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Garmin has announced the new Enduro 4, which takes the existing Enduro 3 and Fenix 9-ifies it<\/a>. This follows the same pattern that Garmin did when it announced the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series back a few years ago. This means that the Enduro 4 gets some updated hardware internals, such as a faster processor and more RAM, as well as doubled storage for more offline maps. With those more powerful internals, you\u2019re getting faster mapping features. Plus of course, the Enduro 4 gets all the Fenix 9 software features (which Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 users are also getting<\/a>).<\/p>\n There are also some slight material changes too, mainly with the band and bezel. They\u2019ve swapped out the UltraFit band for the new ComfortFit ones, which is a great change in my opinion. I\u2019ve been using the new ComfortFit ones with the Fenix 9 series, and they\u2019re awesome. Further, they changed up the color of the bezel, which you may or may not like depending on your personal color palette preferences.<\/p>\n In any case, I\u2019ve started to put the Enduro 4 through its paces, though given all the other wearables slated for the next 6 days, wrist space is very limited right now. So for the moment, let\u2019s just get into how things are different.<\/p>\n What\u2019s New:<\/p>\n The Enduro 3<\/a> to Enduro 4 upgrade of hardware may not seem like a big one, mostly because you have to remember the whole point of the Enduro series is to *minimize* things that burn lots of battery. Meaning, adding in battery-hungry features like LTE & inReach (satellite messaging) are sorta the last thing you want Garmin to do.<\/p>\n However, more critical here is Garmin\u2019s decision to bring virtually all the new Fenix 9 features back to the Fenix 8\/8 Pro & Enduro 3 watches. Thus, by definition, with them all being treated as a single software platform, it becomes a more minor hardware update (akin to what Apple does each year). The point isn\u2019t really for Enduro 3 owners to buy up (because you\u2019re getting all the cool new Fenix 9 software features for free), but rather, for Enduro 1 & Enduro 2 folks to buy up. Make sense?<\/p>\n In any case, here\u2019s what\u2019s new hardware-wise:<\/p>\n \u2013 Faster processor for maps (specifically the Fenix 9 base processor, not the Fenix 9 Pro processor) Here you can see the new band\/clasp system as part of the ComfortFit bands:<\/p>\n Meanwhile, here are the things that stay the same from Enduro 3 to Enduro 4:<\/p>\n \u2013 Same exact 1.4\u201d MIP display panel at 280x280px Here\u2019s the battery \u2018chart\u2019 showing all the battery modes\/times:<\/p>\n Enduro 4 Battery Specs\/Claims: *Solar charging, assuming all-day wear with 3 hours per day outside in 50,000 lux conditions Here\u2019s a side-by-side photo of the two units out tanning in the direct sun.<\/p>\n (At left, Enduro 3, at right Enduro 4)<\/p>\n Then, from a software standpoint, here are all the new features. All but the last few features are coming to the Enduro 3 via software update (in fact, some, like the Ski Erg features, already did last week). However, this just gets you all of them right now. The last few ones are dependent on the new mapping engine, which in turn requires the faster processor\/more RAM:<\/p>\n \u2013 Added new Garmin Epic features, which group multi-day events\/adventures (both on-device, and on Garmin Connect) And then, here\u2019s another set of new features that the Enduro 4 & Fenix 9 series get, but the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series won\u2019t get, due to hardware constraints dependent on the increased RAM & processor (or, in the case of the GPS modes, so they don\u2019t have to re-test all of the existing models\u2019 official specs for new battery claims).<\/p>\n \u2013 Mapping: New Perspective view (sorta a tilted map view) Again, if you have an existing Garmin Enduro 3 or Fenix 8 series watch, you\u2019ll eventually get all of the features in the first list. The timelines on that remain fuzzy, but Garmin says it won\u2019t be this year for everything, though some features have already started showing up in recent updates.<\/p>\n Key Differences to Fenix 9?<\/p>\n (At left, Enduro 3, center Enduro 4, right Fenix 9 Pro Solar 47mm)<\/p>\n Now, real quick, what are the key differences between the Enduro 4 vs Fenix 9<\/a>? Just like with the Enduro 3 vs Fenix 8 series, this is mostly about the Enduro series being optimized for higher battery life, but also reduced costs. They do away with extra things required for diving, LTE, speakers\/mic, etc., and that in turn gives you more battery life and a \u2018cheaper Fenix\u2019 in the name of Enduro. Again, remember the Enduro & Fenix watches are under the same software watch family. All software releases for the Enduro 3 & Fenix 8 series were identical and grouped together, and the same is now true with the Enduro 4 & Fenix 9.