Garmin fēnix 5 Plus vs Garmin Forerunner 945

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

fēnix 5 Plus compared with Forerunner 945
Garminfēnix 5 PlusGarminForerunner 945
Overview
ReleasedJune 2018April 2019
Display
Case sizes47 mm47 mm
PanelMemory-in-pixelMemory-in-pixel
Always-on displayYesYes
Display detail1.2-inch (30.4 mm) colour transflective MIP display, 240 x 240 pixels, with button controls.1.2-inch (30.4 mm) transflective colour memory-in-pixel display, 240 x 240 pixels, with button controls.
Screen protectionDomed chemically strengthened glass or sapphire crystal, depending on configuration.Gorilla Glass 3 with DX coating.
Health and fitness
ECGNoNo
Blood oxygenNoYes
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, Galileo, Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate, barometric altimeter, three-axis compass, gyroscope, accelerometer and thermometer.GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, Garmin Elevate wrist heart rate, Pulse Ox, barometric altimeter, compass, gyroscope, accelerometer and thermometer.
Health featuresWrist heart rate and daily activity tracking; wrist Pulse Ox is reserved for the distinct fēnix 5X Plus.Pulse Ox for sleep and altitude acclimation, advanced sleep, all-day stress and Body Battery energy monitoring.
Fitness featuresRunning, cycling, swimming and outdoor multisport profiles, VO2 max and recovery metrics, preloaded colour TOPO maps and Trendline popularity routing.Running, cycling, swimming and triathlon profiles; training status and load focus, heat- and altitude-adjusted VO2 max, recovery time, Garmin Coach and full-colour maps with Trendline routing. Full running dynamics require a compatible strap or pod.
Safety features–Incident detection and assistance require a paired smartphone; LiveTrack and Group LiveTrack.
Battery and connections
Battery life (maker's claim)Up to 10 daysUp to 14 days
In low-power modeUp to 38 days–
Mobile data optionNoNo
Works withiPhone and AndroidiPhone and Android
Storage16 GB–
Battery life detailUp to 10 days in smartwatch mode, 18 hours with GPS, seven hours with GPS and music, or 38 hours in UltraTrac mode.Up to two weeks in smartwatch mode, 36 hours in GPS mode without music or ten hours with GPS and music.
ChargingRechargeable battery with Garmin charging cable.Rechargeable battery with Garmin charging cable.
ConnectivityBluetooth, 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.Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi; Garmin Pay, smart notifications and on-watch music storage for up to 1,000 songs.
Storage16 GB of memory/history, including map and music storage.–
Design
Weight (lightest version)86 g50 g (better)
SoftwareGarminGarmin
Case materialsFibre-reinforced polymer case with stainless-steel bezel and metal rear cover; 10 ATM water rating.Fibre-reinforced polymer bezel and silicone band; 5 ATM water rating.
Size47 x 47 x 15.8 mm; 86 g for the standard version.47 x 47 x 13.7 mm; 50 g.
BandsQuickFit 22 mm interchangeable band.QuickFit-compatible 22 mm band; fits wrists 130–220 mm.
ColoursBlack case with dark metal bezel and black silicone band.Black.

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