It’s no coincidence that in just a few hours one of the toughest trail running races on earth – UTMB – will begin in Chamonix, France. The journey will take competitors on a 171KM loop with literal mountains of elevation climb. Garmin specifically chose today, and in particular – their location of Chamonix to launch the Fenix 6 series. In recent years, trail running has largely been the domain of Suunto devices, primarily due to both longer battery life and frankly, stability. Sponsorships of elite trail runners also helped too.
But that tide is slowly shifting. I spent last week up in Chamonix as athletes from around the world were out doing their final training runs, and these days it’s more of a blend of watches on wrists than the Suunto domination of a few years ago. And there’s no doubt that the specs Garmin has thrown down with the Fenix 6 series will cause many heads there to turn.
The Fenix 6 series is a slate of more than a dozen different watch variants, with battery life extending upwards of 120 days. Yes, days. And GPS-on time for ultra-type scenarios at nearly 150 hours. Or in full expedition mode GPS-on time at 56 days. Yes, again, days. Obviously, there are some caveats to those numbers – but we’ll get to those. Oh, and did I mention there’s now solar charging of the unit? No, it’s not the panacea that your own solar farm might be – but it’s a start and hint at where Garmin is going. And the new PacePro feature will automatically create a course-elevation optimized race plan for your specific goal time.
I’ve been testing the Fenix 6 series in a variety of conditions from the city streets of NYC to the high alpine trails of the French Alps. Plus the beautiful windy flats of the Netherlands. I’ve got a pretty good idea on what works well, and what still needs some love. Don’t worry, I cover it all through the course of more than 11,000 words.
But if words aren’t really your thing, then I’ve got a nice tidy video that runs through the top 16 new features on the Fenix 6 series in one quick go. It’s as good as it gets for efficiency around here:
Oh, and finally, as always I use devices like wilderness trails – leave nothing behind. These are media loaner units that go back to Garmin shortly. In fact, retailers are actually shipping Fenix 6 variants today. You can help support the site here by checking out the links at the end of the post. Doing so makes you awesome.
What’s New:
As you might expect with a product titled its sixth edition (actually, they skipped over a Fenix 4, but then did secondary editions of the Fenix 3 (HR) and 5 (Plus), so we’re roughly in the ballpark), much of the product is about building with new features. Garmin usually follows a bit of a tick-tock pattern with their product releases, specifically when looking at their Fenix and Forerunner lineups at the higher end. One product family will get new features first (in this case the Garmin FR945), and then the next product from the other family will get those features plus some extra (in this case, the Fenix 6 series).
As such I’m going to divide this up into two basic categories. First are the things that are totally new/changed in the Fenix 6 that are otherwise unseen on any other Garmin products to date. And the second is things that have been added since the Fenix 5 Plus or Forerunner 945. There’s slightly more things since the Fenix 5 Plus last summer that came in the FR945 that are joining the Fenix 6.
Here’s what’s totally new/changed in the Fenix 6 series:
– Split product line into two portions: Pro and Base. Pro has WiFi, Maps, Music, Golf Maps
– There are three sizes of watches: 42mm (Fenix 6s), 47mm (Fenix 6), 51mm (Fenix 6X)
– Adds solar charging to Fenix 6 Pro Solar: Termed “Power Glass”, this will increase battery life on sunnier days
– Adds Trendline Popularity Routing Visibility (Pro): This allows you to actually see the ‘heatmaps’ on your device
– Adds map display themes: This includes high contrast, popularity, marine, dark, and outdoor.
– Adds new widget glances concept: Basically shrinks widgets to 1/3rd the screen size, so you can see three at once
– Adds new PacePro feature: This replaces old-school paper race pace bands, creating pace targets for race based on grade/reverse splits/etc…
– Adds new Power Manager feature: Gives detailed information about the impacts/tradeoffs of features on battery life
– Adds new Power Modes feature: Allows you to create custom power/battery modes, with time remaining per activity
– Adds new MARQ Expedition ultra-long mode: For multi-week GPS activities. Basically shuts off everything except reduced rate GPS tracking
– Adds ski resort maps: These started on the MARQ series, with 2,000 ski resorts worldwide
– Adds golf maps pre-loaded: Previously you had to manually load these one by one, also, more detailed golf features
– Adds support for wrist-based swimming HR: This was teased recently on the FR945 beta updates
– Adds new ultra-low battery mode: Gets up to 80 days of battery life, but super basic watch functionality only
– Revamped ClimbPro with new coloring: Now matches the Edge 530/830 styling
– Increased data fields per page: Up to 8 fields on the 6X, and up to 6 fields on the 6S/6
– Increased screen size and reduced bezel (varies by model, but up to 36% bigger screen size on the 6X
– Reduced ‘lug to lug distance’ on Fenix 6S: This should help those with smaller wrists, more on this later
– Reduced thickness of all devices. The 6S shrunk by 10%, the 6 by 7%, and the 6X by 15%.
– Changed from MediaTek GPS chipset to Sony GPS Chipset: Like every other new Garmin 2019 device
– Battery life increased: Up to 80 days in battery saver mode for 6X, and up to 120hrs in max battery mode for 6X, all before solar (see full chart below)
And then here’s the list of items that come from the MARQ & Forerunner 945 series to the Fenix 6. I don’t believe there’s any new software features on the FR945 that aren’t on the Fenix 6 series. It got them all. Here they are:
– Added PulseOx (pulse oximeter data): Within Fenix lineup it was previously only on the Fenix 5X Plus variant
– Added Respiration Rate (post-activity, also as a data field): With chest strap only
– Added new Garmin ELEVATE optical HR sensor: This is the V3, same as MARQ/FR245/945 sensor.
– Added training load focus stats: Shows how workouts benefit a given target/focus area
– Added deeper training effect details/metrics: Further details on the impact of a workout
– Added body battery functionality: Kinda like Street Fighter body energy levels
– Added heat acclimation: For any workouts in temps over 71°F/21.6°C
– Added altitude acclimation: For any time or workouts spent above 850m/2,788ft
– Added Incident Detection: If you crash your bike it notifies someone (this was recently added to the Fenix 5 Plus via firmware update)
– Added Safety/Tracking Assistance: You can press button to send help alert to friends/family (this was recently added to the Fenix 5 Plus via firmware update)
– Revamped race predictor to be a bit more strict on predictions (more than just VO2Max lookup charts now)
– VO2Max now compensates for heat: Previously it didn’t
– Training Status now compensates for heat: Previously it didn’t
– Redesigned a bunch of the user interface, especially for post workout stats
– CIQ data field app limit remains at 2 concurrent per app
Phew. Got all that? Good, I hope so.
If not, fear not. There’s still like 10,000 more words and 120 other photos for these concepts to sink in (or, for you to give up). Either way, I’ve got you covered. First though, let’s get these all unboxed.
Oh wait – for those wondering, the Forerunner 245/245 Music, Forerunner 945, and MARQ series will get PacePro. The FR945 will get the map themes as well as widget galleries. The MARQ series will get everything the Fenix 6 has. No specific timelines for these. For other items I’m awaiting clarification/timing from Garmin.
Unboxing:
Back in my Fenix 5 Plus In-Depth Review unboxing section, I had noted that there were about the same number of editions (SKU’s) of the Fenix 5 Plus as there were Brady Bunch cast members. Well, I’m here to tell you that Marcia got pregnant, because now there’s even more SKU’s. Seriously, it’s kinda nuts. Here’s the entire listing of all of the children in this family photo that Garmin had (all prices parity USD/EUR):
The key takeaway from the above is simply that there are basically two lines of Fenix 6 units:
Base: These don’t include maps, WiFi, or music. Pro: Includes all the maps, music, WiFi, and features that build atop those functions
Essentially it’s as if Garmin is refreshing the base Fenix 5 lineup with the base Fenix 6 lineup, while the Fenix 5 Plus becomes the Fenix 6 Pro series. Roughly.
Now thankfully for you I won’t be doing a full unboxing of all the variants. Instead, I’m consolidating it into a single unboxing of the Fenix 6S Pro. Though frankly – the boxing of all of them is identical in terms of what you get inside, except for the specialty units that come with an extra strap.
And with that, here’s the full unboxing of a single unit:
Up above is your standard issue Garmin wearables box. Or at least, the square variety of the box. On the back you’ve got a bunch of details about exactly which version you bought:
Crack open the top and you’ll find the watch sitting there looking at you:
Meanwhile, unpack the top and here’s all the goodness inside. In this particular case it’s shown with an extra strap that was included in the box sent to me. That is *NOT* the norm. No extra strap for you! I’ll re-shoot this photo sometime after I sleep.
Here’s a closer look at that watch, and the lawless strap:
The charging cable remains the same as the Fenix 5 series:
And the manual will be totally useless after this review:
Now what’s actually notable about the Fenix 6S in particular is that the lug to lug distance has been reduced. You can see it most clearly in the below photo atop the blue Fenix 5S Plus unit. Notice how the white lugs (where the straps connect to), are significantly smaller:
Seen as well from the top-down view too. This helps those with smaller wrists as it makes the watch a bit more compact and not overreaching off the sides of your wrists into thin air. That in turn also gives you better fit on the strap, which finally gives you better optical HR sensor accuracy. See, it’s all about the accuracy.
But sizing tweaks don’t stop there. There’s some big changes in terms of the display and bezels, whereby the bezels have shrunk a bit on the 6/6X units, and the overall thickness has shrunk on all units. This shows you the exact differences in both screen/display sizing and thickness between the Fenix 5 Plus series and the Fenix 6 series. First up, the increased screen size:
And next, the Fenix 6 depth (thickness) sizing:
Got all that? Good, let’s start using the darn thing.
The Basics:
Now that we’ve got ourselves freed of our cardboard bonds, let’s start with some basics. If you’ve been around the Garmin block a few times, then honestly you can skip this section. I’m mostly talking about things like the user interface, daily activity, and sleep tracking, and all those related metrics. We’ll start the sport stuff and things like solar charging and such down a bit later. Though I do discuss the new widget glances feature in this section. First up though, watch faces.
Actually, wait – first up – another video. You can skip this, but if you want the complete tour of the user interface – then this video is for you!
Like all past Garmin Fenix series watches, you can customize the watch face. That includes swapping it out for an entirely different watch face as well as customizing every bit of data you see on it (or, don’t want to see on it):
In addition, you can use Garmin’s Connect IQ app to create your own watch face with a picture of your kids, Ben & Jerry’s container, or whatever else is important to you.
The first chance though that you’ll really notice with the Fenix 6 series is the new glanceable widgets. Widgets are basically full pages that you could scroll through when not in a workout. Mini-apps if you will. Things like weather, steps, training status, music, and so on. But they always took up the full screen, even if they were basically just displaying one line of data. Garmin is now introducing glanceable widgets, which fit three widgets per ‘page’, as you scroll through them:
If you select the highlighted widget, then you’ll get the full widget that you previously knew and loved, such as this:
Frankly, this may be one of my favorite features of the Fenix 6 series. Which sounds silly until you realize I hated scrolling endlessly through widgets trying to find the data I wanted. Now, I can scroll three times less (or faster). It’s brilliant. Here’s a small gallery of widgets currently on my watch. Note the solar widget is only applicable to the Fenix 6X Solar unit. All the other widgets are across all Fenix 6 units.
Like all Garmin wearables these days there’s activity tracking covering your steps, stairs, sleep, and other meanderings. You can see this data under a few different widget glances, but you can also customize your watch face with any of this too. In the case of widgets, you’ll see for example the steps one:
Once I tap into it then I get the last 7 days of steps, or I can also get distance too:
Another metric in that same category is 24×7 heart rate. This is automatically enabled and monitoring every second, all part of recording and ultimately plotting your data. You can have certain watch faces display your HR constantly as well. If you tap into the heart rate widget you’ll get a graph of the last 4 hours – and then again down to the resting HR for the last 7 days.
All of this (steps as well as HR) is accessible on both Garmin Connect (web), and Garmin Connect Mobile (smartphone app). You can graph it and re-graph it a million ways.
Garmin also plots stress levels as well. Both on the device in real-time as well as later in the app. I generally find this metric pretty close to reality, for better or worse.
A new metric introduced over the last year is Garmin’s Body Battery. Think of this like the old Street Fighter arcade game, whereby if you got a good night’s sleep it’d start at 100%, and then throughout the day would degrade. It’d go down faster for more intense things, and re-gain battery status if you’re sitting on a couch watching TV. I find it a good proxy, though occasionally not perfect. Within the watch you can see the last four hours, as well as four hours overlaid against stress. Further, you can see how much has charged or drained since midnight.
And again, all of this is also plotted within the Garmin Connect/Garmin Connect Mobile apps as well.
Related to body battery is sleep metrics. The unit will automatically record your sleep each night, and supposed sleep phases. While I can validate that the sleep times are usually within a couple minutes of my actual fall asleep/wake times, I have no method of validating the sleep phases bits. The sleep metrics are displayed on the app:
New to the remainder of the Fenix 6 series is PulseOx. This initially came to the Fenix 5X Plus last year, but quickly spread like wildfire to the remainder of the Garmin lineup. PulseOx aims to measure your blood oxygen saturation levels. It has two basic purposes in a Garmin wearable, one is around sleep (as potentially an indicator of sleep related issues), and two in high altitude environments as an indicator that something is about to go horribly wrong. Two totally different use cases (note: medical folks and such also monitor blood oxygen levels too for other reasons). For the first one – sleep – you can track your PulseOx readings each night. It’s the red light that’ll light up on the back of the watch.
This is then plotted as part of the greater PulseOx readings widget (below), and on GCM:
Whereas the second one, focused more on the high altitude aspect of things over the course of 7 days, then you can plot PulseOx readings against altitude. You’ll see this in both the widget and online:
Keep in mind that getting a good PulseOx reading requires you be very still. So it won’t typically trigger during a workout. Thus if at high altitudes you’ll need to pause for probably 15-30 seconds to get a clean reading (and doing so manually is your best bet).
Last but not least on our pile of basics is smartphone notifications. The device will display any smartphone notifications from any apps on your device, it’s not limited to just texts or calendars or such. You can configure whether or not to display these, as well as whether or not to display them in a workout. When a notification comes in, you can either cancel/clear it immediately, or you can open it up to get more information:
In the case of iOS users, there’s no further action you can take upon these. For example, you can’t respond to them and text back – that’s a limitation of iOS that Apple only reserves for the Apple Watch. The notifications on the Garmin device support about 120 emoji’s as well these days, which seems to cover most of the things I see come across. Note that images do not render on the screen from a text that may have pictures in it.
Ok, with that we’ve covered all the basics of the watch. Onto using it in sports!
Sports Usage:
The Fenix 6 series follows in the footsteps of the Forerunner 945 & MARQ series watches from a sports standpoint. That means you’re gaining all the new physio-specific features largely based on FirstBeat work. This includes bits like altitude & temperature acclimation, but also the new training load focus and recovery bits. We’ll dive into more of that later. First, we’ll cover some quick basics for those of you new to Garmin, and then I’ll show you how the new PacePro works on a real course, plus all the training load and recovery fun.
To start a workout though you’re going to simply tap the upper right button. This will give you a list of sports that you can customize and set favorites.
Basically every sport you’d want to measure is in there, including all of the following:
Trail Run, Run, Hike, Bike, Bike Indoor, Open Water Swim, Triathlon, Golf, Navigate, Track Me, Map, Multisport, Treadmill, Indoor Track, Climb, MTB, Pool Swim, Ski, Snowboard, XC Ski, SUP, Row, Row Indoor, TruSwing (Golf related), Project Waypoint, Walk, SwimRun, Kayak, Strength, Cardio, Yoga, Floor Climb, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Clocks, Boat, Tactical, Jumpmaster, Other [Custom]
Once you’ve selected a sport it’ll show you the status of GPS & heart rate acquisition, as well as any connectivity to sensors. Technically speaking, while you were pondering which sport to choose, it had already started on all those bits. What you’ll notice at the top though is the battery level. By default this will show you how many hours you’ve got left in that mode:
Alternatively you can enable battery percentage as well, which will show that too. And this would be a great time to talk about battery modes and such, but I’ve set aside an entire section for that down below. It’s super cool stuff that builds upon (read: “borrows”) what Suunto did with their Suunto 9 and battery profiles, but really kicks it up a notch. But we don’t have time for that now. Let’s get to the sport first.
Once you’ve found GPS and heart rate it’s a good time to start the workout. It’s here that you’ll see your data pages as you’ve configured them. Like past Garmin watches, you still (for now) have to configure these on the watch itself and not via a smartphone app. I think Garmin gets the desire for folks to configure them on a phone or web app, but they aren’t there yet.
On the bright side, you’ve now got up to 8 data fields per page for the Fenix 6X, and up to 6 fields per page for the Fenix 6S/6 units. Here’s how that looks:
There’s also multiple new layouts, as well as layouts for 5 and 7 data fields too. So you’ve now got more data than you probably know what to do with. As with before you can use stock data pages or create numerous custom data pages. If you run out of data pages somehow, you’ve got a data consumption problem. You should see a specialist.
In any case, once out running/riding/swimming/etc, you’ll see data fields as normal:
This is a good time to mention that the Fenix 6 now supports optical heart rate while swimming. While Garmin has been beta trialing it on the Forerunner 945 this summer, it’s mostly ready for primetime now. They did note that like other companies, people may see variable results with optical HR in the water. But it’s an option for you to use that, or the HRM-TRI/HRM-SWIM straps if you want to record HR. However, only the optical HR option will show your heart rate in real-time. We’ll briefly discuss optical HR accuracy in the heart rate accuracy section below.
Beyond heart rate sensors the unit supports all the same sensor types as the Fenix 5 Plus series did, including both ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart standardized sensor types. They are as follows:
Once you’ve wrapped up and saved an activity you’ll get the new style end screen that mirrors the MARQ/FR945. This includes a course map profile, along with key stats. As you press the top right button you’ll iterate through some of the overriding training load metrics.
Whereas you can scroll down into the weeds for things like lap splits and other summary metrics:
All of this is of course synced to Garmin Connect via WiFi (on the Pro models) or via Garmin Connect Mobile (via Bluetooth Smart on your phone). Or, you can use USB and Garmin Express. Or, you can just go off the grid and ignore all that stuff. If you’ve set up synchronization to 3rd parties like Strava or TrainingPeaks, it’ll instantly send there as well. Here’s how it looks on Garmin Connect Mobile (aka GCM):
But let’s circle back to the training load stats. Each workout is given a specific Training Effect label and details. These are split between Aerobic and Anaerobic benefit, and are associated with a given load value. It also specifies what target area that it’s benefiting:
That data gets fed into the revamped Training Status functionality/widget, which shows the direction your fitness level and load levels are trending.
