Garmin fēnix 3 HR vs Garmin fēnix 5 Plus

Every spec side by side, from each maker's published figures.

Better figure, where one is clearly better

fēnix 3 HR compared with fēnix 5 Plus
Garminfēnix 3 HRGarminfēnix 5 Plus
Overview
Released2016June 2018
Display
Case sizes51.5 mm47 mm
PanelMemory-in-pixelMemory-in-pixel
Always-on displayYesYes
Display detail1.2-inch (30.4 mm) transflective colour MIP display, 218 x 218 pixels, with button controls.1.2-inch (30.4 mm) colour transflective MIP display, 240 x 240 pixels, with button controls.
Screen protectionDomed sapphire lens.Domed chemically strengthened glass or sapphire crystal, depending on configuration.
Health and fitness
ECGNoNo
Blood oxygenNoNo
Skin temperatureNoNo
Sleep apnoea alertsNoNo
High blood pressure alertsNoNo
Body compositionNoNo
Fall detectionNoNo
Crash detectionNoNo
GPSSingle-bandSingle-band
Water resistance100 m100 m
SensorsGPS, GLONASS, Garmin Elevate optical wrist heart rate, barometric altimeter, three-axis compass and accelerometer.GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate, barometric altimeter, three-axis compass, gyroscope, accelerometer and thermometer.
Health featuresAll-day heart rate, steps and sleep tracking; intensity minutes.Wrist heart rate and daily activity tracking; wrist Pulse Ox is reserved for the distinct fēnix 5X Plus.
Fitness featuresRunning, cycling, swimming, triathlon, hiking, skiing, golf and rowing profiles; breadcrumb courses and TracBack; VO2 max estimate, recovery advisor and race predictor. Stride length, ground-contact balance and vertical ratio require a compatible chest strap.Running, cycling, swimming and outdoor multisport profiles, VO2 max and recovery metrics, preloaded colour TOPO maps and Trendline popularity routing.
Battery and connections
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 14 daysUp to 10 days
In low-power mode–Up to 38 days
Mobile data optionNoNo
Works withiPhone and AndroidiPhone and Android
Storage–16 GB
Battery life detailUp to two weeks in smartwatch mode with 24/7 heart rate, 16 hours in GPS training mode or 40 hours in UltraTrac mode. Garmin's launch release also stated up to three weeks in watch mode without the same smartwatch use.Up to 10 days in smartwatch mode, 18 hours with GPS, seven hours with GPS and music, or 38 hours in UltraTrac mode.
ChargingRechargeable 300 mAh lithium-ion battery with USB charging cable.Rechargeable battery with Garmin charging cable.
ConnectivityBluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi; smart notifications, Connect IQ, Garmin Connect and LiveTrack through a paired phone.Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi; smart notifications, Garmin Pay, Connect IQ, Garmin Connect, LiveTrack and GroupTrack with a paired phone. Stores up to 500 songs for Bluetooth headphone playback.
Storage32 MB built-in memory, with 23 MB available; up to 1,000 waypoints and 30 routes.16 GB of memory/history, including map and music storage.
Design
Weight (lightest version)86.1 g86 g (better)
SoftwareGarminGarmin
Case materialsPVD stainless steel bezel and buttons, reinforced housing and treated silicone band; 10 ATM water rating.Fibre-reinforced polymer case with stainless-steel bezel and metal rear cover; 10 ATM water rating.
Size51.5 x 51.5 x 16 mm; 86.1 g with silicone band.47 x 47 x 15.8 mm; 86 g for the standard version.
Bands–QuickFit 22 mm interchangeable band.
ColoursDark grey case with black silicone band.Black case with dark metal bezel and black silicone band.

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