<\/p>\n In any case, here are the key differences (when focused specifically on the SOLAR-MIP models):<\/p>\n \u2013 Enduro 4 has a bigger solar ring than the Fenix 9 Pro Solar models When it comes to those LTE & inReach Satellite features found on the Fenix 9 Pro inReach models, these are those features (none of which are on Enduro 4):<\/p>\n \u2013 LTE Live two-way voice calls In terms of some quick-hit similarities between the Enduro 4 and Fenix 9, this is things at a high level:<\/p>\n \u2013 Both run the same software and all the same features Again, there are a gazillion more things that are the same between those two watches (primarily on the software side), but those are the main things to remember.<\/p>\n Mapping Speed Differences:<\/p>\n Now, with everything essentially being the same software-wise and display\/battery-wise, the only real difference between the two is around the increased processing power, increased RAM, and then,\u00a0 in turn,\u00a0 the downstream improvements to map processing that Garmin has touted for the Enduro 4 as well as Fenix 9 series units.<\/p>\n Remember that in this case, the Enduro 4 shares the same processor as the base Fenix 9 units, not the slightly faster Fenix 9 Pro series processor. That new base processor is still faster than the Fenix 8 series units (which the Enduro 3 shared), and Garmin says a fair chunk of the improvements to speed is also coming from the rebuilt mapping engine, which requires that 50% improvement in RAM.<\/p>\n In any case, all that said, in terms of the speed improvements I see, like with the Fenix 9, it\u2019s mostly \u2018shrug\u2019. Yes, they are faster, but not massively so. Here are some simple tests I did:<\/p>\n Speed test: Open a course file of 50KM\/31mi: Speed test: Create a running route to a point across the island over a mountain range ( 23KM away as the bird flew, 30KM as the runner went): In the video, I also show some differences panning around, for which there is a notable difference, but mainly about 1-2 seconds of extra render time in my mountain-ish area with just light trails\/terrain. Perhaps in some city scenario or such, but realistically that\u2019s not where I tend to use the mapping features of any Garmin watch (I have my phone for that).<\/p>\n Now, as I noted in the Fenix 9 review, it\u2019s easy to compare the maps from COROS zooming around\/panning around, but the simple reality is those aren\u2019t fully routable maps. They are essentially pictures\/tiles that just load, whereas Garmin is actually rendering up a full routable map that you can route on-device to any other point without a phone. Creating a new route on a COROS device requires a phone. On an Amazfit device, you can create on-device routes only for round-trip routes, and even then, they almost always fail (as every reviewer has pointed out). Likewise, Garmin\u2019s maps have far more information depth than anyone else.<\/p>\n Now, don\u2019t mistake me pointing out map facts from me saying you actually need the on-device route generation that Garmin has in everyday life. As I noted in my Fenix 9 review, I can literally count on one hand the number of times in the real world I use the on-device route creation in real life (aside for review funsies purposes) as roughly twice. And neither time was super critical. Handy, yes\u2026critical no.<\/p>\n In just the same way that while I don\u2019t find that feature super useful, neither do I find just randomly panning around the map like a candy-fueled toddler, like every YouTuber likes to do. I simply don\u2019t do that in real life out on multi-day treks, or even long single-day ultras. Do I occasionally check something a few hundred meters away? Sure. Does it take an extra 1-2 seconds on a Garmin? Sure. Am I upset that I have to wait 1-2 seconds longer in the middle of a 17-hour day? Nah. Do I wish Garmin\u2019s maps were faster? Of course.<\/p>\n All of these things can be true. It doesn\u2019t have to be fanboyism.<\/p>\n In any event, one new mapping feature is the new Perspective View, as seen on the Fenix 9. Here\u2019s what that looks like side-by-side with the Enduro 3\u2019s straight-down view:<\/p>\n (At left, Enduro 3, at right Enduro 4)<\/p>\n I\u2019ve grown to like this view quite a bit on the Fenix 9, though admittedly, half the time I forget to tap the little compass icon to toggle it on. Plus, I don\u2019t tend to stay on the mapping page for very long, since the mapping page on every watch is the fastest way to see just how little battery life you\u2019ll actually get (map pages burn battery life like crazy on every wearable).<\/p>\n Wrap-Up:<\/p>\n Ultimately, the Enduro 4 is one of those Garmin upgrades that really isn\u2019t about appealing to the prior-gen owners. Just like most Apple Watch upgrades aren\u2019t about appealing to people who just bought last year. Instead, it\u2019s primarily targeted at existing Enduro 1 or Enduro 2 owners who would get a big boost in terms of sports features as well as daily life things. And I suppose, for those who simply want the new Fenix 9 features now, versus waiting for Garmin to release those planned updates to the existing Enduro 3 owners.