Below that, you’ll notice the little mountain and sun icons along the bottom. We’ll get to that shortly. First though, hit down twice (once past VO2Max) and you’ll see the 7-day load listed. This is color-coded by the type of load that you’ve gathered, as well as the total load values:
Tap down again and you’ve got your 4-week Load Focus. This basically consolidates all the training you’ve been doing into three specific buckets: Anaerobic, Aerobic High, and Aerobic Low, and then gives you specific target zones to be within (little pill boxes):
As you can see, I’ve blown out my ‘Aerobic High’ target. If I’m short in a given area, then it’ll tell me what to do. Or, in my case, since I’m somehow not short in any areas, it’ll tell me what my training has been doing lately in terms of benefit:
If I go down again, I’ll get Recovery Time until my next hard workout:
After that, we’ve got altitude/heat acclimation. The goal behind both altitude and heat acclimation metrics is to figure out whether or not you’re acclimated to a given temperature or altitude. Obviously, both can significantly impact performance. Starting with heat acclimation, the function leverages nearby weather stations. So your unit has to have connected to Garmin Connect Mobile within 3 hours of starting your ride in order to receive that weather data (it doesn’t use on-device temperature).
If we scroll back to the main Training Status page you’ll remember the small icons on the bottom of the training status page if you’re in the midst of acclimating to anything. In the case of below last week, I managed to score both heat and altitude acclimation icons. I unlocked the altitude badges in the Alps and on transatlantic flights overnight, and then on the heat I got that in both Amsterdam and NYC.
Altitude acclimation/adaption starts with a minimum threshold at altitudes above 850m/2,788ft, and tops out at 4,000m/13,123ft (Garmin doesn’t calculate above that level, sorry folks). Garmin says that they divide up training vs living altitudes, just as typical studies would. The company says that adaptation algorithms within the Fenix 6/MARQ/Forerunner 945/Edge 530/830 assume total adaptation after 21 days, and that adaptation is faster at the beginning of altitude exposure. Additionally, adaptation will decay within 21-28 days depending on acclimation level.
Fun geekery moment for you: On the Fenix 6 Series/Forerunner 945/MARQ, the altitude acclimation is based both on workouts, but also on where you sleep each night. At midnight the unit will quietly take an altitude reading (actually, it’s doing it all the time anyway), and then use that reading to determine acclimation. Where this gets fun is when you take redeye flights (as I did last night from the US to Europe), as it’ll take that reading at between 6,000-8,000ft (pressurized cabin altitude of a commercial airliner). At first you may think this would skew results, but in reality – it’s actually correct. Your body is acclimating to that altitude. Where it’s slightly off is that it assumes you’re spending 24 hours at that altitude, rather than the 5-14 hours you’re likely spending at that elevation.
Meanwhile, the next screen is heat acclimation.
For heat acclimation it applies a heat correction factor for rides above 71°F/22°C, using a percentage based amount from published studies (humidity is also factored into this as well). This is then shown in the training status widget. Garmin says they assume full acclimation takes a minimum of 4 days, and acclimation/adaptation to a given high temperature will automatically decay after 3 days of skipped training within that heat level.
Finally, virtually all of this can be found within the Garmin Connect Mobile and Garmin Connect apps. You can dive into bits like Training Status and Training Effect, where the colors match back up to what you see on the watch:
Same goes for Training Load too:
One of the common complaints that I see about Garmin Connect/Garmin Connect Mobile is that it’s not ‘deep enough’. Honestly, I don’t think that’s valid anymore. Nobody offers as much detail into your metrics as Garmin. Polar and Suunto don’t even come close anymore. However, what Polar tends to do better than Garmin is make these metrics more clear on the main dashboards. Whereas within Garmin you legit need to spend some time figuring out where everything is within Garmin Connect Mobile to make sense of it all. Suunto, of course, is shutting down Movescount next year in favor of their more basic ‘Suunto’ platform, so they need not apply anymore here when it comes to advanced metrics via app/web.
In any case, while I promised PacePro in this section, I’ve decided it deserved its own section. Partially because this section is already too big. And partially because I want to be able to link to the PacePro bits later on more quickly/easily.
PacePro for Running:
No, PacePro is not grade adjusted pace – despite how many times people keep writing it. In fact, it’s both much simpler, and much more powerful than that. It takes the concept of pace bands that any marathoner is undoubtedly familiar with and makes it all electronic. But even more than that, it automatically calculates each split (miles or kilometers) based on the elevation profile of the course you’re doing. In turn, you then get individual split targets for each mile raced.
But wait, we’re not done yet. Atop all that, you’ve got two specific levers to tweak: Intensity of hills (how hard you run them), and then whether you positive or negative split the race/course – and to what extent. Don’t worry, I’ll demo all this.
So to start, this feature is available on both the Pro and non-Pro Fenix 6 models. However, if using it on the non-Pro models, you’ll need to have the course already created (so it has access to the elevation data). Whereas on the Pro models you can actually create a course on the fly on a watch, and then execute a PacePro strategy upon it from the watch. I suspect though that 99.99% of you, no matter which version you have, will be creating courses online and sending them to your device.
Note that when doing it from the watch (versus Garmin Connect Mobile), you can’t adjust the various sliders that you see down below. As such, I’d really just recommend doing it from the app and sending it to your watch to execute.
First, you start off in the area to choose/create a course, and you’ll see the ability to choose PacePro. From there you’re given the option to load a course or not:
Technically speaking you don’t even need to load a course. You can simply use an assumed flat course profile and then do positive/negative splits based on a given time goal or pace goal. Which gets us to the next bit – choosing that goal. You can tweak this later easily if you want, but you need to choose either a time or pace goal. In my case I set up a loop around NYC’s Central Park and went with a sub-7/mile pace goal. Knowing I’d be coming off a transatlantic flight and running this 90 minutes later, I kept things civilized:
Next, you’ll be brought to this screen that shows the course profile with color coding on it. You can expand this and zoom in however you’d like:
But the real magic happens down below. That’s where you can dork with two levers. The first one adjusts whether you want to positive or negative split the course (meaning, get faster over the course, or fade over the course). And the second one adjusts how hard you run the hills. As you adjust those sliders, you’ll see that both the split targets down below change, as well as the split targets over the elevation up above:
It’s frankly kinda fun to play with this. You can do it all day long. Once you’re done, you’ll send this to your watch and it’ll sync via Bluetooth Smart.
Also of note – is that you can create the ‘splits’ based not just on per-mile or per-kilometer, but per elevation changes. So you can divide them up between downhill sections vs uphill sections vs flats, etc… Which frankly, makes a lot of sense.
Next, back on your watch you’ll go to the running activity and load the PacePro strategy up. These actually are files similar to course/workout files that you’ll find on your watch (for those geeks in the house). On the watch it’ll show you some of the stats for that PacePro session:
And then, off you go (once you press start). The watch will then show your target pace (7:00) on the top line, followed by your current pace for that split on the second line (6:35). You can see here I’m overachieving (hey, I’m still getting used to trusting a watch on pacing like this):
Then down below you’ve got distance remaining (0.75) in that lap (either 1 kilometer or 1 mile depending on how you’ve set it up), and then below that you’ve got whether or not you’re ahead or behind for the entire race, and by how much (-0:07).
What’s notable here is is that it locks to your GPS location on the predefined course (think of it like a train track, or roller coaster ride), rather than your watch distance the GPS has measured. This has its pros and cons.
On the plus side, this means that if your GPS accuracy goes to crap (such as with a tunnel, or just life in general), then it doesn’t impact PacePro. That’s really really cool, and is considerably different than something like Virtual Partner or any other pacing functionality. On the downside though, if there’s a difference between the route/course you created in Garmin Connect (or wherever) and the course that you’re running – then you’re up crap-creek. That could happen if either there’s a change on race day due to some road scenario, or if the route you created on GC has unnoticed anomalies in it.
In fact, that’s exactly what happened to me with my NYC Central Park course. I thought I had created a loop around the main road, but upon closer inspection at numerous points along the route the Garmin Connect course creator took short detours. Often only 50-150 meters each, but there was a pile of them, usually just briefly to nearby sidewalks and back. But they added up – and they’re virtually impossible to see unless you zoom way in.
In talking with Garmin, they’re digging into why (on what is arguably the world’s most popular running loop), it repeatedly forces you off the loop onto random detours. In doing some course creation elsewhere this doesn’t appear to be an issue. I suspect the extreme density of heat map (popularity) data Garmin has for Central Park is ironically its downfall here. So just a word of caution – triple-check your course routes/maps.
In any event, that issue aside, the entire functionality of it worked awesomely on the watch itself. It was surprisingly motivating to just focus on a single lap, but more importantly – getting different splits each time. It took my mind off of the larger prize, and had my brain focus on one thing at a time. Well done.
Garmin says they’re bringing this to other devices in the future, but hasn’t specified which existing devices will get it (likely the Forerunner 945, MARQ, and perhaps Forerunner 245).
Maps, Navigation, and ClimbPro:
Garmin’s added some new functionality in the mapping and navigation arena. I’m going to tackle it two ways. First, I’m going to straight-up talk about map themes and popularity data (heatmaps). And then I’m going to show you how the remaining functionality works on a test hike.
Within the Fenix 6 series Garmin has introduced the concept of ‘Map Themes’, which allow you to change the styling of the map in real-time. For example you can go from the default styling to a night styling. Or to a high contrast styling. Or even a marine-focused one. To do so, you’ll go into the sport mode settings (for whichever sport you want) and then under map, go to ‘Map Themes’. To say this feature is buried would be the understatement of the review.
Once in there you can simply toggle between the different maps. This is also where you’ll find the new ski resort map functionality as well as popularity routing overlays.
Here’s an example of high contrast:
The popularity routing is also new here. Previously on the Fenix 5 Plus series Garmin baked in their ‘Trendline Popularity’ data, which is basically the culmination of millions of activities on Garmin Connect. Essentially heatmap data. But you couldn’t actually see the ‘heat’, it was just data under the covers that the unit would route you on. Now however, you can see the purple heat.
It’s organized by sport type. So running vs cycling, etc… But it’s also not quite that simple either. See, it’s also displayed on the nuance of hiking versus running. I see that as a bit of a challenge, and it was super obvious in the area around Chamonix. When I used the ‘hiking’ data sets, almost nothing was visible. Whereas when I used running, there was tons of data. This is likely because most Garmin users would just default to using run no matter what for such activities. The other challenge is that the zoom levels make the feature semi-useless. I can’t zoom more than 0.5mi out (on scale). So basically I can see where people are running down to the end of the street, but not beyond that. I can’t really get the full picture.
Again, these are things Garmin should be able to solve. I’m happy to wait while it loads the tiles for that larger map area. It’s certainly better than trying to zoom around like a drunk idiot.
In any event you can also overlay the ski resorts mode too – which shows you ski lifts and ski runs from some 2,000 resorts around the world, including the ones I was at. Admittedly, it’s a bit hard to see in this photo.
With all that set, let’s go to loading up a course and get hiking. In my case, I just created my course on Garmin Connect. That allowed me to validate against the popularity data more easily. You can do the same these days on Garmin Connect Mobile (smartphone app) as well, though it continues to be a bit clumsy (but is faster than before).
When you load a course you’ll get all the details for it, including most notably ClimbPro.
ClimbPro isn’t new here, that came last year. But what is new is that it’ll start showing you coloring just like the Edge 530/830/1030 do, with the steeper gradient colored more painfully than the lesser gradients. Like this:
Oh, you wanted a picture on the Fenix 6 series? Unfortunately, the feature isn’t done yet, and is expected for release sometime here soonish. Until then, you’ll get the single-tone coloring. Which is still super helpful:
As you start your course you’ll see the map view, and then get little chirps each time you’re coming up on a turn in the trail. It’ll show you exactly what you’re supposed to do and the distance to do it. Even on the steep 20% switchbacks in the Alps it was astoundingly accurate.
The only time I got screwed up was when there was a four-way intersection the middle of nowhere and the posted signs were temporary, and pointed kinda-sorta the wrong way. So I basically ended up trying all paths until the Fenix 6 stopped telling me I had gone the wrong way:
But largely, I lived in ClimbPro. With thousands of feet of elevation gain for each climb, I used that as my metric for how quickly I was ascending and how close I was to the top. It continues to be my favorite feature when hiking.
The remainder of the navigation and related features haven’t changed much with the Fenix 6 (from the Fenix 5). And honestly, within that most of those haven’t changed in a few years either. Keep in mind that features that depend on mapping will depend on having the Pro variant. However, not always.
For example, you can use ClimbPro just fine on the base models. But you need to have the course created first on Garmin Connect so it sends the elevation data to the Fenix 6 base. On the flip-side, it won’t re-route you on trails when you get off-course, because it doesn’t have the trails like the Pro models have. Similarly, you won’t get any of the map themes, because there are no maps.
And finally, like numerous other Garmin devices, it’s still super clunky to buy and install maps on the Fenix 6 series and requires a computer. Though, the pricing is better these days (down to $20/map in some cases). Or, you can just use my guide to download free maps here. However, I’d really like to see Garmin make this totally idiot-proof and just allow you to either buy or download maps from within the Garmin Connect Mobile app, and leverage WiFi to install them. Remember that maps only are included for your region of purchase. So for USA folks that’s North America, for Europe folks that’s all of Europe, and for Australia folks that’s all of AUZ/NZ. Beyond that, you’ll need to triple-check the exact region coverage.
How Solar Works, and Power Modes:
I’ve separated out this entire section from the rest of the review – mainly because it’s such a new and interesting concept that for this review I think it makes sense for it to have a dedicated chunk. The solar feature is only available on the Fenix 6X Solar, and not on any other units. This falls in line with Garmin piloting new technologies on the Fenix ‘X’ series each year. The first year (Fenix 5X) it added maps when the rest of the series didn’t have it. Last year (Fenix 5X Plus) it added PulseOX, a first on Garmin devices. And this year, it’s solar.
However, the new Power Modes and Power Management features are available on all units, yes, all Fenix 6 units.
We’ll start on the Fenix 6X Solar though. So let’s dive into it a bit. On the Fenix 6X Solar you’ll notice a very thin 1mm wide strip just on the inside of the bezel. This is the first of two solar pieces.
This thin strip has 100% photovoltaic levels, meaning, it’s receiving 100% of the sun’s goodness and turning that into solar power. It’s also clearly visible in bright light, though you’d just assume it was a bezel design element. Inside without bright light, this strip almost disappears and blends into the bezel.
However, there’s a second solar panel you can’t see – despite being the entire display face. Under the display is another solar panel that has a 10% photovoltaic level. This panel is of course far larger than that of the thin bezel strip, but is also getting 10% of the sun’s rays, due to the display blocking much of it. Importantly though, both panels are fully under a single sheet of Gorilla Glass (specifically Corning Gorilla Glass 3 with DX Coating). Meaning, you won’t accidentally scratch the bezel solar panel anymore than you’d normally scratch your watch face.
Speaking of that watch face, you’ll notice that there’s a little sun atop the default watch face. That sun is actually showing you the current intensity level. Around the edge of the little sun are 10 pieces, each indicating 10% of full intensity. So if you look at the below picture you’ll see the sun is coming in at 0% intensity as I’m in the shade:
Next, another phone out in some broken clouds conditions and you can see it’s at about 70%
And here’s another at 100% intensity, with all lines lit up as well as the sun itself:
The goal of the solar here isn’t to fully power the watch, under GPS or otherwise. Instead, it’s to provide incremental battery life. Garmin notes this in their super-detailed battery life chart. Note specifically the assumption of 3 hours per day of solar light at a pretty high intensity (full sun basically). That goes both ways though. If you’re mid-summer and spending the day at the beach (or workout side), then you’ll way overachieve here. Versus if it’s mid-winter and you’re indoors…then not so much.
Here’s the basic main takeaways though:
A) If you’re spending 3+ hours outdoors you might be able to pull off something close to battery neutral in a pared down configuration (not much notifications/etc…).
B) While outdoors on longer hikes, solar will definitely extend your battery life, potentially a lot
In fact, I did a bit of battery comparisons between the Fenix 6X Solar and the Fenix 6 side by side on my longer hikes, plotting the battery life. For the most part these watches were configured equal. However, what’s notable is cases where I’m below the tree-line in the trees, you can see battery burn is about equal, but once I clear the tree-line (around 1hr 30 marker), and am back into the sun, battery life burn on the 6X Solar slows. Pretty cool.
By the way, those battery charts are with the DCR Analyzer. We plot battery life for devices that support writing it to the files, including Garmin, Wahoo, and soon Stages. Also note that in the case of the above, I was shooting photos and using maps extensively (though equally) on both devices. Your actual burn rates will likely be better.
Sure, this is only on the Fenix 6X Solar, but make no mistake – this is Garmin’s testbed. And like previous years, I don’t expect it to take long for the feature (hardware addition) to migrate to other units. After all, Garmin announced today the acquisition of technologies from French company SunPartner Technologies. Garmin actually quietly made that acquisition a long while ago, back when the company filed for insolvency, and you can see hints at this in some French news stories (and even see the judgements within the French Société system). Garmin has said that they expect this technology to expand to other devices where it makes sense (meaning, probably not a $75 Vivofit band).
Ok, let’s shift to the next bit of power and battery features, which is the new power modes. These are similar to what Suunto introduced within the Suunto 9 last year, and have pre-defined battery setups that show you how many hours you’ll get in that given configuration:
These can be changed at the outset of an activity, as well as mid-activity.
What’s really cool though is going into Power Manager and creating your own configurations. This allows you to tweak the battery burn profile based on which features you want enabled or disabled. And it’ll actually tell you exactly how many hours it’ll save (or cost you) to make that setting change:
Next, there’s the new low power battery mode, called Battery Saver. This follows in the footsteps of Casio, whereby they basically shut down almost all watch functions in exchange for the watch face remaining with the time – getting you months of battery life. The same is true here:
Once you enable the low power battery mode virtually everything is disabled: Optical heart rate, Bluetooth phone connectivity, external ANT+ sensors, and even the display itself goes into a low-power mode where it uses a custom watch face that doesn’t show seconds. When you ask yourself whether something is disabled in this mode – the answer is ‘yes’. Though, it only takes a single button press and you’re ready to start a run with GPS as normal (or, with your own custom battery mode):
Finally, while not directly a power management feature, Garmin has ported over the ‘Expedition’ sport mode from the MARQ Expedition series. This functionality allows you to get upwards of 56 days of GPS track points on a single battery charge with the 6X Solar. In this mode it’ll go into a lower power state, but then every hour will wake itself up and take a GPS fix before going back into the low-power state.
