Garmin fēnix 5 vs Garmin Forerunner 945

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

Better figure, where one is clearly better

fēnix 5 compared with Forerunner 945
Garminfēnix 5GarminForerunner 945
Overview
ReleasedMarch 2017April 2019
Display
Case sizes47 mm47 mm
PanelMemory-in-pixelMemory-in-pixel
Always-on displayYesYes
Display detail1.2-inch (30.5 mm) always-on transflective colour 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 protection–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, 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, steps, sleep and stress tracking.Pulse Ox for sleep and altitude acclimation, advanced sleep, all-day stress and Body Battery energy monitoring.
Fitness featuresRunning, cycling, pool and open-water swimming, skiing, golf and paddle-sport profiles; training status, training effect, VO2 max, recovery advisor and course/track navigation. Running dynamics require a compatible heart-rate strap.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 14 daysUp to 14 days
Mobile data optionNoNo
Works withiPhone and AndroidiPhone and Android
Battery life detailUp to 14 days in smartwatch mode, 21 hours in GPS mode or 44 hours in UltraTrac with wrist heart rate on, according to the Singapore product specification.Up to two weeks in smartwatch mode, 36 hours in GPS mode without music or ten hours with GPS and music.
ChargingRechargeable lithium-ion battery.Rechargeable battery with Garmin charging cable.
ConnectivityANT+ and Bluetooth smartphone pairing; smart notifications, Garmin Connect and Connect IQ; phone music controls.Bluetooth, ANT+ and Wi-Fi; Garmin Pay, smart notifications and on-watch music storage for up to 1,000 songs.
Design
Weight (lightest version)85 g50 g (better)
SoftwareGarminGarmin
Case materialsStainless steel bezel, buttons and rear case with silicone band; 10 ATM water rating.Fibre-reinforced polymer bezel and silicone band; 5 ATM water rating.
Size47 x 47 x 15.5 mm; 85 g with silicone band.47 x 47 x 13.7 mm; 50 g.
BandsQuickFit interchangeable band.QuickFit-compatible 22 mm band; fits wrists 130–220 mm.
ColoursGrey case with black silicone band.Black.

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