<\/p>\n While some might want even longer battery life, or perhaps a better MIP display, or perhaps changes in solar \u2013 the reality is that those are all industry-leading within the category in real-world usage. The Enduro 4 (and Enduro 3 before it) already has the longest GPS battery life out there, even before solar gains are considered, which can push it notably higher. As for the MIP displays, the reality is that there are very few companies making these panels, and they have very little reason to innovate in an area that continues to see dwindling unit volume. Certainly, I\u2019d love to see a more readable MIP display in dimmer conditions, but I have a feeling that\u2019s not happening anytime soon. Especially as AMOLED watch unit overall battery life continues to climb closer and closer to MIP display units.<\/p>\n In any event, assuming you\u2019re choosing a MIP display unit, between the Garmin Enduro 4 vs Enduro 3 vs Fenix 9, I think the question you ask yourself is relatively simple: Do you care about scuba diving, microphone\/speaker features, LTE, Satellite Communications, or a smaller 43\/47mm unit? If the answer to all of those is \u2018Nah\u2019, then the Enduro is the clear winner. If you go for the Enduro 4, you\u2019ll save yourself $200 over the Fenix 9 Solar unit priced at $1,099+. If you want to save a bit, you could pick up the Enduro 3 at a bit cheaper today, knowing it\u2019ll get virtually all those new Enduro 4 software features in a few months or so. What the future in a year or two brings, I\u2019ve got no idea (and I suspect Garmin hasn\u2019t decided yet either).<\/p>\n In any case, hopefully all the above was useful in helping you decide.<\/p>\n With that, thanks for reading!<\/p>\n Found This Post Useful? Support The Site!<\/p>\n Hopefully you found this review\/post useful. At the end of the day, I\u2019m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase \u2013 so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it\u2019s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments \u2013 and there\u2019s quite a bit of detail in there as well.<\/p>\n If you’re shopping for the Garmin Enduro 4 or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn\u2019t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot.<\/p>\n Here’s a few other variants or sibling products that are worth considering:<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DSC08213.jpg\" "\\"DSC08213.jpg\\"")
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\u2013 50% more RAM for map speed increases
\u2013 Doubled storage from 32GB to 64GB
\u2013 Went from black titanium bezel to a grey titanium bezel
\u2013 Cleaned up bezel to have fewer green\/yellow markings
\u2013 Changed the GPS mode names to match Fenix 9, though the battery life remains identical
\u2013 Changed from UltraFit band to ComfortFit with QuickFit (trust me, it\u2019s far better)
\u2013 New band increased total unit weight by 3g, case weight is identical (total weight from 63g to 66g)
\u2013 Same $899 price as the Enduro 3 (though the Enduro 3 went on sale this week to $799 with a bunch of other Garmin things for Amazon Prime Days)<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DSC08220.jpg\" "\\"DSC08220.jpg\\"")
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\u2013 Same exact Solar components
\u2013 Same exact smartwatch battery life (36 days smartwatch, 90 days with Solar)
\u2013 Same rough GPS battery life (see chart), though with new mode names
\u2013 Same thickness and case size (51mm)<\/p>\n
Smartwatch: Up to 36 days\/90 days with solar*
Low Power Watch Mode: Up to 92 days\/unlimited with solar*
Activity Mode (Normal): Up to 80 hours\/144 hours with solar**
Activity Mode + Music (Normal): Up to 22 hours\/25 hours with solar**
Activity Mode (Max Battery): Up to 210 hours\/unlimited with solar**
Activity Mode (Extended Battery): Up to 120 hours\/320 hours with solar**
Activity Mode (Max Accuracy): Up to 60 hours\/90 hours with solar**
Expedition Mode: Up to 77 days\/unlimited with solar*<\/p>\n
**Solar charging, assuming use in 50,000 lux conditions; assuming typical use with SatIQ technology<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/DSC08225.jpg\" "\\"DSC08225.jpg\\"")
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\u2013 New Stamina zone concept
\u2013 Added New Stamina Endurance time concept
\u2013 Added New Stamina trending feature (on Garmin Connect)
\u2013 Added New Running & Cycling Stamina graphs\/curves
\u2013 Added New Rucking\/Pack-Weight calorie breakout for activities (in multiple sport profiles)
\u2013 Revamped algorithms around pack-weight to more accurately cover calorie impacts
\u2013 Added New Rucking target calculator on-watch: Can tell you how far you need to go for a certain goal & pack weight
\u2013 Added ability to change pack-weight mid-activity
\u2013 Added Dedicated Rucking Reports (summarizing pack weight, calories, elevation, pace)
\u2013 Added Rucking Multisport mode option
\u2013 Added New on-device Rucking structured workouts with GoRuck
\u2013 Added New Ski Erg Profile (officially called \u2018XC Ski Indoor\u2019)
\u2013 Huge update\/change for Indoor Rowing
\u2013 Added new heart rate zones for rowing, and max heart rate
\u2013 Added new power zones and power curves for running
\u2013 Added new indoor rowing FTP values\/estimation
\u2013 Added new indoor rowing VO2Max values
\u2013 Added lactate threshold for rowing, and performance condition
\u2013 Added indoor rowing activity profile countdown timer (5-second timer, to let you get ready)
\u2013 Added support for indoor rowing to update Training Status (e.g., Productive, Unproductive, etc.)