It’s an interesting concept, but I do wonder how often (if ever) someone would actually use that in 2019. I’d think most people have access to battery packs and such that it’s unlikely that you’d really need 56 days of GPS tracks without some means to charge the unit. In any case – Garmin is clearly investing in longer life options for users within the Fenix 6 series. It’s not just one feature, but a whole pile of prongs in the fire on ways you can get crazy long battery life if you need it.
GPS Accuracy:
There’s likely no topic that stirs as much discussion and passion as GPS accuracy. A watch could fall apart and give you dire electrical shocks while doing so, but if it shows you on the wrong side of the road? Oh hell no, bring on the fury of the internet!
GPS accuracy can be looked at in a number of different ways, but I prefer to look at it using a number of devices in real-world scenarios across a vast number of activities. I use 2-6 other devices at once, trying to get a clear picture of how a given set of devices handles conditions on a certain day. Conditions include everything from tree/building cover to weather.
Over the years I’ve continued to tweak my GPS testing methodology. For example, I try to not place two units next to each other on my wrists, as that can impact signal. If I do so, I’ll put a thin fabric spacer of about 1”/3cm between them (I didn’t do that on any of my Fenix 6 series workouts). But often I’ll simply carry other units by the straps, or attach them to the shoulder straps of my hydration backpack (which I did do here in the Alps). Plus, wearing multiple watches on the same wrist is well known to impact optical HR accuracy.
Next, as noted, I use just my daily training routes. Using a single route over and over again isn’t really indicative of real-world conditions, it’s just indicative of one trail. The workouts you see here are just my normal daily workouts. I’ve had quite a bit of variety of terrain within the time period of Fenix 6 testing. This has included runs, hikes, swims, and rides in: Amsterdam (Netherlands), New York City (USA), and around Chamonix in the French Alps (France/Switzerland border). I’ve probably forgotten some other trips too, it’s been kinda crazy lately.
First up we’ll start with a run around NYC’s Central Park, this is the full loop, and one I was using PacePro for. It is compared to the Suunto 9 and the Garmin Forerunner 935. Here’s the full data set:
Obviously, at a high level things look clean – no drunk uncle moments. So let’s dig a wee bit deeper, starting at the beginning. I know it’s a bit tougher to see the lines in satellite mode, but it’s worth it.
I’m on the inside edge of the roadway, on the usual Central Park runners lane. In this case, the Fenix 6X nails it. Note that all units had about 5-7 minutes to acquire GPS as I walked from the hotel to the starting line, including the Suunto 9. Though, the Suunto 9 was quickly off over in the woods. All units were configured the same in terms of GPS recording rates.
Now a bit around the next corner the Fenix 6X Pro Solar was feeling slightly left out of the tree adventures, so it too went tree-surfing. Slightly less than the Suunto 9 did, but still off-path. Perhaps 3-4 meters offset.
In fact, it’s a tit for tat pattern we’d see repeat itself throughout the run. The Suunto 9 or Fenix 6X Solar would undercut or overreach around a turn, and then the next turn the other would do it. Neither would do so drastically, but just enough that you’d notice.
And the above back and forth bits prove why I don’t typically use final distances, you can undercut and then overshoot easily – and still end up with similar distances. If we assume the FR935 was the best track (and it was), you can see that it was only .06KM different on 10KM than the Fenix 6X Solar. The Suunto 9 had overshot considerably, at 10.22KM.
In the event you want to dig into another NYC run, I’ve got this one here on the DCR Analyzer. The Fenix 6 did struggle a bit to stay on the path, but did better than the FR935 once I got into the main building portion of the city.
Next, let’s shift gears up to the French Alps for some high altitude GPS tracking. I did three days of these, and by and large the tracks were fantastic across the Fenix 6 devices. On all days I was wearing both a Fenix 6 Pro and a Fenix 6X Pro (one per wrist). First, let’s look at a track up to a glacier, starting with steep switchback in pretty heavy forest/woods. Here’s that data set:
At a high level, things look pretty good. No massive errant issues. But let’s zoom deep into the woods and switchbacks:
At the beginning here, none of the units are exactly perfect. Though interestingly, when I look at the trail map as I’m going up, they’re very very close on the device itself.
Once I get beyond the first few minutes, things settle out a bit and they track fairly close to each other:
This next set of switchbacks is largely pretty good as well. Differences between the devices of course – but nothing outlandish.
And again higher up. Slight differences – but we’re really only talking a couple of meters between the tracks.
This continues like this for the rest of the track.
Seriously, look at how good/close these tracks are – from all the watches for that matter.
I’ll add in within a few minutes a few more tracks from the Alps for you to poke out – though as a spoiler – they’re all the same – astoundingly good (better than NYC).
Next, let’s go to Amsterdam for some cycling. For this ride, I was out on country and farm roads, with some initial city bits, and then mostly farmland. GPS-wise it’s not a hard route per se, but I do see units occasionally screw it up. I’m comparing it against the Edge 530 and Polar Vantage V. Here’s that data set:
As I go through some initial city sections, the tracks are locked on very tight – no issues here:
And again the same as I’m out passing a small village:
Seriously, it’s boringly perfect:
Hopping back over across the pond for another cycling jaunt, this one will be quick and easy. It’s not a ‘real ride’ per se, but rather just a NYC bike share bike. But I wanted to show it because it’s astounding. This was a simple commute across the heart of NYC, and the GPS track is astoundingly good. Things wobbled for the first block or two, but then it’s locked onto the road. There’s no need for comparison shots here, we can just look at the map and see it’s locked perfect on the road I’m on. I’m impressed:
Finally, we’ll round things out on an openwater swim from yesterday. Now mind you, I’ve been hyper-critical of Garmin’s openwater swim functionality in 2019 (and even back to 2018). It’s just sucked. Almost all of the newer devices would fail at some point in the swim, ceasing to track – sometimes even after just a few dozen yards. Garmin started digging into the issue back in June, formed a bunch of special committees on it, and has thrown countless employees into the water over the summer to try and fix it, alongside their GPS chipset providers Sony and MediaTek. Progress has been made though, both in public betas and private ones.
While Garmin isn’t saying it’s perfect, they did note in a call a week or so ago that on the last beta firmware they were testing they’ve successfully completed over 100 openwater swims without a single drop (mind you, I could barely go 1-2 swims without a failure back earlier this summer).
Still, with that in mind and all my travel – I’ve only gotten in a single openwater swim. Statically speaking that’s not as much as I’d like for this feature. So perhaps I just got lucky. In any case, my swim from yesterday:
The reference track is near-identical. In fact, actually two reference tracks just for the eff of it. If this is the quality of GPS tracks going forward with the latest GPS firmware for openwater swim, I’m pretty damn happy. Of course, this was also a relatively straightforward giant box of a route. But still, gotta start somewhere.
In fact, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a GPS openwater swim track as good at this before from *any* watch, ever. It’s seriously impressive.
There’s an itty tiny bit at the first turn where it cuts by perhaps a couple meters – but that’s it. Note that I did not stop at any point during this swim, I kept moving the entire time.
But again, pretty solid stuff here for swimming. Hopefully my future swims continue that way.
So overall in terms of GPS accuracy, it’s mostly good. I found it excellent up in the high alpine and mountains of the French Alps – frankly, doing incredibly well in some really tough conditions, especially up against sharp cliffs or in the denser woods down lower.
On the flip side, I did see some struggles in NYC’s Central Park – where the older Forerunner 935 has no meaningful issues. Certainly Garmin has made great strides with the Sony chipset they’ve used on all new 2019 devices, but it’s not quite perfect yet. But I think for the vast majority of people it’ll be acceptable (or better).
(Note: All of the charts in these accuracy portions were created using the DCR Analyzer tool. It allows you to compare power meters/trainers, heart rate, cadence, speed/pace, GPS tracks and plenty more. You can use it as well for your own gadget comparisons, more details here.)
Heart Rate Accuracy:
Before we move on to the test results, note that optical HR sensor accuracy is rather varied from individual to individual. Aspects such as skin color, hair density, and position can impact accuracy. Position and how the band is worn, are *the most important* pieces. A unit with an optical HR sensor should be snug. It doesn’t need to leave marks, but you shouldn’t be able to slide a finger under the band (at least during workouts). You can wear it a tiny bit looser the rest of the day.
Ok, so in my testing, I simply use the watch throughout my usual workouts. Those workouts include a wide variety of intensities and conditions, making them great for accuracy testing. I’ve got steady runs, interval workouts on both bike and running, as well as tempo runs and rides, and so on.
For each test, I’m wearing additional devices, usually 3-4 in total, which capture data from other sensors. Typically I’d wear a chest strap (usually the Garmin HRM-DUAL or Wahoo TICKR X), as well as another optical HR sensor watch on the other wrist (primarily the Polar OH1+ these days, but also occasionally Wahoo TICKR FIT or Scosche 24 too). Note that the numbers you see in the upper right corner are *not* the averages, but rather just the exact point my mouse is sitting over. Note all this data is analyzed using the DCR Analyzer, details here.
First, let’s start and see how it handles steady-state running. This was a run from two days ago – pretty easy and straightforward around Central Park before rushing to the airport to catch a flight. It’s compared against a Garmin HRM-DUAL and Fitbit Versa 2 optical HR sensor. Here’s that set.
Well, that was boring. Everyone basically agreed. A few minor bobbles at what point around the 32-minute marker for a second here or there with the Fenix 6X Solar being a couple beats higher, but it was pretty transient. Again, kinda a boring set. But hey, sometimes boring is good!
Next, we’ve got a much more intense run, albeit also around Central Park. This was using PacePro as my base, so it was more or less full throttle the entire time. Here’s that set.
You can see right out of the gate the Fenix 6X Solar is having a couple of issues with locking onto the HR. It’s plausible that me taking some early photos didn’t help, though I think that might be generous at best.
However, by the 3-minute marker the units are mostly aligned – and stay that way for the remainder of the run. That said, things are a bit wobbly on this run from all units – perhaps due to the intensity, or perhaps because post-flight I felt like I was dying trying to hit the PacePro targets. Either way, even the OH1 Plus seems a bit more wobbly than I’m used to (though, it’s clearly the best of the bunch):
The above is one of those graphs that looks bad from afar, but we’re only talking about a 1-3bpm difference between the different units. It’s just the zoomed in factor that doesn’t help much.
Next, let’s shift to some cycling and heading outside for a ride, this one on mostly good pavement on a fairly warm night. In general the warmer the weather the better optical HR sensors will do. Here’s that set:
Now I’ve crossed out two chunks in yellow. Those are bits where I was stopped on the side of the road not riding, filming something – thus, who knows what funk I was doing then (setting up tripods and such).
However, the rest of the ride is actually surprisingly good by all players. Honestly, one of the better HR performances I’ve seen recently. For example, this first section:
I see a little bit of lag difference between the Garmin sensors and the Polar sensors here. But it’s not possible to know whether that’s real lag or just bad timing on one GPS time clock or the other. However if you look closely you can see that there are cases where the Garmin Fenix 6X Solar and the HRM-DUAL track very closely during some momentary recovery bits, whereas the Polar sensors somewhat unexpectedly miss them.
Again, outdoor cycling continues to be one of the hardest things for wrist-based optical HR sensors to get right. And in this case, things aren’t horrific. Yet, there are still some bobbles, like later towards the end of the ride when the Fenix 6X Solar does some odd spikes:
Finally, what about swimming HR with the optical HR sensor? Well, I took out the unit yesterday for an openwater swim and a Polar OH-1 sensor. Here’s that overlay:
OK then. So…
Yeah, I’m not really sure who’s correct there. But I can say that they don’t match. Historically speaking I’ve had pretty good luck with the Polar OH1/OH1Plus, so if I had to take a stab here, my guess would be it was correct. Or, it could be wrong.
However, they do roughly trend higher, so there’s that. Ultimately, I’ve never found heart rate while swimming super helpful, in part because of how much it lags compared to running or cycling. Still, at least it’s an option I guess.
For swimming, I’d agree with Garmin/Suunto/Polar that when it comes to optical HR sensor, that it’s going to be a ‘YMMV’ (Your Mileage May Vary) type of situation. All three companies have said as such in my discussions with them, and it can depend on numerous factors from positioning to the exact swim stroke you’re using. So definitely do a bit of your own testing to see how well things hold up in the water over multiple sessions (both pool and openwater) before you decide if it works for you.
Ultimately, the performance I see on both the Fenix 6X Solar and 6 is pretty much the same as what I saw on the MARQ series before it – mostly OK in many scenarios, but still some gaps in certain scenarios. It’s not usually as easy as saying that it’ll fail in intervals or high intensity, as I’ve had plenty of cases where it works just fine there. Sometimes it’s just a case of some unknown quirk that gets things distracted.
Product Comparison Tool:
I’ve added the Garmin Fenix 6 Series into the product comparison tool. While I could have added separate line items for each individual SKU/model, that’d get messy pretty quick. So I just noted where certain specs were different on a given metric. For the below chart I’ve compared it against the Fenix 5 Plus series, as well as the Polar Vantage V, and the Suunto 9. I could have tossed in the Forerunner 945, though frankly the only differences you’ll see between the Fenix 6 and the Forerunner 945 once all the firmware updates are done should be mainly materials (though, exact nuances may differ in some software features – that’s a bit TBD). Of course, you can make your own charts here in the product comparison calculator.
And again, don’t forget you can make your own product comparison charts here with all the products in the database.
Summary:
The Fenix 6 is more or less the next Fenix version we expected was coming. No, not because of all the leaks – but simply because Garmin declined to add in the new Forerunner 945 features into the Fenix 5 Plus back this past spring. On one hand, none of these features are earth shattering – yet almost all of them gel together really well. Like the Forerunner 945 before it, we’re starting to see Garmin really differentiate itself from the pack in terms of physio focused features, but also even just more practical things like battery life and ease of use (understanding the impacts of battery choices).
The other thing that this release does is close the gap between the release cycles of the high-end Garmin Forerunner series (FR945) and the high-end Fenix series. Previously that timeframe was upwards of a year or more. Now we’re down to about 4-5 months. It behooves Garmin to get these as close as possible so that people are making decisions not so much on features (which would mostly be the same), but on material and styling choices. Rather than have someone buy a FR945 and then realized they could have gotten a swankier Fenix 6 just a few months later.
In any event, the Fenix 6 production units I’ve been testing have been largely good, but not perfect. There are still occasional quirks that either are transient (such as slow syncing on one unit, but not the other), and of course some GPS oddities in New York City specifically. Plus of course the Garmin Connect driven map creations issues I saw that flowed downhill into my PacePro experience. But on the whole, things are pretty good for a product that starts shipping globally today. Undoubtedly, as more people get on it and find more edge cases – there will be bugs. And realistically it’ll probably take a few months for those bugs to sort themselves out. But I’ve been using it as my primary watch the last little while without issue. Almost all of the uploads you see on my Strava are from it.
Finally – I’m super interested to see where Garmin takes their acquired solar technology. Not just in terms of to other devices, but on how to expand the amount of solar energy it can return to the watch. Undoubtedly with the Fenix 6X Solar they started off pretty cautiously on numerous fronts, so I expect as they gain the experiences of thousands of real-life people, they’ll have learnings and tweaks they can apply going forward to newer devices.
With that – thanks for reading!
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Hopefully you found this review/post useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – 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’s 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 – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.
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And finally, here’s a handy list of accessories that work well with this unit (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit pairs with ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors, you can use just about anything though.
This is a dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart cycling cadence sensor that you strap to your crank arm, but also does dual Bluetooth Smart, so you can pair it both to Zwift and another Bluetooth Smart app at once if you want.
This is one of the top straps I use daily for accuracy comparisons (the others being the Polar H9/H10). It's dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, and in fact dual-Bluetooth Smart too, in case you need multiple connectons.
Seriously, this will change your life. $9 for a two-pack of these puck Garmin chargers that stay put and stay connected. One for the office, one for your bedside, another for your bag, and one for your dog's house. Just in case.
This speed sensor is unique in that it can record offline (sans-watch), making it perfect for a commuter bike quietly recording your rides. But it's also a standard ANT+/BLE sensor that pairs to your device. It's become my go-to speed sensor.
This wifi-connected scale will track your weight and related metrics both on the scale display and in Garmin Connect (plus 3rd party apps like TrainingPeaks). It'll also then sync your weight to your watch/bike computer, to ensure accurate calorie data.
The HRM-PRO Plus is Garmin's top-end chest strap. It transmits dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, but also transmits Running Dynamics & Running Pace/Distance metrics, stores HR data during a swim, and can be used without a watch for other sports. Also, it can transmit XC Skiing Dynamics as well.
And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it’s all about!
Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!
I’m torn between the 6 Pro and 6X Solar.
What would help is in the photos you could caption which watch it is we are looking at, I know some of the photos is the Solar due to the watch face, but others I’m not sure on.
Is it possible to Show the a comparison of how all the watches including the Forerunner 945 look on your wrist to get an idea on the size of these…
Cheers
S
Great review as always. I purchased a fenix 5 plus at the start of the year. Do Garmin tend to provide some updates to legacy models ie could we see the new firstbeat metrics on the 5 series or do they tend to remain static please?
Can anybody tell me if Fenix 6 (or 5) overlooks steps when it’s not on the wrist but there is an external cadence sensor connected which it hasn’t switched to? I just discovered my F3 HR has this shortcoming.
This is all the website shows.
I happen to have nbr 5.40.
They’re keeping the watch updated longer than they do the site. Which, I have to admit, is better than the opposite…
But still a bit weird.
How is the bluetooth headphone reception on it? I’ve got a 5 plus that I’ve loved – music without a phone on a jog is fantastic – however when using my Jabra Elite 65t’s with it I find I need to wear it on my right arm otherwise audio keeps cutting out.
Any idea if this is improved with the 6? How is Bluetooth audio on it?
I use the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless- wore my Fenix 6X Pro on my left wrist. Paired successfully without me having to redo the process 15 times like before.
No dropouts during my 30 minute run either- really happy with this.
