Table of Contents
Price and availability (France, September 2025)
fēnix 8 pro
- AMOLED 47mm: 1299 €
- AMOLED 51mm: 1399 €
- MICROLED 51mm: 1999 €
Apple Watch Ultra 3
Expected official price: 899 € (Ultra 2 reference). September 9 post-Keynote update.
Total budget to be expected
- Garmin: Inreach subscription € 9.99/month + bracelets € 80-200
- Apple: Cellular package 5 €/month + accessories 50-150 €
Design and robustness
Construction
fēnix 8 pro: Titanium Grade 5, Sapphire glass, MIL-STD-810h certification. Thickness 15.1mm.
Ultra 3: Brushed titanium, sapphire glass, WR100. More refined 49mm design.
Field test
Mountain (Chamonix, 3 days): fēnix 8 pro resists direct shocks better. Ultra 3 correct but more fragile.
Pool (50 lengths/day): Perfect equality on sealing.
Sports performance
GPS and navigation
fēnix 8 pro: preloaded topoactive cards, native routing. Excellent network navigation.
Ultra 3: Precise GPS but limited offline cards. Dependence on third -party apps.
Test 50km trail
Vosges, elevation 2800m:
- fēnix 8 pro: 89% remaining battery, perfect navigation
- Ultra 3: 23% Battery, required mid-term recharge
Autonomy: the truth of the figures
Our real measures
fēnix 8 pro Amoled 51mm:
- Watch mode: 22-26 days
- GPS + Music: 12-15h
- GPS + LTE: 8-10H
Ultra 3 (projection on Ultra 2):
- Mixed use: 2.5 days
- Intensive GPS: 12h max
- Economy mode: 3-4 days
Ecosystem and features
Apps
fēnix 8 pro: Connect IQ, 5000+ Specialized Sport apps.
Ultra 3: Full app store, 50,000+ apps, native iOS integration.
Communication
fēnix 8 pro: LTE-M + Satellite Inreach. Messages/SOS everywhere.
Ultra 3: Classic cellular, limited to covered areas.
For whom? Our recommendations
Endurance / adventurer athlete
fēnix 8 pro Without hesitation. Autonomy 3 weeks, offline cards, integrated satellite. It’s for that.
“All-terrain” iPhone user
Ultra 3 probably. Unbeatable Apple ecosystem, varied apps, daily fluidity.
Connected urban sportsman
Ultra 3 Again. Parisian running, room, municipal swimming pool … Integration premiums.
Faq
What watch has the best autonomy?
fēnix 8 pro, 10 times more autonomy (16-29 days vs 2-3 days).
Do you need an iPhone for Ultra 3?
Yes, necessarily. No iPhone = limited experience.
Is the fēnix 8 pro 400 € more?
If you use autonomy and satellite, yes. Otherwise, ultra 3 is enough.
What watch for diving?
Both support recreational diving (10 ATM / WR100).
Our final verdict
Buy the fēnix 8 pro if:
- Endurance or shipping sports
- Autonomy of several crucial weeks
- Necessary satellite communication
- Non -limiting budget
Buy the Ultra 3 if:
- You have an iPhone
- Priority daily versatility
- Important apps ecosystem
- Mastered budget (€ 899 vs € 1299+)
Decisive test
How many times a month do you go for more than 2 days without recharging?
- Less than 2 times: Ultra 3
- More than 2 times: fēnix 8 pro
Alternatives to consider
- Garmin Enduro 3: Dementiale autonomy, contained price
- Apple Watch Series 10: Apple ecosystem, more affordable
- Polar Vantage V3: Pure sport, without frills
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