Garmin isn’t messing around with the fēnix line this cycle. The fēnix 9 and fēnix 9 Pro launched today, and between the two of them you’re looking at the biggest jump in display tech, mapping, and connectivity the fēnix has seen in years.

We broke it down by model so you know exactly what you’re paying for — and at the bottom, we’ll tell you what we actually think.

fēnix 9: Some Serious Upgrades

Like any fēnix watch, the standard fēnix 9 isn’t a “base model” in any way that matters. This is still a full-send multisport watch, and Garmin loaded it up like a twice baked potato at some Texas restaurant.

Brighter Screen & Tougher Glass. The AMOLED display is twice as bright as the fēnix 8’s, now paired with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens. It’s also dive-rated to 40 meters.

Garmin Epic. This seems very cool and we can’t wait to check it out. We think its something athletes will actually use. Epic strings together activities recorded over days, weeks, or months. Think a backpacking trip, a stage race, or a full training block and puts it into one shareable story in Garmin Connect, complete with photos and combined performance data.

Stamina Zones and Stamina Curve. New tools that track how your endurance shifts over the course of training blocks and individual efforts is aimed at helping you pace smarter instead of just guessing off heart rate. If it performs the way Garmin says, and thats always the question, this is a good upgrade for anyone racing anything longer distances. Should be interesting to see how it works.

Rowing gets Real. VO2 Max and power curve tracking now show up for indoor rowing (power meter required), which closes a gap that’s annoyed hybrid athletes for a while.

Rucking Upgrades. Adjustable pack weight mid-activity, direct GORUCK workout support, and target metrics up to 100kg of load. Niche, but if this is your training, it’s a big deal.

Mapping that Doesn’t Lag. This watch has 50% more RAM than the fēnix 8 and an updated map engine mean panning is up to 30% faster, plus a new perspective view for better route anticipation. Storage jumps to 64GB — double the maps, up to 7,000 songs.

Sizes: 43mm, 47mm, 51mm.

Starting Price: $999.99

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fēnix 9 Pro: The Do It All

The Pro builds on everything above and then adds premium to your wrist.

Titanium, Finally. For countless years now, athletes have asked for this and its inally happening. This is the first-ever titanium case on a fēnix, built with nano-molding tech that fuses metal and plastic at the molecular level. Essentially what that means is it’s lighter and thinner than you’d expect from a metal case, without giving up strength and ruggedness.

The Brightest fēnix Screen Ever. Up to 3,000 nits on the AMOLED, and the 51mm Pro gets Garmin’s first 1.5-inch AMOLED display — 15% bigger than the fēnix 8 without a bigger case.

Solar Charging on Select Models. We’ve always been fans of solar, especially when doing days long events. So get more battery life just by being outside.

Night Vision-Friendly Flashlight. A new green LED mode has been added to the integrated flashlight for reduced light disruption after dark.

Phone-free connectivity, for real this time. Select fēnix 9 Pro models get built-in satellite and LTE, with inReach now available across all three case sizes for the first time. That means voice calls, texting, SOS through the 24/7 Garmin Response center, and LiveTrack notifications through the Garmin Messenger app — all without your phone in your pocket. There’s also a new Garmin Locate feature so people back home can actually see where you are over LTE, and satellite-delivered weather forecasts for your exact location.

Sizes: 43mm, 47mm, 51mm (AMOLED); 47mm, 51mm (Solar).

Starting Price: $1,099.99, up to $1,399.99 for Pro models with inReach connectivity.

Our Thoughts

So much happening and on paper, this is a strong new generation of fēnix watches. I really dig the stamina zones and Garmin Epic and see those as two features that will be helpful and cool to track. The mapping upgrades also are huge especially if you’re truly solo mapping it with the watch. Lag is a soul crushing experience when all you need is instant feedback. And phone-free connectivity across every Pro model is the real deal for anyone who is thinking about safety. Plus its nice that you wont need a separate inReach device.

These are probably incredible watches. Built the way Garmin builds things, and cared for reasonably, you could genuinely get close to 10 years out of one — heck, I still have a very much working 7 year old fēnix 6x sitting right here.

But woof, that price tag. A base Fenix 9 starts at $999.99, and if you want the titanium Pro with inReach connectivity, you’re pushing $1,400 before you’ve added a single band. That’s not “nice watch” money — that’s “you’d better actually use every one of these features” money.

For serious multisport athletes and backcountry adventurers who want the best because they’re putting themselves to the extreme, things like Epic, stamina tracking, and phone-free SOS are probably worth the asking price. But for everyone else, the Fenix 8 or previous editions may just be the more attractive option.

We hope to test these and will keep you update don our thoughts.

See the full lineup and more at Garmin.com