\u2013 Added Rolling GAP as a data field (both kilometer and mile)
\u2013 Added Rolling GAP as a structured workout target option
\u2013 Added new \u2018Field Tools\u2019 feature, including ABC, measure height, reference point, and more<\/p>\n
\u2013 Mapping Performance: Smoother\/faster zoom
\u2013 Mapping Performance: More responsive heading updates (orientation)
\u2013 Added new ArcheryX feature
\u2013 Added new Dynamic Battery GPS modes, which basically simplify the naming of the satellite modes<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/IMG_7974.jpg\" "\\"IMG_7974.jpg\\"")
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\u2013 Enduro 4 is far lighter than the Fenix 9 (66g vs 102g for the Fenix 9 Pro Solar 51mm non-inReach)
\u2013 Enduro 4 is slightly thinner than the Fenix 9 (15.7mm vs 16.6mm for Fenix 9 Pro Solar 51mm)
\u2013 Enduro 4 is offered in one size (51mm), whereas Fenix 9 is offered in three sizes (43\/47\/51mm, though MIP-Solar only in 47\/51mm)
\u2013 Fenix 9 series has depth gauge and scuba\/freediving features (Enduro 4 does not)
\u2013 Fenix 9 series has induction buttons for better water resistance
\u2013 Fenix 9 series has a speaker\/microphone (Enduro 4 has a simple beeper, no microphone
\u2013 Fenix 9 series has voice control\/calling features with that microphone (Enduro 4 does not)
\u2013 Fenix 9 Pro series has a faster processor than the Fenix 9 base\/Enduro 4 units
\u2013 Fenix 9 Pro series has full Titanium case options (Enduro 4 does not)
\u2013 Fenix 9 Pro series has a green LED flashlight (plus the white\/red that Enduro 4 has)
\u2013 Fenix 9 Pro inReach models have LTE & inReach Satellite Message (Enduro 4 does not)
\u2013 Fenix 9 base starts at $999 (AMOLED only), Fenix 9 Pro from $1,099 (AMOLED\/SOLAR), Fenix 9 Pro inReach\/LTE from $1,199 (Enduro 4 is $899)<\/p>\n
\u2013 LTE LiveTrack (30-second sampling rate)
\u2013 LTE Voice Messaging
\u2013 LTE Text Messaging
\u2013 LTE Weather
\u2013 LTE & Satellite Emergency SOS
\u2013 LTE Location Check-Ins
\u2013 LTE Incident Detection & Assistance
\u2013 Satellite Messaging (basic texting)
\u2013 Satellite position\/location check-ins
\u2013 Satellite Emergency SOS (via Garmin Response)
\u2013 Satellite updating of weather (new in the Fenix 9 Pro)<\/p>\n
\u2013 Both have Garmin\u2019s Elevate Gen5 optical HR sensor
\u2013 Both have medically certified ECG hardware\/features
\u2013 Both have Sapphire glass display covers (lens)
\u2013 Both have LED flashlights (but again, Fenix 9 Pro models have green LED too)
\u2013 Both have onboard offline maps
\u2013 Both have onboard storage for offline music (Spotify, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, MP3 files, etc.), to play back with Bluetooth headphones
\u2013 Both have WiFi syncing support
\u2013 Both have full ANT+ & Bluetooth Sensor support<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/IMG_7929-1.jpg\" "\\"IMG_7929.jpg\\"")
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Enduro 3: ~8 seconds
Enduro 4: ~8 seconds
Fenix 9 Pro: ~8 seconds<\/p>\n
Enduro 3: 1min 15sec
Enduro 4: 45sec
Fenix 9 Pro: 28sec<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/10\/IMG_7981.jpg\" "\\"IMG_7981.jpg\\"")
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