In a rare head-to-head, Apple’s latest Watch Ultra 4 almost matches Garmin’s Fenix 9 Pro in a manually counted 10,000-step walk, highlighting improvements but reaffirming pros and cons for different users.
Tom’s Guide’s step-count test put Apple’s new Watch Ultra 4 against Garmin’s Fenix 9 Pro in a simple but revealing comparison: a manually counted 10,000-step walk. Apple has said the Ultra 4 uses a redesigned pedometer system that combines machine learning with the S11 chip to improve all-day step counting and indoor workout distance, while also adding a new Steps complication on the watch face. Garmin’s rival, meanwhile, is positioned as a premium outdoor model with a far larger feature set, including offline mapping, a built-in torch and extensive battery life.
The test itself was straightforward. Tom’s Guide wore the Apple Watch on one wrist and the Garmin on the other, then counted each step by hand across three separate walks. The publication noted that both devices rely on accelerometers to infer movement from arm swing, which means step counts can vary depending on how naturally a person walks and how the watch is worn. For Apple users, the site also pointed out that step totals are not shown inside a workout view in the same way as on some rivals, so a third-party pedometer app was needed for the comparison.
The results were unusually close. Across the three walks, the manual total came to 10,099 steps. The Apple Watch Ultra 4 recorded 10,142, while the Garmin Fenix 9 Pro counted 10,174. That left Apple 43 steps away from the manual count and Garmin 75 steps out, a gap so small that Tom’s Guide described it as the tightest result it had seen in this kind of test. Apple’s own launch materials claimed the Ultra 4 offers the most accurate step tracking of any smartwatch, and the test suggested the new system is at least highly competitive in real-world use.
Even so, step counting is only one part of the picture. Tom’s Guide noted that Garmin still has clear advantages for endurance-minded users, especially with battery life, offline maps and the integrated torch. According to the publication’s review of the Fenix 9 Pro, the watch can last for long periods between charges and is built for serious outdoor use, although its high price remains a concern. Apple’s Ultra 4, by contrast, is designed to function as a more direct extension of the iPhone, with better health-tracking tools, a new heart-rate sensor and stronger battery life than earlier Ultra models. On this evidence, Apple appears to have closed the gap on one of the simplest metrics, but the broader choice still depends on whether buyers value a more connected smartwatch or a more specialised adventure watch.
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