I’ve tested the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro and the Garmin Enduro 4 to compare their design, accuracy and battery life — here’s which I think is the better buy

Buying one of the best Garmin watches brings with it some guarantees with regard to the features you can expect, especially at the higher end of the brand’s line-up, where the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro and Garmin Enduro 4 both sit.

These watches offer stellar sports tracking and training analysis, along with the best navigation tools you’ll find on a smartwatch thanks to their offline routable maps. They are also equally accurate with GPS and heart rate, in my experience, and run the same software.

However, after testing the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro and Enduro 4 extensively, there are certainly some key differences between the two in other areas, most notably design and battery life.

If you want more details on either watch, check out my Garmin Fenix 9 Pro review or Garmin Enduro 4 review, but read on for a summary of the differences between them I noticed when testing them individually and at the same time.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Price

The biggest difference between the two watches is price, since the Garmin Enduro 4 costs much less than the Fenix 9 Pro.

You’ll pay $899 for the Enduro 4 right now, while the cheapest Fenix 9 Pro model is $1,099, whether you choose the AMOLED version or the Fenix 9 Pro Solar with a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display like the Enduro.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Design and display

The key thing that the Fenix 9 Pro offers with its design is choice. It comes in three sizes — 43mm, 47mm and 51mm — and you can pick between an AMOLED or MIP display, and even choose between colors for the bezel and sensor guard.

In contrast, the Enduro 4 comes in one style and size. It’s a 51mm watch with a MIP display, and it only uses titanium for its bezel, with a mostly plastic case, whereas the Fenix 9 Pro has a full titanium case.

This gives the Fenix 9 Pro a more elegant look, but it also makes it considerably heavier than the Enduro 4. I tested a 51mm Fenix 9 Pro AMOLED, and both it and the Enduro 4 are large watches, but the Enduro 4 counters that a little by being so light.

When it comes to the display, picking between AMOLED and MIP will come down to personal preferences.

I find AMOLED brighter and clearer in almost all conditions, and just as good as MIP in bright sunlight these days, and I prefer using an AMOLED watch in general, but MIP uses less power and is less obvious on the wrist, and the Enduro 4’s display was still clear enough to see at all times.

Both watches have sapphire crystal screens and built-in flashlights, but you get an extra green mode on the Fenix 9 Pro’s flashlight.

You also get a diveproof watch with the Fenix 9 Pro, which can be used to depths of 40m. The Enduro 4 has a high waterproof rating of 10ATM and is fine for swimming, but isn’t a diving watch.

Another addition on the Fenix line is a mic and speaker, which can be used to take voice notes and give voice commands to the watch.

One advantage of the Enduro 4 is that it ships with Garmin's fabric ComfortFit band as standard, which I much prefer to the silicone band on the Fenix 9 Pro. You can buy the ComfortFit band separately, but it will cost $59.

The design differences speak to the approach behind the two watches. The Enduro 4 is built to be simpler and lighter, which helps it to be more affordable, but the Fenix 9 Pro is the all-singing, all-dancing option with a variety of models to pick between.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Sports tracking

The two watches share very similar sports tracking and training analysis features, and both have proved to be similarly accurate throughout my testing.

There’s only one difference worth flagging in this area, which is that the Fenix 9 Pro is a diveproof watch and has Garmin’s scuba, apnea and snorkel sports modes.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Smart features and connectivity

One of the biggest features you get on the Fenix 9 Pro (InReach model) that isn’t available on the Enduro 4 is LTE and satellite connectivity.

This feature requires a subscription but allows you to stay in contact with the world when you’re off the grid or phone-free, through messaging and the ability to send SOS alerts.

Otherwise, both watches share the usual Garmin smart features. They can store music and link to streaming services, make NFC payments through Garmin Pay, and have access to the Connect IQ app store.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Battery life

Along with being cheaper and lighter, the main advantage of the Enduro 4 is its incredible battery life.

Whatever Fenix 9 Pro you opt for, including the Solar MIP watch, the Enduro 4 will outlast it in both watch and GPS modes, partly because it has a bigger solar ring than the Fenix 9 Pro Solar.

I've compared the 51mm models of the Fenix 9 Pro to the Enduro 4 below. Note that to get the full solar battery life listed, you need to be out and about in sunny conditions for three hours a day on average.

In my use, the Enduro 4 lasted me 16 days on its first charge and is tracking for 17-18 on its second charge, whereas the 51mm Fenix 9 Pro AMOLED lasts me 10-11 days with the screen set to always-on.

This was during the British winter too, when I gave the Enduro 4 almost nothing in terms of a solar charging boost, so you can expect the gap to be wider in sunnier climates.

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Specs

Garmin Fenix 9 Pro vs Garmin Enduro 4: Verdict

The Garmin Fenix 9 Pro line-up offers more features and choice than the Enduro 4, and I prefer the all-titanium design of the Fenix and its brighter AMOLED display.

However, the Enduro 4’s relative simplicity will appeal to many people, as will its lower price, longer battery life, and lighter design.

If you’ve been eyeing the Fenix 9 Pro Solar in particular and don’t really need the connectivity features on the watch, then I think the Enduro 4 is a better value buy. Or even the Garmin Enduro 3, for that matter, since it has a similar design and feature set to the latest model.