Garmin fēnix 3 vs Garmin Forerunner 15

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

fēnix 3 compared with Forerunner 15
Garminfēnix 3GarminForerunner 15
Overview
Released20152014
Display
Case sizes51 mm52 mm or 57 mm
PanelMemory-in-pixelMemory-in-pixel
Always-on displayYesYes
Display detail1.2-inch (30.4 mm) sunlight-readable transflective colour MIP display, 218 x 218 pixels, with button controls.Monochrome memory-in-pixel display, 55 × 32 pixels; 2.1 × 2.0 cm on the small version and 2.5 × 2.4 cm on the large version, with a backlight and four-button control.
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 m (better)50 m
SensorsGPS, GLONASS, barometric altimeter, three-axis compass and accelerometer. Heart rate requires an optional ANT+ sensor.Built-in GPS; supports a chest-worn heart-rate monitor and optional ANT+ foot pod for indoor pace and distance.
Health featuresSteps and sleep tracking; no built-in optical heart-rate sensor.Daily steps, calories and inactivity reminders; heart-rate recording requires the chest strap sold in some bundles.
Fitness featuresRunning, cycling, pool and open-water swimming, triathlon, hiking and skiing profiles; breadcrumb courses, TracBack, VO2 max estimate, recovery advisor and race predictor when paired with a heart-rate sensor. Running dynamics require an HRM-Run strap.Outdoor pace, distance, personal records, Auto Lap, Auto Pause, Virtual Pacer and run/walk intervals; indoor distance requires the foot pod.
Battery and connections
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 42 daysUp to 35 days
Mobile data optionNoNo
Works withiPhone and AndroidNo phone pairing
Battery life detailUp to six weeks in watch mode, 20 hours in GPS training mode or 50 hours in UltraTrac mode, according to the grey model's specification.Up to five weeks in watch/activity-tracking mode or eight hours with GPS on.
ChargingRechargeable 300 mAh lithium-ion battery with USB charging cable.Rechargeable lithium-ion battery with a USB charging and data cable.
ConnectivityBluetooth and ANT+; smart notifications, Connect IQ apps, Garmin Connect, LiveTrack through a paired phone and phone music controls.USB connection to a Mac or PC for Garmin Connect uploads; no Bluetooth or direct smartphone sync. ANT+ supports optional heart-rate and foot-pod accessories.
Storage32 MB built-in memory, with 23 MB available; stores up to 1,000 waypoints, 50 routes and 100 saved tracks.Seven activities of on-watch history.
Design
Weight (lightest version)82 g36 g (better)
SoftwareGarminGarmin
Case materialsStainless steel EXO antenna/bezel and fibre-reinforced housing with silicone band; 10 ATM water rating.Plastic case and band; 5 ATM water rating.
Size51 x 51 x 16 mm; 82 g.Small 4.0 × 5.2 × 1.6 cm and 36 g; large 4.6 × 5.7 × 1.6 cm and 43 g. The longest case dimensions appear in the size comparison.
ColoursGrey case with black band.Small black/green, teal/white and violet/white; large black/blue and red/black.
In the box–Watch, charging/data cable and manual; a chest heart-rate monitor was included in some bundles.

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