6x Pro Solar (also have a MARQ) the Jabra buds do a weird thing where they are looking for a propitiatory connection in the first 10 seconds or so to set the “moment” via the Jabra app. So your best bet is to always have the phone as the 1st device and the watch as the 2nd (my experience). I pull the headphones out of the case, let them connect to the phone, and then start music on the watch. Works great. You get some connection oddities (skips and such) as the phone is disconnecting when you run away from your house, but otherwise performance is brilliant.
I’m wonder if OHR works during swim, does training load counts this activity? Or do I need to use HRM belt as I do now?
@Garmin: any plans to add wrist based swimming HR to older units (F5, FR 935, F5+)?
Can you load audiobooks onto the 6? Audio books on wearables is a big topic of discussion among my running mates, but we can’t find much about it anywhere.
So from my understanding all the models are available for purchase right now except for the solar ones which will be available towards October, correct?
My question is about the glass, Gorilla vs Sapphire. I’m clumsy, and watch faces don’t survive with me… until Sapphire came along. Nearly 2 years later and my Fenix 5 still has no scratches. So how strong is the 6x Solars glass compared to the sapphire models?
I am in the same boat! DC says it is Gorilla Glass v3 (with DX coating) which is a pretty old recipe. I owned a Fenix 3HR and currently a 5X. Both had suffered zero scratches or breaks in the sapphire glass. I really need to know how close Gorilla Glass v3 & sapphire are together in regards to durability!
It will scratch easier than sapphire. I’m a bit worried about it myself, but willing to see how it holds up due to the additional clarity and the solar feature is pretty cool
Well, yes. But how much is what I am wondering. Also, the impact resistants is an issue! I love the idea, but it just will not be practical if the glass is super fragile. I think i will wait it out and see what people say.
Gorilla glass is level 6 hardness whole saphire is level 9, might not sound as much but it’s a huge difference. You will scratch gorilla glass at some point 100%
I put a grinder with a flap disc to the saphire glass to see and had it on there 5 seconds…it ground down bezel glass was dang near flawless…I held it there till it finally scuff burnt it and it took alot of pressure and time on it….i do fabrication and build buggys cant tell you how many times I’ve swung an arm to metal with the face of mine….
Point is I’ll SKIP the solar one with gorilla glass for the saphire one that i know personally is tried and true…headed to get my 6 pro saphire tomorrow
I am also extremely pleased that my Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless are fantastic with this watch!!
(My former watch, the MARQ Expedition, did a poor job playing music so it had to go back)
Do you know why Garmin isn’t using bluetooth version 5? I can’t find any info online but it seems odd that they are still only on 4.0 when most new devices are on version 5. Unless I misunderstand what 4.0+ means..
Pretty disappointed there wasn’t a Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 6 section. You know that’s a hugely popular question you’re going to be asked continuously for the next year.
Yes, but he even in his comments said garmin has committed to some features but not others (bringing them to the 945).
ie if a triathlete needs a watch, would he recommend a fenix 6 or a 945? feature-wise, they’re almost identical. Given that, his opinion would be super interesting.
I can’t remember Ray ever did an entire comparison section in one of his reviews. I guess because in the end it comes down to every individual preferences and needs.
And even assume he would do a section where he compares the 945 with the fenix 6, people will start asking for numerous such comparison sections. So where to draw the line? Which devices deserve a comparison section and which do not?
I will “pull together a more specific chart for those two. It’s tricky with the larger comparison charts from a database perspective, else the entire chart basically just becomes a ‘Garmin product comparison database’, since it’s frankly rare that we see new feature innovation that’s easliy listable from the primary competitors in this space. ?
The main differences once the firmware updates are done though is primarily physical in nature (look/materials), but also it’ll be the Fenix 6 will have stronger golf support, better ski resort support, and up to 8 data fields for the 6X (the FR945 will get 6 data fields). Additionally, the battery aspects are still TBD if Garmin will adopt them. That’s it.”
First of all thank you for [one more] great review!
Am I right that ClimbPro also exists on 5X/S and I need just to load a track to see details?
But what is really interesting is how much “power” they add to 6 against 5? Sometimes I try to load navigation data from Strava/Wikiloc and if I use “low detailed” track (about 500-600 points on 20-30 km) all works well. But if I use detailed track (10k points on 20-30 km which may be useful on hilly forest) watches just hangs, reboot sometimes and even lost trainings data.
This looks like “not enough memory/CPU for this”.
Is this kinda improved in 6 or 1030 unit still the best solution?
Climbpro was first added on the 5 plus line. It only works with a course. Hopefully Garmin will implement it to work more like “segments” so that it can be used on the fly.
Awesome write up! I just got the 6X solar and at first the solar intensity widget showed a numerical % which was really cool, but now after the 3.00 update, there is no % anymore. Any thoughts on this coming back? I really wish it would. Thanks!
Like usual, excellent review. Exquisite, bellisimo! :)
“Like past Garmin watches, you still (for now) have to configure these on the watch itself and not via a smartphone app. I think Garmin gets the desire for folks to configure them on a phone or web app, but they aren’t there yet.”
Yeah, that’s Pain in the Ass.
For me personally, it’s one of Garmin’s biggest shortcomings after switching from previous Suunto and Polar. Inability to edit sport modes from a mobile application or from a computer. As you stated, Garmin is so much bigger than these 2. Yet, they struggle for… how many years now? 3? 4? 5? To implement sport editing mode via mobile/desktop app… C’mon.
Also, adding a single POI (when I’m not physically in this particular place) also requires a lot of gymnastics or the use of awkward third-party applications.
Does anyone know or can someone tell us what’s the lug to lug distance for the 6s, 6 and 6x models? The diameter is important, but the lug to lug distance too (for anyone with a small wrist to decide which model is the best for him/her). Thank you!
Can someone clarify, please? Is the 10% solar panel right under the glass? And thus blocking the display a bit? Is it reducing contrast or brightness of the display, or do you get more reflections? How does it compare to sapphire glass?
One more question? Why is the 100% solar strip only one millimeter, there is a space for maybe 3-4mm strip (between the screen and the actual edge)! Could have been taking 4x more energy from that part!
You wouldn’t know it was there if Ray didn’t tell you. The ring around the display is interesting, because as the angle of the sun changes you can see it a bit more/less around the display, but under the display you wouldn’t know anything was there. The glass over the display is more clear than my MARQ or 5x Plus.
I received my fenix 6x Pro Solar Titanium Carbon Gray DLC today. I’ve always installed Skinomi TechSkin screen protectors on my previous Garmin watches. However, Skinomi has yet to have the 6x protectors in stock. Therefore, I installed a fenix 5x protector onto my 6x, which covers all but the outer 1mm of the display including the solar absorbing ring. I can confirm that the screen protector does not interfere with the solar functions of the 6x!
Thanks for this great review and the discount code. Will upgrade my 5s to 6x pro now. Really looking forward to use the music, payment and training recovery and training advice functions.
Unfortunately Garmin is usually excluded from the 10% discount in the US. If you join the VIP program then for items where they are excluded from the discount you get 10% in VIP points instead which are good for a dollar each off a future purchase. It’s not as convenient as a straight discount but it’s still better than paying full price. I look at as it just means I have a little extra money to spend come the black Friday sales.
I assume, the lack of roadmap of most 6 features to fenix 5/+, is a foggy “don’t buy fenix” message to non hardcore sports enthusiasts. That is however, clear and early “don’t buy fenix 6+” message when it comes out. You know what will happen to it when 7 comes out a year after. Also garmin, for the love of sake, change the looks of fenix watches a bit. Physically solid watches don’t have to have ugly faces and screws exposed on it (i.e. polar and suunto).
Appeal of the Fenix’s aesthetics is a matter of personal preference. I personally think these look good and the rugged style matches their purpose. Garmin also offers the simpler looking Forerunners, or the more upscale Marq series if you’re looking for something different.
Just upgraded from Fenix 5 to Fenix 6. So far really pleased. One thing that is puzzling me (and may not be that important but I really like the data). In the screenshots above it shows respiration on the sleep tracking screen (there are 3 tabs including pulse ox). I can’t se this on mine, not can I find anything about this functionality online. Anyone know how this works?
Cheers, N.
It’s probably because Ray has test every Garmin :) The respiration rate is available on the Forerunner 945, which is probably why he has it on the Connect app.
On the Fenix it’s only available when using the chest strap.
Genuine question; can the Apple Watch replicate any of this advanced functionality? I am thinking about pacepro, maps navigation, climbpro etc.? I wonder if this functionality can be replicated through either native AW apps or 3rd party apps.
I must admit I have fallen somewhat behind in terms of connected watches, and I have been blown away by all the things the Fenix 6 series can do. So much that money I have earmarked for a new Apple Watch is now being likely re-assigned to the Garmin. I would happily pay Garmin $100 or so for an AW app to replicate this functionality
I doubt there’s anything any of the Fenix models do (software-wise) that can’t be done on Apple Watch, if the developer interest is there. I’m very much intending on going Apple Watch 5 and relegating my enormous Spartan Ultra to very long training or event use only.
The big thing is it can’t pair with ANT+ sensors. That right there is a show stopper and Apple will never fix it. (And while, of course, there are apps with maps including trails, they’re separate apps which don’t include fitness recording.)
And no always on screen, poor battery life compared to a Fenix, can’t operate off the wrist (outside of clothing in the winter). There are lots and lots of reasons not to use an Apple Watch in place of a Fenix, and I speak as a person who owns one of each (always wear the AW during the day, wear the Fenix only when I’m recording activities on it.)
I tried an apple watch for a few months and went back to Garmin. The issues for me with an Apple Watch were –
1) Closed ecosystem, my activities on my 935 hit Garmin connect and then land in Strava and Training Peaks automatically.
2) Battery life, 935 gets used for cycling, skiing and hiking. It’s quite often recording a consistent GPS feed for 8-9 hours, an apple watch would struggle to do that
3) Ant+ sensors, I still have PM’s, HRM that are using Ant+, it’s very handy having a device that can pick up both BT and Ant+
4) Functionality, the buttons on a Garmin device and the pre-configured fields, layouts, etc are just more useful and usable straight out the box. The apple touch screen is almost unusable if you’re sweating and it just doesn’t have the sports functionality that the Garmin does
My summary would be that the Apple watch is the best smart watch and is fine for someone who wants to occasionally run around the block, you need something like a Garmin if you’re an athlete and want something to help you train/perform. That gap will probably close over time and the cellular feature of the apple watch means you can leave a phone at home which is very, very compelling.
Work outdoors app has good vector mapping, you can upload routes to track & it records health data and other stats … possibly Just as much as the Fenix. I use a Fenix 5& have an Apple watch Series 4. I tend to use the apple watch more as it’s a better Smart Watch & I prefer the Stryd app on Aw. The only time I use my fenix is on the bike. Walking, running & mountaineering are all on my AW now.
I can’t understand how at the end of 2019 a smartwach that costs so much is without cellular conectivity. I can not think nowadays running with a phone straped to me or running without cellular conectivity. Although Garmin is more functionable I still prefer the Apple watch due to its cellular capabilities.
I am using Garmin watches for 15 years – and of course I had ideas what could have been done better here and there for each single model (101,201,301,305,….935) – mostly on the software side, but also better screen quality (higher contrast) and size and longer battery life – at no moment I wanted cellular connectivity.
Personally I would be very happy to be able to run without my phone yet still be contactable if someone needed me in an emergency or I needed assistance, etc. Seems a very obvious use case.
Likewise quite often I run when I travel, the ability to look at a map as I’m lost is quite handy.
There are plenty of non-cellular enabled watches so there will be plenty of options for you to stay off the grid. Even if they all adopt a chip, none of them will make you activate it.
The advantage of it is mostly safety – getting lost, getting hurt, family emergency. I use to run without any device (and enjoyed being off the grid), but after a family emergency I now run with my cell phone tethered to me which I hate. Putting a chip in the watch lets me leave the phone behind but know I can communicate if necessary.
Hmm, I think the reason why I didn’t see this as very important was that I mostly bike, and having phone is usually a given. For mostly running, yes, I can imagine the advantage.
agreed on cost. I felt like paying $700 or so when the 5x came out was insane, but i wanted the maps. Now it is over $1000 to get the top end model. That is a lot of money for something that will be out of date in a few years. I know laptops and other tech get “old” but I am having a hard time at the $1k point. I still like my 5x though a bigger screen for my old eyes and solar battery extension are starting to add features I want-music: no, payment: no. Skiing-would be nice, but not vital
Great in depth review as usual. One thing I’d like to add is the temporary loss of all 3rd party software with the new Fenix 6 models. This completely threw me for a loop because I didn’t face that when purchasing the previous Fenix. It is also would have influenced my purchasing decision. I would have waited because there is 3rd party software I count on, like ErgIQ.
Thanks Ray for this detailed and useful review as always !
One quick question on a smaller detail
I was looking at the Nylon band model
Ever tried this one ? Any comment or added value on confort, sweat absorption… ?
Also looking in the Nylon bands options, it seems that there is 2 kind of Nylon band finish :
– Heathered Black Nylon
– Jacquard-weave Nylon Strap – Heathered
Not very clear about the differences and which one is included in the corresponding model ?
And one last clarification about the Sapphire – Black DLC with Heathered Nylon Band model, not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
Thanks
En
Just got the 6x Saphire and while device is impressive – I am learning that there is practically NO apps nor watchfaces for it in the CIQ store.
The ones I really rely on like monthly calendar widget and authenticator are missing and I cannot simply ditch my 935 yet.
GPS time function is also not working, and maps take 20-30 seconds to load…
Please help me.
I have fenix6
I have a problem with Sleep Statistics. In the morning when i uplode Sleep Statistics to garmin connect show some data, Than have I trening- cycling ride (about 5h ) or sterntgth trening and after ride I transfere my data to garmin connect. Than I notic that my Sleep Statistics change after I uplode trening data: different REM, deep sleep and light sleep than in the morning. I have take ascreen shot of this if you are intersting.
Great review! Makes me want to upgrade from my 5 Plus after reading about the improved GPS results on the Sony chipset.
One correction I see, the display size of the 6 has not increased by 17%. The 5 Plus has a 1.2″ circumference so the bump to 1.3″ would mean an 8% increase.
Thanks for one great review.
I have a question that you may be able to answer: if you use more than one garmin unit (in my case an etrex 30x), will the training load be updated, or it is just based on activities that are in the watch (fenix 6 or 945)?
Probably not with an etrex. Recent Garmin fitness devices do via Connect; training load is shared between my Edge 830 and Fenix 5+, and each one knows a summary of the other’s activities.
Just wondering on GPS accuracy between the Fenix 6X and the MARQ Athlete. Different case materials make a difference I read recently, so is the ceramic and metal case on the MARQ an issue for the GPS when compared to the same chipset in the plastic case of the 6X?
anyone has seen Fenix 6 with Sapphire and Gorilla Glass next to each other? It is clear that sapphire is more scratch resistant but some people claim that sapphire is darker. I compared my old Fenix 3 sapphire with FR 645 and Fenix 5 with normal glass and I have to say that while there is slight difference under certain angles and lower light … I would not call this significant at all. Most angles the two screens are near identical. Reflections seems kind of same as well. Anyone has pictures? Is Gorilla glass better from this point of view than the normal mineral glass on previous Garmin watches?
Curious about the F6x’s ability to create routes that follow hiking tracks or cycling paths or roads. My F5x will do that, though currently it suffers from a number of bugs like getting the elevation profile wrong a lot of the time, and showing ‘0 m to to next turn’ when following the route. Have those bugs been fixed in the F6, I wonder?
Also very interested in the ultra-long GPS mode which is something I’ve been fervently praying for. The use-case is obvious. Through hiking, where weeks without re-supply is a fact of life and you don’t need detailed accuracy, just the confidence that you haven’t walked off the route.
The limited zoom on the maps you mentioned bothers me. One needs that navigational context sometimes. The 5x will zoom right out, albeit not fast. It’s not hugely readable sometimes but still essential.
Does anyone knows about the availability of the titanium editions with the titanium bracelet?
It seems that they are either unavailable in Europe at the sports stores or Garmin will offer them exclusively via generic watch stores.
The titanium edition with the orange bracelet is available though.
Is the existing sensors and features improved compared to the Fenix5? Would you say its a noticeable improvement a) the optical Heart-rate and b) first-beat features such as recovery estimate?
Ray, do you know if Garmin plans on using the solar cells of the 6X Solar line for anything else besides charging? For example, since it can measure solar intensity could in theory be used as a light sensor for automatic theme/watchface switching?
Not sure on any other purposes. I know there’s a lot they want to do with things like charge stats and stuff though that didn’t make the first software release. So expect that to mature.
Insofar as watchface theme/switching, etc, or doing ‘creative’ things. One of the things I’ve learned over the years from talking to Garmin is they they tend to be somewhat conservative on things like that. Meaning, they’ll usually be able to give you a pretty detailed engineering reason on why that works 95% of the time, but then the 5% it doesn’t work causes a balloon in support calls.
Obviously, as I’ve pointed out – doesn’t mean they always get it right. But just my hunch.
Cheers Ray! I was debating whether to go for the 6X Sapphire or the Pro Solar and besides the glass difference I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t miss on potential cool uses for the panels.
Thany you for your comprehensive review, Ray!
I already have my Fenix 6x and I think it is awesome! However I still have a huge complaint:
Why does garmin not use the bigger resolution of the 1,4”-screen to display more than two datafields on the map-page? Could you try to find out why the refuse to give the user the option of having 4 datafields on the map-page? I want that option badly!
And I have an other question:
Did you test the influence of the feature ‘continuous elevation correctio during activity’ when you were hiking in the alps? I don’t think that feature is doing anything.. I do have EU-maps and the DEM-map on my garmin watch, but after ‘correcting’ the elevation-data of an activity within garmin connect, there is always a HUGE discrepancy between the watch measurement and the ‘corrected’ data. The Corrected is always much, much higher.
So, why is there a discrepancy, if the measured elevation is continuously corrected on the device? Could you ask garmin?
I’ve got one question though – would you know if there is any list of SKU numbers available?
I’ve found out that e.g. Fenix 6 Sapphire Carbon Gray DLC with Black Band is available in US as 010-02158-10, while in Germany it is 010-02158-11, the same applies to Black DLC with Heathered Red Nylon Band/010-02158-16 vs. Schwarzes DLC mit rotmeliertem Nylon-Armband/010-02158-17 (for which the band pictured is anything but red). It is similar to the rest of the models as far as I can tell.
