smartwatch | Fitness/GPS smartwatch | Fitness/GPS smartwatch |
| Predessesor | Garmin Fenix 5X | Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 5X Plus |
| Successor | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro | -- | -- |
| Released date | June, 2018 | August, 2019 | August, 2019 |
| Ideal for | Men | Men | Men |
DISPLAY | |||
| Display type | Transflective memory-in-display (MIP) | Transflective MIP LCD | Transflective MIP LCD |
| Display size | 1.2 inch | 1.4 inch | 1.4 inch |
| Display resolution | 240 x 240 pixels | 280 x 280 pixels | 280 x 280 pixels |
| Pixel density | 282.8 PPI | -- | -- |
| Input type | 5 buttons (Not touchscreen) | 5 buttons (Not touchscreen) | 5 buttons (Not touchscreen) |
| Always-on | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Customizable watch face | Yes | Yes | Yes |
BODY | |||
| Shape | Circular | Circular | Circular |
| Dimension | 51 x 51 x 17.5 mm | 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm | 51 x 51 x 14.9 mm |
| Weight | 96 g Titanium: 87 g | 93g (steel) | 82g (titanium) |
| Casing material | Fiber-reinforced polymer with polymer rear cover | Fiber-reinforced polymer with polymer rear cover | Fiber-reinforced polymer with polymer rear cover |
| Strap/band material | Silicone Leather Titanium | Silicone Leather Titanium Nylon | Silicone Titanium |
| Bezel Material | Stainless steel or Titanium | Stainless steel or DLC coated steel | Titanium DLC |
| Strap size | 26mm | 26mm | 26mm |
| Interchangeable band | Yes, 26mm | Yes, 26mm | Yes, 26mm |
| Screen protection | Domed sapphire crystal | Corning Gorilla Glass 3 Sapphire Crystal | Power Glass™ |
| Water resistant/Protection | Yes, 10ATM | Yes, 10ATM | Yes, 10ATM |
| Swim-proof | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended | Yes, recommended |
| Color(s) | Black Silver | Black | Black, gray |
MEMORY | |||
| RAM | -- | -- | -- |
| Internal storage | 16GB | 32GB | 32GB |
| Memory card slot | No | No | No |
CONNECTIVITY | |||
| Bluetooth | Yes, and ANT+ | Yes, and ANT+ | Yes, and ANT+ |
| Bluetooth calling | No | No | No |
| Wi-Fi | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| NFC | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Payment system | No | Garmin pay | Garmin pay |
| GPS | GPS/GLONASS/Galileo | GPS/GLONASS/Galileo | GPS/GLONASS/Galileo |
CELLULAR TECHNOLOGY | |||
| Technology | No | No | No |
| SIM | No | No | No |
| Band | No | No | No |
NOTIFICATIONS | |||
| Email alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| SMS alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calls alert | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Event reminder | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Weather | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Third-party apps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Text response | Yes | Yes, (Android Only) | Yes, (Android Only) |
FITNESS TRACKING | |||
| Sleep apnea | No | No | No |
| Sleep tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Steps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Floors climbed | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Heart rate monitoring | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Calories | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Distance | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stress | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| VO2 Max. | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood oxygen | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Blood pressure | No | No | No |
| Menstrual cycle tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Swim tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Under-water heart rate tracking | No | Yes | Yes |
| Preloaded maps | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| On-screen workout modes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Triathlon mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| ECG Tracking | No | No | No |
| Preloaded sport modes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Safety tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
MEDIA | |||
| Audio | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 | mp3/mp4 |
| Music streaming | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Bluetooth music | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radio | No | No | No |
| Loudspeaker | No | No | No |
| Microphone | No | No | No |
| Camera | No | No | No |
SENSORS | |||
PLATFORM | |||
| Operating system (OS) | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS | Proprietary OS |
| Chipset | -- | -- | -- |
| CPU | -- | -- | -- |
| GPU | -- | -- | -- |
BATTERY | |||
| Type of battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery | Non-removable Li-ion battery |
| Battery capacity | -- | -- | -- |
| Battery life | 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 | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days +3 days* GPS: Up to 60 hours +6 hours GPS and music: Up to 15 hours +1 hour Max battery GPS mode: 120 hours + 28 hours Expedition GPS activity: 46 days + 10 days Battery saver watch mode: 80 days + 40 days |
| Charging type | USB charging cable | USB charging cable | USB charging cable |
| Charging time | About 1-2 hours | About 1-2 hours | About 1-2 hours |
| Battery saver mode | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Solar power | No | No | Yes |
| Rapid charging | No | No | No |
CLOCK FEATURES | |||
| Time/Date | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Stopwatch | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Alarm | Yes | Yes | Yes |
OTHER FUNCTIONS | |||
| Control camera | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Music control | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Find phone | Yes | Yes | Yes |
MISC | |||
| Compatibility | Android and iOS Check if your device is compatible | Android 4.4+ IOS 10.0+ Bluetooth 4.0+ Check if your device is compatible | Android and IOS Bluetooth 4.0+ Check if your device is compatible |
| Companion app | Garmin connect IQ | Garmin connect IQ | Garmin connect IQ |
| Voice command | No | No | No |
BOX CONTENTS | |||
| Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar | |
| Straps | Straps | Straps | |
| USB charging cable | USB charging cable | USB charging cable | |
| Quick start guide | Quick start guide | Quick start guide | |
| NOTE: We can't guarantee that all the information on this table are 100% correct. Read full disclaimer. Please, report an error. | |||
| Official Site | Official Site | Official Site | |
Features Compared
- Design
- Storage
- Fitness Tracking
- Battery Life
The Fenix 6x pro has a larger 1.4 inches display that represents a 36% increase compared to the 5x plus allowing you see more at a glance. The 6x pro is also slimmer than the 5x plus which leaves it with a more attractive display. It also weighs less than the 5x plus, thus making it a more comfortable wear.
It appears the 6x pro is meant to succeed the 5x plus, so also is the 6x pro solar. However, the 6x pro solar is a more premium device built with the highest quality materials only. It comes with titanium or DLC coated steel straps compared to the other two that feature stainless steel.
It also weighs a bit less and uses a power glass that can use solar energy to make the 6x pro solar last a little longer than the 6x pro and 5x plus.
Garmin has also added a new widget to the 6x pro/pro solar that can take up to 8 different data fields. That’ll make it easier to access your favorite features. There are also new map display themes that include popularity, marine, dark and outdoor.
The Fenix 5x plus has 16GB storage capacity while the new 6x pro/pro solar have twice that capacity allowing you take more of favorite tunes with you.
Just like all Garmin’s GPS smartwatches, the Fenix 6x pro, 6x pro solar and 5x plus are fitness focused and well equipped to offer you the most comprehensive activity tracking experience. These three are no doubt some of the best GPS smartwatches on the market.
The Fenix 6x pro, 6x pro solar and 5x plus are well equipped to track your daily activities such as steps, calories, fitness age, distance, sleep monitoring, and all-day stress tracking.
Each of these three also features indoor gym activities such as indoor rowing, strength training, and cardio training, including in-depth training and planning analysis features that include training load, training effect and activity history on the watch.
You also get running features such as running, treadmill running and trail running, plus heart rate sensor that tracks your heart rate variability and capable of showing your heart rate zones, max heart rate and recovery time to help you manage the intensity of your training so that you can achieve more fitness goals without breaking down.
The Fenix 6x pro, 6x pro solar and 5x plus have outdoor recreational features that include hiking, climbing, mountain biking, skiing, snowboarding, XC skiing, stand up paddleboarding, rowing, and jumpmaster. And cycling features such as biking, indoor biking, mountain biking, triathlon, including in-depth golf and swimming features.
Also featured on these three is the presence of a pulse oximeter sensor that serves two functions; A. for altitude acclimation, where it can help you know when it’s not safe to continue climbing and B. sleep monitoring to help you see the quality of your sleep. The Pulse ox sensor achieves these functions by monitoring how well your body absorbs oxygen.