Are those differences to SKU numbers caused by, I don’t know, different maps that are preloaded?
Ray, when you get a chance could you add a the weights section into the review? Especially compared to a 945. I’m using the Garmin weights at the moment but would prefer to go on your independent view. Thx
No manual lap in triathlon mode, though automatic lap is still possible.
I haven’t tried doing PacePro in multisport mode, you might be able to engage it after the run has started. I’ll give it a whirl later and report back.
Ok, I just tried. Best I can tell, there’s no way of doing it. You can’t get to the PacePro menu from inside the run (pre or during) of a multisport activity.
I’ll ask Garmin tomorrow (today is a holiday in the US and I think I’ve lit enough unrelated fires over the weekend already in that camp). I suspect this probably falls into the realm of the various things they want to tackle via updates.
Hi
Thanks for the review
I had a Garmin Fénix 5 and then I get back to my old 735. This was because in two marathons the fenix gave me 2 more kms and the 735 worked perfectly.
And in another race inside a park the fenix 5 struglled and the 735 worked againd perfectly.
Now I will need to change and I don’t know if i will choose the 945 or fenix 6 pro
What do you think abou GPS accuracy? Because 2kms in a marathon seems a lot to fail
I’ve got a whole section on GPS accuracy above – where it does well, and where it doesn’t.
In general, with GPS accuracy you have to really look at the tracks. Take the marathon for example – I’d agree 2KM over is a fair bit. At the same time, if you’re 735 told you the exact same distance as the marathon, then I’d easily be able to tell you that’s wrong. Nobody except the race leaders following a painted line can run a perfect marathon* route/track. Some more details on that: link to dcrainmaker.com
Usually the actual track you ran lies somewhere in the middle.
*Fun titdibt: The Paris marathon actually paints the exact measured race line on the ground, across the entire city. It’s kinda neat.
Probably I explained me bad. The 735 marked 42,66Km while the fenix marked 44,72.
And in a garden the whole track of fenix was outside the park.
So between the 945 and the fenix 6 what would you choose for GPS accuracy?
Thanks for your help
Why not use a footpod? They’re much more accurate for pace (which I believe is very important for long efforts) and should also be more precise for distance. See link to fellrnr.com.
So here’s a screen grab from Garmin’s website. I saw something the same gauge the picture of the F6 on Wiggle. The gauge at the bottom looks very much like a native running power function given the zone and trainers. Are they close to a release?
No, that’s part of a handful of new graphical data fields. That specific bottom data field is cadence. There’s also ones for running dynamics, training effect, a few others, and you can also stash a reduced version of PacePro down there too.
you mentioned that with iOS you can’t respond to notifications. Is this the case with Android as well? I would like to know if you can respond to whatsapp and skype chats for example. Great review!!!
Just ordered a Fenix 6 Pro but have one question…if we put a Garmin Cadence Sensor 2 on our recumbent exercise bike, will that send data to the Fenix 6 Pro and chart heart rate plus cadence over time? That way we can log indoor “rides” on nasty weather days.
If on an Android phone you can respond to text messages. Here’s how to do it on the Fenix 5 series, I haven’t tried it on the Fenix 6, since I’m largely an iOS person:
I am a Fenix 6 pro owner (had a fenix 5 before), and I miss some things:
1- Wikiloc app (I thought apps were compatible with all garmeni fenix devices, but it is not in the connect iq store)
2- stryd power measuring. Since stryd power is not in the connect iq store and the fenix 6 does not let me add a custom iq data field, I can only use stryd as a normal pootpod, but not as a power meter.
Do you know if they are planning to solve this soon?
Both need to be listed by the app owners as compatible (meaning, it’s not a Garmin thing).
That said, I honestly think it’s pretty silly Garmin just doesn’t mark everything as compatible and an app owner can ‘undo it’ if required. This is a really good example of: ‘If it works for Apple, it’ll work here’.
(Note: There are countless examples where that’s not true, but this isn’t one of them).
Going by this post in the Garmin forums it is probably not as simple as that in this case – jim is a seriously expert Connect IQ guru & points out that where possible that kind of auto migration has been done in the past. And the devs don’t have access yet to the SDK to release for the 6 series – they’re waiting for Garmin here.
Thanks. I would not want to be without my Stryd at the moment, doing some power focused training/racing to see what it does for me, and gaps in the record are bad for the trend tracking.
So it appears that there is native support for SMO2? Does that mean Moxy/Humon? Seems surprising that they’d go that direction before including power natively.
They’ve actually had it for a few years. Either 2 or 3 years, I can’t remember off-hand. Was trying to find my old post on it, but Google has failed me.
Humon say NOT to pair their sensor to your Garmin device and use their CIQ data fields instead of the native metrics. The CIQ fields silently pair by themselves (like STRYD) and an ANT+ ID can be forced in Garmin Express.
Humon data shows fine on Wahoo’s native SmO2 so it should also work on the native fields in Garmin.
I had a moment of madness and tried the Humon Hex with MOXY’s CIQ fields and, IIRC, it worked. The reason to use MOXY’s apps would be as they have pre-canned tests that you can follow.
Funnily enough, Humon didn’t recommend using MOXY’s data fields/apps.
my thinking: let’s take the version that makes most sense, prob with solar. Scroll through review, go through comments sections with bit more detail hit order.. Done.
Wait.. what? a proprietary charge cable?? I a travel a LOT and charge cables are like socks..
But no worries the i’ll just charge wireless… Go through table to find wireless charging options.
None? wtf…
I don’t mind the price, I do mind the 3 USD cable that will be impossible to get on any airport..
This makes a great watch useless (or i could learn to never forget and loose charge cables..)
Ahh, c’mon youpmelone, you’ve been around this block long enough to know the Garmin charging cables. There’s no surprise there for you.
But, for anyone else – here’s why these companies use proprietary charging cable: They don’t kill your watch.
Seriously, that’s it. Using a standard like micro-USB, mini-USB, or USB-C on a wearable down to 100m is a non-starter. Polar tried on the M400 (a watch with a much lower waterproofing standard), it went horrifically. They’ve never made that mistake again. There just aren’t good options for both waterproof and sweatproof USB-standard ports on the market.
As for wireless charging – that could be a legit request. If only there was a standard for coil size. For example, you can’t charge my Apple Watch on Samsung’s wireless charging USB battery pack (I can charge the Samsung watch on it though). And take my Stryd pod and try and charge it on an generic wireless charging pad? Nope, won’t work either. Though oddly, if you position it just perfectly it will charge on an Ikea one. But again, not an Apple Watch charging dock.
The challenge with wireless charging and wearables is the coin alignment and size is so perfect/small that more or less you have to have custom pads for them. Or, you have to have a pad with so many coils that it just works – sorta what AirPower was supposed to be. I suspect there will be a day that Garmin gets there, but it’s not that day today – and I don’t think it really is for any other wearable either. Even finding an Apple Watch charger in an airport is near impossible (finding a person though wearing an Apple Watch to borrow their charger is easy though).
Do you have any information on the durability of the solar screen vs the sapphire? Also, if UK clever will get the titanium version with titanium band?
Great Review. I used your link to purchase a Fenix 6S through Clever Training. Quick question. I’m doing a non-standard triathlon that is a bike-swim-run-swim-run-swim and Garmin only allows 5 activities in creating a custom multi-sport profile. It does allow repeats, but the bike segment of my race doesn’t repeat, only the swim-run repeats. Do you have any suggestions as to how to record the race together? Is it easy for Garmin to make an update to allow more than 5 activities? The best option I could come up with to keep a total running time for the whole event is to select Triathlon, change the activities to Bike-swim-run, turn “repeat” on, then just skip over the bike repeats with the lap button? Any thoughts?
You could also use the Change Sport feature. You can assign it to a hot key and change sports on the fly and as far as I know there is no limit. When you do this there will be an additional data page added that will show total time so you can keep track of that.
A couple of caveats though: as far as I know there is no way to include transitions when doing this, it just goes from one sport to the next so you’d have to include your transition time as part of one of the legs; it takes a little bit longer to switch since instead of just hitting lap you have to hold the hot key and then select the next sport from the menu; the last time I used the change sport feature when I uploaded to Connect each leg showed up as a separate activity instead of combined into a multisport activity, this may have changed since then but just something to keep in mind if that’s important to you.
HRV — how does the quality of the HRV from the optical sensor compare to the that collected from the strap? Is there any way to quantify? Are certain metrics based on HRV affected more than others? I’m ready to stop using a strap, but worried about “garbage in/garbage out”. Thx
Why do you think they left LTE out of this series? Are they giving up on that or is it something they are still working out? I love my Garmin, but hate having to lug around my phone for emergencies. Would be great if they’d finally bake this in to the Fenix line.
I can’t understand the crying for LTE! For emergency cases I got myself a mini cellphone that has the size of my thumb. It fits in every pocket of my running shorts and cost 15 Euro. This one works in every country in the world while LTE with the Apple Watch f.e. could only be used at home (no roaming possible). And for other reasons my understanding is even less: Streaming music, reading messages while running? Sorry, I’m happy to have one hour per day being offline. So why putting another power-soaker inside the watch?
I go out running, cycling and sea swimming twice in the middle of the week for about 1-2 hours and in the weekend for about 3 hours. sometimes i ho trail running in the woods alone.. being connected is a huge benefit that I can not do without no more. taking a phone for these activities is impossible so the connected watch is a must for me.. Furthermore I thing that in 2020 a connectedless watch is obsolete ;)
Quick question about bezels color:
In the last picture (DSC_5911), solar model (carbon grey bezel) appears on the left and another model with the black bezel on the right. Correct?
They practically look the same color…
I love this – am hugely tempted to get the 6s now that it’s less bulky.
Is there any chance you could add comparison photos of the 6s and the 645 (or any other relevant models, but 645 is what I have and what, for my taste, is clearly the best Garmin for style … until this new 6s and probably the vivoactive bunch that’s about to come out).
Hello everyone,
Just a quick confirmation as the materials finish are not always clear on Garmin site
For the Sapphire – Black DLC model (Ref 010-02158-17) not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
Hello,
Anyone got this information?
I reached Garmin support and even them cannot answer…
Even so as I understood, the bezel material remain in Titanium (therefore keeping a little lighter model) and the DLC (DLC stands for “Diamond Like Carbon”) is like a coating finish to make it look black and even more scratch resistance
DLC being pretty much the sapphire crystal of watch coatings as far as scratch resistance is concerned.
Not sure if this is the right explanation?
Hello,
One thing I have been missing on my Garmin watches is the ability to charge the watch during an activity. For instance Suunto is supporting this. If you plug in yuor Suunto to a batterypack during an activity it will continue to record the activity and charge at the same time. None of my Garmin watches have ever been possible to charge this way, they always go into charging mode and recording activity stops.
How about this watch, does it support charging during an activity?
Br
D
In fact, almost all Garmin’s do. There was a period of about 18-24 months back a few years ago where they didn’t. But basically anything made in the last 3 years, or prior to about ~2015 supported it just fine.
I have done this successfully with my older 310XT and 910. It charged just fine while recording but, the display was not usable. I haven’t tried with my Edge or Fenix.
On my Fenix 3HR once the USB Mode is set to Garmin and you connect it to the charger there’s nothing to tell you that it’s actually charging, even though it is.
It simply functions like normal.
Can anyone tell me if lap pace on the Fenix 6S is more accurate / stable than on the Forerunner 645 (which is really erratic at the start of a mile lap), and GPS / antenna performance in general compared to the Forerunners – thanks
Comprehensive and good review as always, but missing some of the critisism that could be mentioned. After getting my F6 Pro as an upgrade for my F3 HR, I’m very happy about it, but there are some minor annoyances:
Processing power: I was expecting the F6 to be a lot more responsive on any action that my old F3 – and mostly it is snappy, and things like sattelite aquisition is a lot quicker. But new things like maps take a while to display. Generating courses on the F6 takes even longer. I get tired of watching the spinning circle in this time of instant gratification :-)
The music player is great for leaving the phone at home, and the fenix quickly and effortlessly connects to my Airpods 1gen. However, there is the occasional glitch in the music streaming. Measured in milliseconds, but a small annoyance that I never get with my Airpods connected to my iPhone.
The other slight let-down with the Spotify music player is the low bit rate quality. S’es and f’s makes a hissing sound, and the bass is not as deep, full or precise as on my iPhone or on other music systems playing from Spotify. The music isn’t as engaging. I’m not a hi-fi geek, and not as much as changing to Tidal to get super high bit rate, but I do enjoy higher bit rates and good quality on my music streaming. Hopefully the Spotify app can be made to allow for higher quality bit rate transfers in exchanger for fewer songs? Or would it also be a hardware issue for the F6 to process larger music files?
I also think the old F3 feels even more solid, and the buttons give a higher quality feel when pressed. The solidity might be due to the F3 just being bigger and heavier. I also must say like the design of the F3 better with its more rounded edges and matte bezel. The F6 has a kind of Tag Heuer et al look-alike complex. But I get that taste in design and looks are subjective :-)
These are all small annoyances rather than big flaws with the F6, but at close to $1000, I think it’s allowed to be nit-picking.
But the F6 is mostly all good, and I do love going into all the new features. And more than any small flaws or design choices, the real value is in everyday use:
Today I left my smartphone at home and put on my F6 and went for a run. It was wonderful not having the big phone along! The F6 quickly locked onto GPS signal, and off I went. Up into the mountains surrounding my city, enjoying the silence and nature, then back down towards the city center. Putting on my Airpods and turning on the music on the F6 quickly found the airpods and started playing, while also delivering audio running metrics at intervals. After descending to the city, I ran over to my favourite café, not worrying about having left my credit card at home, as the F6 handled the transaction smoothly through Garmin Pay, letting me reward myself with a post-run coffee in the sun. Life’s good.
How have you found the weight of the 6Pro while running? I was originally planning to get the Forerunner 945 but the 6Pro features are great for hiking/backpacking as well. My only concern is the weight.
I guess that’s a subjective thing. The Forerunners are (a little) lighter. But I’m used to much heavier watches from the old ages, aka mechanical watches :-) I’m also coming from the F3, and the F6 feels lighter/less hefty.
Personally, I don’t see the weight as a problem. If you feel you notice it in the beginning, I think it’s something you’ll get used too, and after a week or so of wearing it all day, every day, you’ll hardly notice it.
I got the F6 for hiking/backpacking as well as running and everyday wear. I think the F6 is a great compromise that works well for all those areas. Your milage might vary.
Excellent review!
I’ve a question on the titanium bracelet version of the Fenix 6:
– in most specs online incl Garmin looks as if with the bracelet it is equal in weight to the rubber strap. Is this really the case? Eg the Marq aviator in full titanium is much heavier with titanium bracelet than rubber version.
– I know probably not the intended use, but is it an option at all to go running with the titanium bracelet on? (So not having to change to rubber every time). Any experience here from earlier models?
To answer your second question. I sometimes run with my F5 with a metal bracelet. You can definitely feel the extra weight and it’s certainly worth it to change it for the rubber band if you have that choice but it’s not impossible to run with it if you have to. I also prefer my metal bracelet to not sit too tightly on my wrist so optical HR doesn’t work too well when running with it. But with a snugly fastened rubber band it works pretty well.
Thanks for the review and discount code! However, a bit disappointed on Clever Training EU/UK response and the way they seem to manage the stock and my order. Ordered on Friday (Aug 30) when 6X Sapphire was in stock expecting for immediate shipping (and did expedited shipping +25 euros). After enquiring today, they simply have stated “we are expecting shipping your Garmin week commencing 16th September…”
That is not “in stock” by any means, or then I just have a different understanding how reliable online retailers work. And the CT EU/UK website still shows for new 6X Sapphire orders “ships in 5-7 business days”. Not a good first experience…
As always, thank you very much for putting the time into this.
One question that no one has been able to answer for me about the Garmin Devices with Topo / full maps – do the GPS ‘Ultratrac’ numbers (the ‘Max Battery GPS’ setting) reference the device while still showing the Topo maps? Or are the topo maps / full maps something that are only ‘on’ while in normal GPS mode.
Essentially what I’m wondering is, for example on the 6s, if I am hiking and want to use full topographic/info-dense maps & GPS but *no* other features – which quoted ballpark battery life figure is relevant, the ~25hr or the ~50hr? What about is I want to use only three features: topo-maps, GPS, *and* optical HR?
I appreciate anyone who can shed even a little light on this, as those of us hoping for 5-6 day long expedition use (~8-10hr device-on time a day; turned fully off when camp is reached) would find it quite valuable information. Thank you!
Would also be interested in any info on battery life in this setting..
I’m also looking forward to testing Ultratrac mode on the F6, as I found it mostly useless on my former F3. Ultratrac put me all over the mountain, and was just good for localising my hike to a general area than actual tracking my route, much less getting any useful hiking distance. I’m hoping the F6 is an improvement in that area, too. Any info would be great.
Hi Daniel, I own the forerunner 945, which is very similar to this watch. I recently used the watch for an ultra distance mountain run that required navigation. I used the watch in gps with 1 sec recording,optical heart rate monitor on and detailed topomap active for 16 hours straight and was nowhere near depleting the battery. I do not remember the exact percentage left but It could have gone several more hours. An important note is I did not zoom in and out of the map constantly for 16 hours, and I did have stuff like bluetooth and fancy watch faces turned off- The new batery modes will help you do this on the fenix 6s. On the other hand during the race I did also had long periods of time where I was changing the zoom level to see details of the track and landscape. In short, it will definitly get you through one or several long days of hiking. And charging the watch is also fast with a proper powerbank which can handle the relativly low batery capacity of the watch.
I compare Fenix 6 Pro Solar Titan vs. MARQ Athlet
Fenix has a higher resolution display and longer battery lifetime
What will be the reason to buy a MARQ Athlet ?
I have a question regarding a function of this watch.
My attractiveness to women, judging by the number of dates and relationship successes, peaked with the 735 and Vivoactive original. Since then I’ve had terrible luck and have even tolerated some women who were tuned to the moon, off their trolleys, absolute space-rockets.
Please see chart below. X is time, Y is attractiveness
| _____
| / |
|__ / |
| |_______
|___________________
^ ^
735/vivoactive all other fenix/935/935 bug-riddled garmin products
As we can see, when giving up the 735 and vivoactive original, my relationships plummeted to all time lows, never to recover.
I suspect this is due to the numerous problems with the 935, 945 and fenix series, such as cracked heart rate sensors, borked software updates that made problems worse rather than better, resulting in my constant moaning, thus repelling women. It certainly can’t be the fact I am an ageing 50 year old, balding and constantly scowling at anything that moves, moaning about the state of modern society, etc.
Does the Fenix6 range guarantee increased attractiveness to those of interest? I see it missing from your comparison table.
Thanks.
I need a new watch and I’m choosing between the Felix 6pro and a Suunto 9. What would you say are the main advantages of one over the other? I’m an ultra runner and need something that will last me at least 24 hours with gps tracking.
I think both would work. I am an ultra runner as well and it may depend on how long your races are. For me hard 100 milers or longer I will need up to 48 battery life. The advantages of the S9 (I have one) are smart battery management that is live and most importantly FusedTrack. When you extend the battery with intermittent GPS fixes FusedTrack provides a GPS track that is hard to tell from best GPS fix, it is amazing. Distances are fairly accurate too for me. Navigation will not affect the battery as long as you are not on the Nav screen too often (it switches to best GPS fix when you are on the Nav screen). The S9 is much lighter than the 6x.
However, the Garmin has a lot of features the Suunto does not and you can certainly read what is different. For ultras ClimbPro and PacePro could be useful but PacePro paces are way to fast for most ultras (they do not go below 14min/mile). I do not have the 6x but have contemplated seriously getting one. A main reason for me is inReach connectivity as I use an inReach device nearly every weekend.
I am quite happy with the S9 and the GPS accuracy and altitude accuracy are very good. I think this is a difficult decision. The UI for the two devices is very different as well.
While the tracks generated in Ultra mode on the Suunto 9 are amazing, I was really disappointed to find that the screen turns off in that mode and the distance traveled/pace updated extremely infrequently. When I’m in a race I care mostly about distance to next aid station and never really give a thought to the resulting GPS track. Has that situation changed since I sold my Suunto 9 last fall?
How has the optical HR on the Suunto 9 worked out for you? I had lots of problems.
Between the two I would chose the fenix 6 (or 5) without hesitation.
The ultra mode is pretty extreme and with Endurance mode, 50h and the screen does not shut off so you can see the information you would want. The oHR I think is highly personally dependent. I have good and bad days. I get much more consistent readings if I wear the watch higher on my arm than normal (two to three fingers above the wrist bone). I don’t like wearing it there but it works. I am so used to using an HR belt, that is typically what I use.
I’ve had most many Garmin Fenix watches, last was 5X. But as I now do more and more Crossfit or HIIT type of exercise the Garmin wrist based HR was not very good good HR readings during workouts with a lot of intervals.
I want to avoid chest straps or similar. I ended up with Apple Watch 4 – it is very accurate and good for wristbased HR. But I still want a Garmin – if only the wrist based HR is better, it seems the Garmin 6 has a upgraded HR?!
Also would 42mm/47mm maybe be better than a heavier 51mm? Ideas or any experiences to share?
Get a Scosche Rhythm 24. I do CrossFit 5X a week and use this on my forearm and is quite comfortable and quite accurate. It’s an OHR sensor but much bigger and better than a wrist-based one. Check it out. I think Ray has done a review on it.
Moved from fenix 5x to fenix 6x, and very pleased… until this morning where my fenix 6 did not detect any laps in my “Pool Swim” activity. I ended up with time recorded only, “0m” as distance. Anyone faced the same issue? Software bug? In settings, “Stroke Detect” was on. No “Laps Detect” or equivalent? Thanks
I love technology but I’m not a sports guy.
I do like to hike now and then. Like 50km 2 times a year.
I bike sometimes, I inline skate sometimes, I fitness sometimes, I run sometimes.
Someone, please tell me that I really don’t need to buy a Garmin Fenix 6X Sapphire for $849
A better fit for you might be the Vivoactive 3 or new VA4 series. Like you, I don’t compete but lift weights, indoor row, bike, etc. I think the Fenix series is overkill for most people who are not triathletes. And yes, I can’t justify $850 for a watch that in 2-3 years will likely be obsolete and not supported.
Great review! I really like the details and the commitment of your work. I just ordered a Fenix 6 pro through cleaver training. I haven’t been able to find a bundle with a kitchen sink, as my the one I got with my old forerunner 405 needs replacing.
Hi Ray, went out and bought a Fenix 6 Titanium. Massive upgrade on my Fenix 3 (non HR), love it!!! Question. I could not get the optical HR to work in swim mode, any ideas? Has Garmin activated it yet? For example in the Open Water swim activity, it just says no HR, whereas if i go to the bike activity then I get HR right away. Same goes for the pool swim. The HR data screen doesn’t display any data. I did an hour swim tonight and it couldn’t find any HR data. Any pointers would be appreciated.
So i have a question
If Fenix 6X Pro Solar runs out of battery and closes off,
will it still be able to charge exclusively from the sun and power on again?
I actually tried it yesterday for a video I shot. To spoil the video for you, I put the unit out at 9AM on top of the RV facing the sun. It was a bluebird day, without a single cloud in the sky. I left it and came back at 9PM, giving it approx 11 hours of strong direct sun.
It went from 0% totally dead/empty to…4%. It was powered off when I came back, so it wasn’t burning any power, I powered it on and checked the battery.
Is it possible, that perhaps the unit stopped charging in direct sunlight because of overheating? Maybe it stopped charging from 12-16PM, therefore the 4% gain would be not so bad…
That is highly likely as i managed to conduct a similar test and got roughly 2% in 3 hours. I have the advantage of being at altitude in the US Southwest so the sun is a little more intense here, but i doubt that alone would account for the difference.
Altough this tiny 4% may seem ridiculously small to consider it as a way to charge the watch it can still help in some critical situation when one just needs to get a GPS fix and see the position on the map for a minute (e.g. someone lost in wilderness without battery bank).
IMHO, impact of solar charging on everyday’s usage of the watch in smartwatch mode is pretty useless (and only good for marketing showroom) but it could help in above “special” situations.
For my own case, I’ll stick with my “old” F5X for the time being. F6X is just too expensive and too low in serious new features to decide buying it. The only new feature that really stands out is the bigger screen.
Ray – pardon if I missed it in the comments, I did look and couldn’t find any such question… not sure if it’s a fair comparison question to ask, but here goes:
If one — whose main sports are cycling, weight training, Cybex machine cardio, and a little golf — were torn between the 6X Pro and Polar’s Vantage V Titan (with assumed October firmware release features), where would you come down and why?
So…when I upgrade how do I transfer my training stats ok be built up on the previous watch (645m) to the new watch e.g. training status, vo2 number, sleep, all of it….
Or…am.i back to square one building up the stats as I use the new watch?
Garmin Connect knows all about me…guessing they’ll realise I have a new watch when I sync it for the first and it’ll download all my numbers from where I left off….right?!
Quick question:
Does anyone know if there is a Kind of ‘activity-primer’ that explayns how certain activities on the Garmin watches work and what Impacts they have on the physiological scores? E.g.
– Does Trail-Running impact the Running-VO2max calculation/score?
– Does Mountainbiking impact the Cycling-VO2max calculation/score?
– What is the purpose of the ‘tracking-activity’ and does it influence any ‘distance overviews’? Can it be used to log car-drives?
– How do ‘skiing’ and ‘snowboarding’ differ from each other?
– What is ‘boat-activity’ and how does it work?
Is there maybe a Garmin Forum FAQ-thread?
Any help is appreciated.
With both fenix 3 and fenix 5 (not plus) I had issue with barometer/altimeter that stop working. I think it is related to swim in both cases, since after I begun using those watches in swimming pool (never used in open water), they shown broken altimeter/barometer after few swims. “Broken” means that altimeter and barometer got stucked on a fixed value, and never work even after reset and restore.
And I got the 5 substituted by Garmin for this issue.
Did you noticed that with 6?
One point that is quite important on a daily basis and often overlooked: the overall reactivity of the watch in the menu and the improvement of the processor.
Often, more features means more lag and bug. I would expect Fenix6 to be more “powerful” than FR945 for instance in term of calculation capabilities. Do we have any view on that?
There is no worse sensation to move from old model (Fenix3 / suunto 2/3) to newer generation and loose in reactivity.
thanks!
In your discussions with Garmin, have they ever considered a “high power GPS mode” where the drain is higher, but the accuracy is improved? Especially with the “development” of battery/power profiles, it could make a lot of sense for people who want higher accuracy and are willing to sacrifice some battery life.
Obviously, there is the physical antenna limitation, but I would assume they could eek more accuracy out if given an increase load.
Just got the 6x pro solar and the one thing that I don’t think the review doesn’t mention but will be very helpful with the scratching concerns for its non sapphire glass is the fact that the glass Is not sitting at the level of the bezel like 5x plus does, it’s about 1/8” deeper. Again, thank you for the review.
I’ve been playing around with PacePro today for an upcoming mountain ultra and I have 2 issues:
1. The max pace is 14 min/mi, which is borderline for me in a 100 mi with 31k ft of gain (and way too fast for most runners).
2. When creating a strategy by elevation, some segments have the change going in the wrong direction. For instance, after the very first climb of the race, the next mile or so is downhill. However, there is a 0.35 mi split at the beginning of the descent that shows as 279 ft uphill. That’s about a 15% grade! The pacing ends up being several minutes/mi off.
I’ve created 2 pacing strategies and both have numerous cases of issue 2. Anyone else seeing this? I chatted with Garmin support and sent them some screenshots, but the rep seemed unaware of the issue. Hopefully more people contacting them about it will get a fix prioritized.
Awesome review! Would your rather have the MARQ or the 6? I am a pilot so I’m really liking the Aviators features but the screen is bigger and nicer on the 6. I’m also wondering if they will come out with an updated version of the MARQ series next year.
I think I’m the only one who used the Fenix 6X Pro Solar during UTMB. If not the only, then one of the handful. Here are my Strava stats. I started on a full charge and finished, after 42 hours, with 27% battery left. I was wearing a chest strap and got all of the data I could have hoped for and it looked fairly accurate. link to strava.app.link
Did you use navigation features, as in: following a course? I got a little over 16 hours per charge from a Fenix 5X Plus during sun-baked PTL, which could have been a perfect scenario for a solar powered watch.
Thanks for your awesome review, Ray.
Jam-packed with great details and comparisons!
The new F6 Series is groovy-cool and all, but the charging mechanism still SUCKS.
I’ll stick with my mapped-out DOA 5X-Sapphire for now and hope the charging port system will be improved in a future Fn version (I was so hoping it would be so with the F6 series).
True, it’s not ideal for charging on the go (on your wrist). But I wonder at this point, is that really an issue anymore – even for most ultra runners? I feel like GPS battery life is getting to the point where it’s largely outlasting your body’s ability to actually keep moving. Of course, doesn’t help those scenarios when you realize you forgot to charge before you go out, but for most ultra folks you’ve got a vest and can toss the watch temporarily into a pocket with a lipstick charger. It’s impressive how fast it charges.
I finally managed to unbox and setup my 6S Sapphire (coming from a 5S Plus Sapphire) yesterday.
One thing that surprised me, was how smaller the 6S comparatively looks. I guess that goes back to greyish (“Carbon”) finish of the bezel and reduced lug to lug distance.
Sure, I read about this change in the review but underestimated how this would feel in real life. Besides that, the 6s, from my point of view, is nice a upgrade – not a must have but notable.
I’m curious how long the new watch will keep this sleek look. My black 5S Plus developed some minor abrasions at the bezel over time. Besides that it still looks perfect and even after a few hits the glass is 100% free of any scratches.
Hey Ray. Is there, by chance, gonna be a soft uptade for the fenix 5 series, in which they will get some features like the 3 widgets on page, and others…
This is actually a huge issue with the Fenix 6 — the battery is crapping out with ordinary use. It’s just not performing as advertised.
I have a Fenix 6S and I’ve done two FULL charges. The last time I left it chargine overnight (100%), ran 30-minutes, then wore it overnight. I woke up to 53% battery. I’ve turned off all of the extras (Pulse Ox, backlight way down, etc.). I’m not seeing the battery life advertised.
I’d ring up Garmin support and see if they can enable logging or such and determine what specifically is causing the battery drain.
As you know (but for the benefit of others), the most common battery drain items are:
1) PulseOx
2) Backlight on all the time (Setting = Stays on)
3) Connect IQ Watch Face or App that’s got something wrong
4) Music of any sort (playback primarily, but also even downloading)
5) Navigation while on the map screen (though, I wouldn’t say this is an issue much with the Fenix 6)
Given your comments about how impressed you were with the GPS tracks, I’m wondering if the other Sony-equipped ForeRunner watches are starting to show improvements with new firmware… Any comments?
Correct, the defaults of GPS+GLONASS for the Sony units for me. I have been using GPS+GALILEO on the MediaTek units (specifically my FR935) with very good results. I also think one of my Edge 530 or 830 units is configured with Galileo too without any issues.
Thanks. One final question – as things stand, which chipset would you back to provide an accurate track under tree cover? (pretty much the norm for me as my main sport is orienteering).
Received my F6 Sapphire Titanium yesterday and already submitted a return request to the vendor. Unfortunately my device has a defect in the screen (black smudge under the glass) and also has the intermittent OHR issue that quite a few people are experiencing link to forums.garmin.com . It seems unclear if the OHR issue is hardware or software related.
The above, combined with even Garmin having not ported their apps e.g. Running Power to the F6 yet means I’ll likely request a refund and wait a couple of months to see how things improve. You would have thought I would know better than to jump on a new Garmin device at launch by now ;-)
Will revert back to my 645M which does what I need for now, although would like PacePro/Body Battery and some of the other metrics that are on the newer generation devices.
OHR issue: My first 6X Sapphire had a faulty sensor, did not work at all, I thought there was something wrong with my wrist or perhaps I was deceased. Then Pulse OX didn’t work at all.
Went back to Garmin and 30 minutes later they confirmed it was faulty and replace it… worked perfect ever since. There are several people on Reddit with the same issue, so it seems to not be so uncommon – surprising for a Garmin product IMHO.
On the contrary! It would be very surprising if nobody would have problems! All Garmin products are launched without being ready for it. You should’ve wait a couple of months, a year. Like in the old days…… as a boy I heard the men talking about cars…… never buy first editions…. In those days it was mechanical, and handproduced. Now it’s premature releasing, no proper testing and, as a result, the discovery of hidden mistakes or inferior components.
Budgets, targets, greedy shareholders. Welcome in the modern world.
I have a dilema I want to clear up, maybe somebody knows how to solve this. It’s about the maps. I have an opportunity to purchase the Fenix 6X from the US in mid October when I travel there, but I live in Europe and in my country the watch (is available already) is more expensive by about 100$, because import taxes and VAT.
Buying it from the US would mean having US maps, not very helpful for me.
So, is it possible to get original European maps transferred from another device somehow? I know about the Open Street Maps procedure to get any other region, but I read about the difference in “heat” data, and so I would prefer the original Garmin european maps. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Do you have any details about the changes to the race predictor? I see that marathon time predictions are now much, much slower. I realize that a straight VO2max predictor will by overly optimistic at the marathon distance for 99% of people, but I’m curious what they’re doing instead. FWIW, my predicted marathon time is now 3:10, and I’m less than a year removed from running 2:30.
I’ve just bought a Fenix 6 Pro and I share your enthousiasme about this new version. I’ve updated the watch to the Firmware V.3 but I’ve noticed a strange behaviour… after an exercise with a Chest HR Band, the Wrist HR monitor does not switch back on automatically… It can take hours and a lot of trial and errors to get it back on.
But when it’s “on”, it works super well.
Am I the only one experiencing the same issue? I’ve checked and the settings for the wrist HR is set to “auto”.
Thanks in advance (and congratulations again for the impressive job on your blog Ray!)
I haven’t seen this (ever on a Garmin actually). However, any chance that your HR strap is either on you still, or shorting out (such as in a pile of wet laundry), and still broadcasting?
I’ve got a bit of the opposite problem. It appears that the OHR continues to be on (flashing green) during an activity when I’m wearing an HR chest strap (Garmin HRM RUN). I verify during the activity that the status of the HR chest strap is “connected”, so the watch appears to see it. I’m assuming the HR that’s being recorded is from the strap since it’s quite good and I’ve not had good results in the past with OHR, but not really sure since the green lights stay on the whole time…
A number of people are having similar issues (myself included) with the WOHR on the Fenix 6 only working intermittently. See the following post on the Garmin Forums:
I have the same thing with my F3HR after a recent GCM update as well. My edge unit records from HRM (the oldest plastic one) and F3HR seems to be doing its own thing, even though it reports being connected to the HRM.
When I look at heart rates during the activity, the recorded activity heart rates, do not match what F3HR reports for that duration.
Yup, check out this portion of the thread. Same issue by the sounds of it. You are correct, it’s a software bug of sorts. A fix is already in the works. link to dcrainmaker.com
Yep. And I’ve noticed that the steps count is also « off » since the same moment as the HR.
I hope they’ll release the fix soon.
But beside that, I really share you enthousiasm about the widgets and the quality of the watch.
I’ve been using Suunto watches for 10 years and the Spartan Ultra (I’ve bought one of the first unit back in 2016, big mistake) was a huge disappointment which only softened a bit with the software updates. They’re still trying to reduce the software gap between them and Garmin.
there has also been a similar bug in reverse which i especially noticed on the 945 but which also happens on the F6 Pro. However, I can’t narrow down the exact use case so that it can be replicated.
Broadly: the watch SOMETIMES requires a re-boot to connect to a previously, successfully paired HRM chest strap after using oHR in sport.
I have a Fr945. Wondering if I can use it for a titan obstacle course race 5k mid and water or should I upgrade to the F6? Any help will be appreciated.
Since these watches have become so versatile, does it still make sense to have a dedicated bike device, etc. So would my 6X offer the same “recording” capabilities as my 820 when it comes to biking? I understand that maps are more convenient on a bike mounted device, but the maps for where I live are a joke and completely irrelevant (UAE).
From a recording standpoint, yup, the Fenix 6X would offer the same capabilities. In fact, in some ways greater when it comes to things like the training load bits and pulling in temp and altitude data for acclimation.
That said, I still prefer a bike computer on my handlebars. That said, you could easily use the Fenix 6 in conjunction with the Edge 820 for a bit of the perfect pair. Check out this post on how to do that: link to dcrainmaker.com
I am trying to find but I don’t know if it exists. Is there any bike support for the fenix 6x? I have been using the 935 as a bike computer and would like to upgrade.
Nothing like the quick release kit for the forerunner 935, is there anything?