There is the TOPO map feature with trendline popularity that can help you navigate the most difficult terrains with the option to choose from thousands of routes.
Also available on these three is the body battery energy monitor feature that uses data from heart rate variability, stress, sleep, and other data to gauge when you’re ready to be active or when you may need to rest so that you train and achieve more without breaking down.
Also added is the ClimbPro ascent planner which allows you to choose from downloaded courses to see real-time information on your current and upcoming climbs, including gradient, distance and elevation gain.
However, the table below shows activity tracking features present on the 6x pro and 6x pro solar but not on the 5x plus.
| Garmin Fenix 5X Plus | Garmin Fenix 6X Pro/6X Pro Solar |
| Lacks trendline popularity routing visibility pro. | Trendline popularity routing visibility pro available on the 6x pro and 6x pro solar adds more features to the TOPO map allowing for more visual and analytic features to help you find the best route. |
| Lacks Pacepro. | Garmin added PacePro to the 6 Pro sets which includes the 6x pro and pro solar. The PacePro feature enables grade-guidance that can improve your running experience. |
| Lacks Ski resort maps. | Skii resort maps is available on the 6x pro and 6x pro solar with over 2000 ski resorts worldwide to choose from. |
| Lacks incident detection. | The incident detection feature introduced to the Forerunner series is also available on the Fenix 6x pro and 6x pro solar which can help you get help when there’s an accidental fall. It sends your location to preset emergency contacts. |
| Lacks wrist based swimming heart rate tracking. | The Fenix 6x pro/6x pro solar has the ability to track your heart rate while you swim which can help you get better overview of your swimming activities. |
Like other watches on the Garmin multisport GPS smartwatches lineup, the Fenix 5x plus and 6x pro/pro solar have impressive battery life that’ll see you through days on a single charge. However, the Fenix 6x pro and Pro solar have a longer battery life than the 5x plus thanks to the new battery management feature that elongates the battery life a little longer.
Moreover the 6x pro solar with the ability to convert solar radiation into electrical form has a slightly longer battery life than the 6x pro and even longer than the 5x plus.
The new battery saver features include power modes which allow you to create custom battery saver modes, as well as the expedition mode featured on the MARQ series – an ultralow powered GPS reference that will keep the Fenix 6x pro/pro solar going for days. These new battery management features will see the Fenix 6x pro/pro solar last a little longer than the 5x plus which no doubt makes it a great choice for anyone involved in extreme sport activities.
| Garmin Fenix 5X Plus |
Smartwatch mode: Up to 20 days GPS: Up to 32 hours GPS and Music: Up to 8 hours |
| Garmin Fenix 6X Pro. | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days GPS: Up to 60hrs GPS and Music: Up to 15hrs Max Battery GPS Mode: 120hrs Expedition GPS Activity: 46 days Battery Saver Watch Mode: 80 days |
| Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar | Smartwatch: Up to 21 days +3 days GPS: Up to 60hrs +6hrs GPS and music: Up to 15hrs +1hr Max battery GPS mode: 120hrs + 28hrs Expedition GPS activity: 46 days + 10 days Battery saver watch mode: 80 days + 40 days |
Which is the Best?
These no doubt these are some of the very best GPS smartwatches on the market. These three are premium GPS smartwatches with design and features that define a true premium smartwatch.
It’s important to note that the 6x pro and 5x plus are almost the same price, despite the 6x pro having a wider display, yet same case size looks more attractive, has more fitness tracking features, higher storage capacity, and a longer battery life thanks to the battery saver feature. The 6x pro is clearly a better deal thus the 5X Plus.
On the other hand, the more expensive and premium 6x pro solar is the best choice. It has the most sophisticated design that truly defines a premium smartwatch.
Hi! I’m Jude, the chief editor at Smartwatchseries.com
I’m a graduate of biochemistry, a 3D artist and a passionate fitness enthusiast. On here, I and other smartwatch fans work hard to help you find the right smartwatch for you with our guides, reviews, and comparisons.
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