Reposting this post if by any chance, anyone would have the answer
Just a quick confirmation as the materials finish are not always clear on Garmin site
For the Sapphire – Black DLC model (Ref 010-02158-17) not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
I reached Garmin support and even them cannot answer…
Even so as I understood, the bezel material remain in Titanium (therefore keeping a little lighter model) and the DLC (DLC stands for “Diamond Like Carbon”) is like a coating finish to make it look black and even more scratch resistance
DLC being pretty much the sapphire crystal of watch coatings as far as scratch resistance is concerned.
Not sure if this is the right explanation?
I bet that’s a mistake in the specs. If you check, the price for this specific variant is cheaper than the one that explicitly mentions titanium. For the 6X, the specs mention DLC-coated steel, so it does look like a mistake in the 6 model pages. Also the 6 non-sapphire page says DLC-coated steel.
I just bought a 6X Solar today. I spent 4 hours messing with it to get the wrist HR and PulseOX working. After hours of frustration, I returned it to Best Buy to find out there are no other 6X Solar in the large market I’m in (Charlotte, NC), so I’m waiting for a replacement to be shipped to me. After coming home frustrated, I decided to check out the Garmin forums, and found this thread:
There are many people across many different Fenix 6 devices having the same issue. They’ve all tried the same things as me and it appears the fix is to replace the device. I’m very curious if this is in fact many defective devices or is it’s something that can be fixed with a firmware update. Here is a summary of my issue, tons of detail on the linked post if you are interested.
I got a Fenix 6X Solar. Very tough to get HR (would have to sit and hold/press the watch, tilt the watch, etc), but never got PulseOx. It came with the 2.2 firmware, so I of course updated to 3.0. Still had issues. I reset to factory defaults, and set it up manually (not pairing with my phone). HR seemed to be working normally for a bit. I then enabled PulseOX and both didn’t work. So, I reset to factory again, paired it to my phone, and the HR was a little better, but still would drop out and I couldn’t get to come back. I enabled/disabled PulseOx, then couldn’t get it to work at all again.
There’s a comment just a couple above yours by Sacha reporting the same thing. My guess here (since we didn’t see any issues till just the last day or so), is a specific bad batch. I’ve got a chat with Garmin tomorrow, so we’ll see if there’s some light they can shed.
General/minor pro tip though: When dealing with stock-limited items (meaning, super low supply), always call Garmin support first rather than the retailer if the retailer has no other stock. The reason is that Garmin sets aside stock for support replacements on the fly (for cases just like this), whereas the retailer only has what they have to sell.
Thanks Ray! I should clarify, they do have stock and I will have a replacement on Tuesday. They just didn’t have it in store. BTW, I would have 100% supported you through Clever if they had this model in stock.
Also, I definitely would have called Garmin if they didn’t have stock, but it’s a challenge that their support isn’t open on the weekends. They state they are busy Mondays, and it’s the same with me.
Your site, blog, reviews, and response are always awesome. Thank You. Please respond back and let me know what they say.
ps – apologize for not noticing the post above. I was tired from reading all of the replies from the post on Garmin forums.
Ok, got a bit of an update on this one. In short, they’re aware of it (from an senior engineering/management standpoint) and a fix is already in the works from a software standpoint. Support is using hardware swaps as the fastest way to fix the issue for customers that run into it. It sounds like the software fix is already in internal beta validation though.
It’s not an issue they saw in beta testing, but have a pretty clear path to fix is pretty quickly.
My general recommendation would be that if you can swap out the physical unit easily from your nearby retailer or Garmin support, then go forth. Whereas if they are saying that getting a new unit in your country/locale is a longer lead-time, then I’d just wait for the firmware update. I would ensure you log an issue with Garmin Support though, so that they can track it and perhaps get folks early access to a firmware update to resolve the sensor shut-off issue.
thank you so much for checking with Garmin an dupdating us on this topic!
Did they happen to give you an ETA on when they anticipate to releaes a fix for it? The thing is that i just received my RMA number and could send it back immediately but i am unsure how long this process takes until i get my watch back. and i have an half marathon upcoming in 3 weeks :)
No date yet. I know it’s fast moving though with teams on multiple continents working to validate the fix.
That said, with Garmin support RMA’s, there’s actually a lesser realized option which is called a ‘Cross Ship’, this means you provide Garmin a credit card and they cross-ship you a new unit while you get yours back. You can even ask for 1-2 day shipping, and sometimes they’ll give it to you gratis.
As long as you get yours back to them in about 30 days, they won’t charge the card. Works super well (and seems to be in most countries).
Do you have updates on this issue by any chance? I am not sure whether this is a software issue indeed, or the affected watches will need to be replaced. On the Garmin forums their official position doesn’t seem to be to encouraging:
“Anyone else experiencing Heart Rate information disappearing when turning Pulse Ox Acclimation to All Day, since we have not been able to reproduce it here at Garmin, would like anyone experiencing this to reach out to Garmin Support. This will provide us with more information to near down the list and also will allow us to add you to the ticket and we can email you when the fix has been put in place.”
LE: The beta version of a new firmware was just rolled out, with the following release notes:
Change Log Notes:
The zip file contained in the link above only includes a sensor hub update of 2.25. This resolves the issue for 6X devices failing to turn on Pulse-OX and Wrist Heart Rate.
I did a 5k Park Run today which my Fenix 6 logged as 4.77 km and 20:31 minutes. The official time from the organizers was 20:38. I had run the exact same course last week using my Forerunner 645M which logged the run as 4.99km and 20:36 minutes compared to an official time of 20:35.
Even taking into account the 7 second discrepancy I found the Fenix 6 GPS track to be far less accurate and the total distance recorded disappointing. I had per second recording on and the default GPS settings.
The difference in distance also totally messed up the pace the watch was indicating.
Have boxed up the Fenix 6 and it will be returned for a refund on Monday.
Disappointing and from my experience not a watch I can’t rely on for my training/timed runs at present.
Are there any hardware advantages of this compared to $100 smart watches by Amazfit, that do have Google Fit integration (unlike Garmin) and twice as long battery life? Anything about the Garmin that makes it better for any particular outdoor activity?
The Amazfit models compete with Vivoactive and Venu lines mostly, beating them in battery life. The Fenix it’s another league in terms of build quality and features, but comparing specifically for a parameter, the Amazfit can be a better choice, given the price. If battery life is desired, while the mapping and music is not a must, then the Amazfit GTR is a winner, checking 12 sports profiles, battery life and lower price than a Fenix 6 without music and maps. The latest Chinese models do look amazing, I only played with one and the ceramic build looks and feels impressive.
First impressions of the Fenix 6 Pro Solar:
1. It’s huge.
2. I fully charget it 72 hours ago and now it’s 50% after running 10K and swimming 1K
3. I ran with my AW 4 series and Fenix 5 plus in a well known course (to me). The GPS accuracy of the 6 is very good.
4. The big screen is delightful! I ran with 4, 6 & 8 screens all very visible.
5. I was mostly in the sun this weekend but I am not sure how much the solar contributed to the battery power.
6. Havin 3 widgets in one screen is amazing!
overall experience is pretty good but I stiil have to test it in open water, cycling, ski etc..
Thanks DCRainmaker for the detailed review. Great as always!
Between the Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire and the Fenix 6X Pro Solar what do you think will be the ‘best’ option for the following workout scheme:
– 4 outdoor runs per week (30-60min each run)
– 2 pool swims per week (50min)
– Gym (3 times per week)
Currently, I’m more inclined for the 6X Pro Sapphire, because the 10℅ battery gain of the Solar version probably will be only visible for those who have a more intense exterior workout with at least 3-4hours per day of run/trail/bike/hiking/other.
Also, the fact that the Solar version has a Gorilla Glass screen instead of Sapphire (less resistant to scratches) is an important fact to consider, especially if you don’t want to take the risk of having a scratch few weeks later in a 850-950$ watch. With the Sapphire that definetly won’t happen but with Gorilla glass is more likely to happen considering that you probably shouldn’t add a screen protector that could compromise solar charging.
Based on these facts and the type of training I do, am I correct or is it worth choosing the solar version?
Yeah, I don’t think the amount of workouts that you’ve outlined is an area you’ll really need to worry about battery power, assuming you charge perhaps once per week or so depending on what else you use the phone for and notifications and such.
Given your situation, I’d just go with the non-Solar version.
If you buy a fenix 6 pro with North America maps, then add maps for Europe (just need Italy), when you go to Maps will it show both installs and let you select one, or only show maps for the location you are at now…in which case, how would you know the other maps were successfully installed?
I think in my video you can see it for a split-second where you’ll see I’ve got both US and Europe maps loaded. I don’t think there’s any photo here in the review that shows both loaded.
But yeah, both are there. You’re totally fine to have both loaded. Where it goes sideways is if you have two overlapping map regions loaded (like adding Italy atop a Euro-unit).
Just wanted to point out that you can create courses/tracks on connect mobile and sync it to your Fenix 6 wirelessly.no need for pc/mac. Sadly track needs to be built manually and can’t get imported.
Yup, I talked about GCM course creation (and even showed screenshots in the review). The challenge is that it’s not designed for speed and is cumbersome.
As for importing files, you can actually do that. Just send them to yourself via email on the phone and tell it to open in GCM.
Anyone have the Garmin watch create fake events on the Fenix 6? It suggests dinner dates and brunch at a local restaurant with one of my contacts? My first thought was I was becoming mentally detached from reality. I asked the people it claimed i had plans with and I did not. These events are nowhere to be found in any of my calendars. Garmin is really raking through my personal data and geo location huh?
Honestly, that sounds about 99% like a 3rd party app that’s just surfacing notifications to your Garmin. Got any pictures of it? Might give you a hint as to what the app is.
Next time it happens I will, it is plain text with no clues as to where it came from. I mean it chose a person I have only known for a few weeks to create a dinner date for, not harvested from email or calendar because she is not connected to me in any way but text message. The restaurant is a town over that it suggested i was having brunch at and ive never been there and haven’t gone past it running or biking with my GPS active since having this watch. So at first i thought maybe yelp or open table or email but none of those fit at this point. Again ill send a screen shot next time it happens.
Are you using an Android phone or an Apple? There’s been a problem recently with spam/phishing emails generating spurious calendar entries in Google calendar. Whatever’s doing what you’re seeing, it’s a similar worry to that.
Hi there DC RAINMAKER. Fantastic review thank-you. Most comprehensive i’ve been able to find. I notice on your charting that the Fenix 6x Pro Solar was the least accurate during the “switch back” phase of your run in the French Alps.
If money wasn’t an object, would you buy the “GARMIN FENIX 6x PRO SAPPHIRE” or the “GARMIN FENIX 6x PRO SOLAR” ?
Most of my running is trail/off trail with a mix of 50% Bush and 50% open cover in the Hills/Alps of New Zealand.
GPS tracking accuracy is fairly important for me. Run time between 2-9 hours / overnight.
To me, money no object I’ll personally take the 6X Solar over the 6X non-Solar. Given I’m already paying the size penalty, I’ll take the ever so slight battery gains. Or maybe it’s just geekery I like.
That said, I’m not really a huge watch person, so I’m more likely to settle on the 6 Pro instead.
According to this article, it’s only the Pro model of Fenix 6 that has music storage, yet the Garmin website states ALL Fenix 6’s are capable of storing music (not just playback from your phone). Anyone know the answer to this riddle?
Ray,
You really should do an article based on Garmin updating previous models. Its ridiculous that a $600 watch only gets feature updates for maybe a year. Garmin is treating these like $100-$200 Fitbit models. Obviously they cannot add Solar or any other hardware updates but there is no reason why the 5 and 5 Plus series dont get UI changes and a few of the software updates. Garmin is supposed to be a premium brand like Apple who update their hardware for year. Apple watch series Gen 1 is getting Watch OS 6…the watch was released in 2016!
I have a Fenix 5X and I am waiting for a fix of “distance 0” issue for a loong time, months… And the new Fenix 6 series doesn’t have it . Garmin used to be better on this.
this is exactly how I have started to feel. Garmin makes very functional devices. but it seems like they have nowhere near the organizational sense as traditional tech companies. These should be software updates as much as the hardware supports it.
Edge 820 (& other models?) have problems with elevation grade (which is only the signaller, real problem is the elevation measuring going in chunks) for many months (maybe a year??) It seems they have denied there is a problem. Practically Orwell’s 1984!!!
Incline is always a problem on Edges. Since they have no way of measuring it besides altitude gain/small distance, it always lags a little.
Your other problem isn’t common. I’ve never seen an Edge (I’ve used the 705, 800, 1000, and currently 830) measure in chunks unless the port was blocked by something. I’d check all of the holes in the case to see if there’s any blockage. If not, maybe it’s time to get it repaired/replaced. The only altitude problems I’ve seen on recent Garmin devices (that can’t be chalked up to the usual problems caused by using a barometer to measure altitude) is that they display one altitude and record another in the FIT file. The difference is usually too small to matter (but on my Epix, it was 100 ft).
I did the checks. The problem also isn’t always. Sometimes it will add up every meter mounted and then the gradient nbr at a value that could be possible. Living in De Ronde Hoep I can only check this function when on holiday.
I know you’ve mentioned that the Fenix 5 won’t be getting the software features but any news on the Forerunner 645/645M getting any software updates?
In theory this is still their top of the range single sport running watch and presumably won’t get replaced for another 6 months. Could you ask Garmin if there are plans to implement Body Battery and/or PacePro and/or Hydration on the 645/645M?
F6 Pro Optical Heart Rate (OHR) is way too low during strenuous activity.
I’ve used the F3HR for years without issues. OHR was never super accurate, but ball-park accurate.
On the F6, resting OHR is good, and normal activity tracks well.
I had one run where I had issues getting a good reading, but resolved it through repositioning watch. After upgrade to v3.00 (not sure there’s any causality), I have not been able to get the OHR above 115-125, even over long climbs hiking when I manually check my pulse to be 160-170.
I’ve tried repositioning up and down wrist, wearing normally or on palm side, switching wrists. Wearing watch loose, tight, super-tight. Can’t get it above 125. It’s very demotivating during excersise :-)
Are there any third party wristbands that work with the Fenix 6?
I’m interested in the leather bands but I’m wondering if I really have to get the expensive Garmin ones
I have had a genie 6x for just over a week and am returning it tomorrow. Since the software update to v3.00 the HRM is unreliable. Doesn’t always switch on and when it does the readings are inaccurate. It works in some activity types but not in others even with identical settings. Apparently Garmin are aware of this but do not yet have a fix. Surely a premium product like this should be exhaustively tested before hitting the shelves..,.. apparently not. I will be going back to Suunto.
Ray, any clue why the Solar is now “5-8 weeks” on Garmin’s site? I had a small retailer try to order me one within a day or so of your post and ultimately they were told “sorry, gonna be a delay on this while we work out some issues” or something generic, but definitely alludes to a problem other than just stock depletion. Any inside info?
They were going into launch with Solar being a bit more limited than the other units.
For Garmin’s 5-8 weeks, that’s just their standard line that’s listed on the website until they fulfill retailer backorders. Garmin always gives retailers first access to units and usually fills stock there before their own site.
Any thoughts to why BestBuy has Solar stock while REI does not? Is that just a REI didnt order them or just such a limited quantity. My 5x Sapphire is up on ebay, due to close in a few days. I’ve ordered every other Fenix from CleverTraining. But I happen to have both REI and BestBuy gift cards. REI would be better with the 10% back though. WIsh I could just order it.. its just TBD there
There’s no exclusivity on Fenix 6 within the US on any SKU’s (where in Europe there’s a handful of SKU’s/color models that seem to have some exclusivity).
So in this case, yeah, basically – REI didn’t order enough of that SKU or what-not ahead of time. These companies would have made predictions back in the June/July timeframe. Sometimes aided a bit by Garmin’s expectations on popularity, but ultimately each retailer has to do the spreadsheet and decide which SKU’s their customers will buy the most of and hope for the best.
This sounds like a bug. I’ve had a similar bug on the Fenix 3HR where if my watch crashes during an activity the CIQ fields (sometimes just 1 of 2) will switch back to the Timer field. I assume that Timer is just the default field inserted if there’s some sort of error.
It’s a real pain on the 3HR as there is another bug where it still thinks that there are the 2 CIQ fields installed, so it won’t let me put it back to my CIQ field. I have to create a whole new replacement app to fix the issue…
Does anybody have experience with AirPod or Powerbeats Pro, will the connection drop out? If want connect AirPod back to you iPhone, does there need pair again?
If the experience not great, I gonna stick with my 5X, thanks a lot
I’ve been using the PowerBeats Pro without issue, and have only occasionally used the AirPods with them in a non-athletic scenario (just listening to music), without issue.
The AirPods and PowerBeats retain existing BT connections (I believe it’s up to 8), so you don’t need to re-pair them every time.
The Fenix 6x Pro Solar is really a good watch, has everything I want. But the GPS- and the Heartrate-Accuracy are not very awesome. Ok, for an excellent GPS-Accuracy you need Dual-Frequency-GNSS, but for Garmin is more important to have a long battery life, and no wearable has Dual-Frequency-GNSS inclusive the new apple watch 5.
Realistically we’re not even seeing dual frequency GPS on any major phones, so we’re not going to see it for a while on wearables.
Also, prior to everyone chasing battery life – we’ve had really good tracks on wearables with a single system for quite some time in older units. With newer units, it’s hardly limited to Garmin – everyone is using the same chipset, in fact, Suunto went first, then Polar, then COROS, and now this year Garmin.
I was going to wait until the solar 6x pro is available from Garmin but realized what Ray said, that they fulfill retailers first. Ended up getting the black one in Best Buy. I wish they did the full titanium o e in both silver and black for the bracelet.
What’s your comparison to the 6x pro saphire versus 5x plus….
I have had the 3 5 and so on everytime they come out I was a suunto guy for years till fenix 3…I have also READ all your fenix reviews before I purchase a new garmin…so I kind of count on your input amd it helps me to make a rational purchase versus emotional
hello,
one question About the 6x pro:
Is it possible to enter Navigation points/Coordinates (i mean only numbers-for example-points that Were taken out of a paper map) directly to the watch (not with the app or phone/computer)???
I had the 6X Saphire for a few days but returned it because the size was too big and apps not available. I’m coming from a Fenix 5 Saphire.
My initial reactions:
* Pulse ox interesting. Interested to see if drops seen in middle of night are significant.
* Pulse ox worked, but reporting seemed off — would report a reading but then report older reading
* Screen seemed a little fainter that 5. Hard to read default screen.
* Missed my favorite watch face not being available.
* 3-screen widgets are nice, but don’t reduce button presses required to scroll them.
* Vo2max seems likely to more representative (does it take into account hills?).
* 8 data point screen cool, but limited use without stryd power being available at time
* Nice to get respiration rate as a new feature rom an “old” heart rate strap. I had a vo2max test recently and noticed that respiration rate maxed out with vo2max, so wonder now if I should have breathed faster, or maybe instinctually knew it wouldn’t matter to breath faster if something else was limited.
* Auto loop routing interesting feature for unfamiliar areas. Used it on a trip.
The routing feature gave turn by turn directions before the run, but I couldn’t figure out how to get them during the run. I had a hard time following the lines on the map screen and had to navigate by doubling back when I went off course. Eventually couldn’t find a route that stayed on course and gave up.
I replaced this with a vanilla Fenix 6 directly from Garmin that arrived today and find the pulse ox does not work and the OHR seems to break once pulse ox is attempted. Seems to require a firmware fix but those only available for pro/saphire. I did see a brief flash of red light but generally not “measuring” when it says it is measuring.
I could see retail inventory being caught with this problem but surprised Garmin is shipping from their inventory with what at this point seems to be a right out-of-the-box problem like this.
In Europe, it’s better to purchase the Fenix 6 directly from Garmin website? or from a local store?
I’m asking this for two main reasons:
01. The current shipping time on Garmin website is between 4-7 days for the Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire (in multiple stores, it’s not even available to purchase). The price will be kept at 850$ everywhere (website and stores), so we shouldn’t expect any discounts on local stores, correct?
02. In terms of warranty, there is no difference, right?
There’s no difference in terms of product/warranty/etc between Garmin.com or an authorized retailer. Garmin in Europe will charge the MSRP, while 3rd parties will vary a bit.
Garmin typically fulfills 3rd party retailer orders prior to Garmin.com orders, though not always.
As far as discounts go, you can find a few. For example you can use Clever Training EU/UK for the Sapphire 6X Pro, and that gets you 10% off (straight discount in EU/UK). Link here: link to clevertraining.co.uk
And use coupon code DCR10BTF. That of course supports the site here. There’s no stock available for the 6X Pro Sapphire at the moment. Given Garmin.com shows 4-7 days, and CT UK shows ‘early September’ (a bit of a liberal definition of the current date), my guess is both are expecting stock any day now.
But, as noted…ya never really know until Garmin ships it, either to you directly, or to a retailer and they get an actual tracking number.
I’ll follow your advise and purchase on Clever Training (using the coupon), since 10% off is definitely a ‘big’ save and at the same time supports the blog ;)
I’m a Fenix 3 sapphire user since 2014, only recently switched to a Fenix 5 sapphire, I enjoyed the weight saving of a smaller sized Fenix 5 but the news of Fenix 6 release really broke my heart (and potentially wallet) and I knew instantly I wanted a 6x pro.
After some research, I have came to the conclusion that the solar function, or so called PowerGlass, at least to me is a gimmick. In the past, long before the Fenix line came out, I have used Casio pathfinder watches with the ability of sustaining itself just on the solar power. It was useful as those watches doesn’t come with a charger and as long as they are exposed to the sunlight the watch would not die. From my experience of using those watches over the year is I didn’t even had to intentionally go out of my daily way of life to charge them under the sun and the battery would be good for years. Now Fenix 6x pro solar is not the same, the solar charger does not charge the watch fast enough to negate the battery drain caused by other functions of the watch, even the most basic watch function (judging from the spec page, the charge rate is at most 50% of the battery drain during watch mode alone). This means you will never be able to rely on the solar power alone to recharge the watch and you will have to use the wired charger sometime. From my experience with Fenix line of watches, I really don’t care if I have to charge the watch every 21 days or 24 days, I probably recharge it on every other weekend anyhow. That is to say, the solar charger on Fenix 6x pro provides no real benefit to me at all.
On top of the gimmick, the top of the line 6x pro is only available with gorilla glass. It is not even the latest generation of gorilla glass, I have seen how gorilla glass performs on cellphone and I do agree it is better than generic mineral glass. However, it is not sapphire! On Mohs scale of hardness, gorilla glass will scratch on level 6 compared to sapphire on level 9. Fenix 6x pro is an outdoor watch and it will come in contact with rocks and sand, both usually contain quartz, a level 7 hardness material, it will very easily scratch gorilla glass.
On a positive note, I do want to recognize the fact the the gorilla glass was coated with anti-reflect material, I wish this is applied to other watches too. Titanium case seems to be exclusive to the solar version of the 6x pro as well. I hope Garmin will release a Sapphire with DLC Titanium version of 6x pro. That would be the version I will drop my money on.
Here is an informative video on solar performance on the Fenix 6x Pro: link to youtube.com
Models are final, but we often see Garmin add new variants.
I actually did a test last week to go from 0% (totally dead) to not 0% where I left it outside on a super sunny day from 9AM till 8PM. I got 4% increase in total. Note, i left it powered off the entire time, and only powered it on when I came back at night.
I don’t think anyone (including Garmin) is saying this is going to fully replace the battery. It’s simply a starting point, without looking like a watch that has solar panels on it (as the Casio Rangeman looks). Perhaps there’s a Garmin-specific market for something that’s more solar-obvious, but that wasn’t really what they were going for here. I also think we’ll likely see them push the tech a bit more in future iterations.
From the battery expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the decrease in load from the solar netted ~6-7% more battery life, is this correct? Trying to gauge what percentage you might recover after a full day of hiking on sunny days.
From the energy expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the drop in load from the solar netted ~6-7% gain in battery life, correct? Trying to gauge what energy savings someone might expect after a full day of hiking in sunny weather.
I feel exactly the same way!
I’ve had the Fenix 3, the Fenix 5X, and I have the Fenix 5X Plus Sapphire Titanium strap on my wrist as I’m typing this.
Upon reading about the new Fenix 6 models, I immediately preordered the $1250 (incl VAT) 6X Pro Solar. Why? Because I fell in love with the silver titanium bracelet. I work in an office and am in a position where I would need something a bit more fancy-looking than dark titanium (which I currently have so that would have been a step up), and the most expensive Solar has it!!! Solar I thought could be a nice to have (but not a necessity), especially as I occasionally run Ultras or do multi-day hiking expeditions.
And then I realized… no Sapphire. Which sort of makes sense because of the solar panel. Ok then I thought, I dont really need the solar panel. But if I want a top of the line Ti watch, it’s gotta be protected by Sapphire. Alas, such a watch does not exist in the 6X lineup. There is so 6X Sapphire with the nice silver bezel and silver Titanium. Why would you create such nice (hence pricey) watches and not protect them with Sapphire?
MARQ? Meh. I’m not a race car driver. I’m not a boat racer. I’m not an F16 pilot. I’m an athlete I guess. But the athlete doesn’t look work-ready like the other models do.
Then I figured I’d be getting a 6X Sapphire with black bezel. And reuse my current black Ti strap. Not enough of an upgrade from my 5X Plus DLC Ti though.
So I’ll be skipping this iteration. I didn’t want to, I love to send Garmin a grand a year, for some people it’s their phones for me it’s the Fenix. Not this year.
Garmin if you read this, please create a 6X Sapphire with silver Ti. And I’d happily pay over a grand for it!
Hi, for those experiencing issues with the wrist HR sensor, the beta fix has been released for both Fenix 6 XS, 6 and X. I’ve tried it on my Fenix 6 and it solved the issue (hurray!)
Beside that, the watch works pretty well with the firmware v3.0 … I still experience average GPS precision compare to my “old” Spartan Ultra watch but I’ll try to dig into it.
Hello Pilok,
I have the similar issue with Garmin Fenix 6, the wrist HR sensor issues. Can you please let me know how to install the beta fix..?
i transfered the file to my device, but i dont see any update option after disconnecting the device..
awaiting your reply with bated breath :|
Regs
Andy
Well it’s done I went and bought the 6x saphire….cant do the solar with gorilla glass way to hard on watches…plus with it being so m8nimal to charge ot would be more for me to say “hey look how cool my watch is”…its a fenix it already says that lol….
I will add I did read one review on here someone stated it was a little harder to see in light than the 5x plus I had and I will agree it’s a bit harder to see at a angle in sunlight than theb5x plus but directly looking at it, it is very easy to see. Increase in screen size is a huge plus and I love the new scroll layout…it rolls instead of 1 up on screen…..
Do I actually *need* a PC to do firmware updates? My 6X is on it’s way, but I only have a Chromebook – which is typically fine for me.
It looks like I just need to move the relevant firmware file on to the watch and then the rest of the process is on the watch, so it should be OK to do this from the Chromebook?
Once configured via iOS or Android, it’ll simply use WiFi/Bluetooth for downloading and installing firmware updates. Maps updates however do require a PC, but honestly, most people never both it seems.
Hmm a Android Phone also can do this, but Garmin doesn´t allow us to copy files to the watch with Android. So you are forced to have access to a windows pc. Not nice on a longer journey. I don´t get the point for this limitation?!
Any chance in seeing or getting size comparison with other watches like you usually do please?
I’d specifically like to see how the 6 and 6S compare to the 645M. A watch size comparison tool like phonearena’s for mobile phones would be awesome ?
While not a detailed review I did post a thread on the Garmin forum comparing my 645M to Fenix 6 Titanium Sapphire (both with orange strap for aesthetic comparison purposes!)
Feature wise aside, the Fenix 6 (and presumably Fenix 6S) will be noticeably bulkier/heavier for the first couple of days but after that I found the Fenix 6 to be fine. I very much liked the Fenix 6 bigger screen but returned it due to a screen defect. Due to some of the current (temporary) issues with the Fenix 6 (HRM, limited apps/etc, GPS inconsistencies) I am mulling over whether to wait for the 655 or get another Fenix 6. Appreciate both will have software issues at launch, but deciding do I need the extra features of the Fenix 6 and the increased size/different styling or not.
Thanks so much for that, exactly what I was after. Shame as it means it would have to be the 6S, which as you’ve pointed out has reduced resolution and battery life… Perhaps a 655 is en route
I don’t have any inside information but am assuming we will see a 655 in Feb/March 2020. I’m currently deciding whether to wait for the 655 (and accept it will take Garmin 1-3 months to stabilize that firmware), or go for the Fenix 6 Pro in Nov when the firmware has stabilized a bit more. I’m expecting that the new features I want (Pace Pro, improved Training Status info, Body Battery) will be included on the 655 and I don’t really need the maps, but I feel that Garmin has forgotten about the 645 as presumably they could easily migrate some of these new features to it.
Completely agree on the features Alex. For several years now, Garmin has been deliberately software-hobbling their own devices. There is very little between the hardware, and most features just require additional code to implement now. I don’t know why they keep such a large portfolio of products – maybe they have too many product managers internally or something – but without a software mod community for Garmin devices we’re stuck having to refresh devices at vast expense for what effectively amounts to a software update. Shame on Garmin for this practice.
Either way I’ll be holding fire until early 2020 to see what their portfolio looks like then…
For me personally the 6s is perfect. I loved size and design of the 645 and the 6s is just a teeny tiny bit smaller (thinner!) but given the 6s has a much better look and feel overall, it’s my clear winner. I don’t remember having ever been so excited about a garmin product. 6s is perfect (for now :-))
If you were guessing, do you think when (if) the 245 gets Pace Pro it will give ahead/behind based on your GPS position on a given course as opposed to the recorded distance as you mention above with the Fenix 6?
I believe when you posted last up above someone was asking if you were on iOS or Android, as it sounded like there was some cases on Android around auto-creation of calendar events with certain apps. None of which has anything to do with Garmin, as it would appear on your calendar which Garmin just happens to sync.
Hello ray frear as usual
My question is if the solar could work as the sensor myskintrack from laroche you menarioned a while ago that this could be perhaps included in future watches now seeing the f6solar I am wondering if from the hardware standpoint this could be done within the watch if software would be available. From Garmin or third party…
Can multiple GPS watches be simultaneously paired to the same Apple or Android phone? That would certainly be more user-friendly than pairing one watch, unpairing it, and then pairing a different watch when we swap between GPS watches. I am sure many readers have more than one GPS watch after reading your blog and being tempted by all the new goodies coming out regularly by the manufacturers.
What happened to the rolling pin comparisons? Those were great.
Ive been using a couple of watches simultaneously and the switch has always been seemless. I dont know the details of how it goes about e.g. step counting when both would be in use (i have never worn both at the same time) but it has always seemlessly recognized which watch i wanted to synchronize.
To clarify – I think Gene is asking about pairing the Garmin to two phones, versus pairing two Garmin’s to one phone.
As far as I know, the Garmin side of the equation is singular, it can’t be paired to two devices concurrently (two phones concurrently). Hooking up to one kicks out the other. It doesn’t sleep around.
And yes, I need to do more rolling pins. Actually, it’s not so much doing them, it’s remembering to add the darn things. I always shoot them, but usually get lots in the last minute shuffle.
Do you know how well the fenix’s do in the cold ?
I’m looking to use the Fenix 6s for a multi-day backcountry ski trip at sub -20 degrees celsius.
How long do you think the battery would hold in Ultratrac mode?
Am I understanding correctly that the only difference between version 010-02158-11 and version 010-02158-17 is the black bezel and nylon strap and 100€?
If so, that’s a shame – i really want a pro, sapphire with black bezel and black strap. But a 100€ extra + a strap seperately is over the top imo..
Btw thanks for the Clevertraining discount! Once i figure out which one to get i’ll order from there!
Mostly because optical HR underwater isn’t super accurate across any units I use. Also, I do actually cover it within the comparison database.
I did some testing with it, and it was ‘blah’ at best. The challenge with HR underwater (even chest straps) is that for most swimmers, HR will lag considerably comparative to effort underwater. It’s not usually as responsive as it is above-water for most athletes.
From the energy expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the drop in load from the solar netted ~6-7% gain in battery life, correct? Trying to gauge what energy savings someone might expect after a full day of hiking in sunny weather.
Yeah, I gained 4% battery on a different day (at lower altitudes, a few weeks later, all sun), so my guess is 6-7% or more at a far higher altitude would be in the ballpark of correct.
Shimano Di2 & D-Fly: Remote Control the Fenix 6??!
As you may know the Shimano Di2 is capable to remote-control the Garmin Edges via the D-Fly Module. E.g. you can swipe through the datapages, Start/Stop a Round, etc. by pressing the ‘hidden Buttons’ on the latest STI-leavers. Can you remote control the fenix 6 like the edges as well? I know that the fenix 5 plus was NOT controlable.
Could someone that has the D-Fly unit try out that feature on the fenix 6? Thank you!
Ray a quick question on the solar model,
You reviewed a whihle ago an Myskintrack from la’roche and you mentioned that this could be perhaps included in future watches, now being the Fenix 6 solar does the hardware support this kind of UV mesurements or is this not possible?
cheers marc
Ray – do you have any idea if a longer 20mm strap is available for the 6s? I intend to wear it daily in a formal office environment and much prefer the sleekness and smaller watch face of the 6s but have a 170mm circumference wrist and the watch is on the second last hole.
Quick query. From reading your review and many others on the Internet I haven’t see one mention of the OHR issues in the review itself which suggests none of the reviewers experienced this issue. However from the comments here, posts on the Garmin forum and my own experience it seems to be common enough that I would have thought some reviewers would have come across it?
Reviewers by now consider it to be known that OHR has its limitations. Serious measuring will never be done with OHR, at least those in wrist worn devices.
It’s different of course for a malfunction that’s more than wild measuring margins.
Agree that a OHR has limitations. I use a Chest HRM for when exercising, but leverage the wrist OHR for general metrics measuring when not exercising. The issues of the Fenix 6 OHR not working correctly isn’t due to it being a wrist heart rate as the wrist heart rate on my 645M works fine. It is a bug/defect in either the software or hardware. I’m surprised that it wasn’t noted in any reviews and was wondering if it was due to different firmware versions or Garmin hand checking any review models they send out or some other reason.
No, I didn’t see the specific issue that was related to people’s OHR sensor not turning on at all. Basically it was a blend of a manufacturing issue and specific body/sin composiion with an easy software fix so that it wasn’t going to sleep. For whatever reason I didn’t fit that body type that was triggering it to occur more frequently (again, combined with some slight variances in manufacturing). That’s the firmware update they’re pushing out to the sensors. You can download it sooner if you need to.
RE: General OHR stability
I covered this in my accuracy section in plenty of detail, so I suspect this isn’t what you’re talking about
RE: OHR vs Chest Strap
There’s pros and cons to both. I definitely don’t subscribe to the theory that somehow chest straps are the end-all be all of HR measurement. One only needs to look at the long history of people having issues with chest straps to see that. How quickly everyone has forgot that the most popular posts every year on this site prior to optical HR sensors were how to troubleshoot the same chest strap dropouts/spikes/cadence locks/etc… What’s old is new again, we all just pretend to blame the new stuff instead.
In fact, in my reviews you’ll often see cases where chest straps from all vendors (Garmin, Polar, etc…) have accuracy failure moments, typically towards the start of workouts – even with wetness.
My original query was around the OHR Not Turning On Issue. I’ve seen the 2.30 firmware was posted and now there is a 2.32 beta to further address OHR issues. I’m hopeful they resolve this issue and generally have a stable watch firmware as I am looking to buy another one (returned the first) in Oct/Nov depending on how the firmware stability looks. Unfortunately I depend on a Garmin watch enough that I had to revert back to my 645M.
Yes I’m in the that chest strap boat. Maybe my sweat is more saline then average I dont know. But even with regular cleaning, my chest strap rarely lasted a year. Eventually I followed some posts about how general cleaning might not actual do enough. Long story short me and some other tended to clean with soaking in alcohol to desolve the salt deposit. it helped up. But within doing that the HR dropout and spike were maddening. Enough that I gave up and wanted OHRM. Its got its own issue. But admist all this trial and error. I’ve become quite proficient with RPE. I dont need a watch to tell me my heart rate is jacked up way to high or not high enough. One day maybe HRM in some fashion will be reliable. until then. Its just guidance data. imho
The link is to the ‘alleged fix’ which doesn’t work, as per the myriad of comments from frustrated customers of 6X watches that have faulty HR sensors.
I would encourage anyone thinking f buying one of these to read this link before going ahead as currently there is a high rate of product failure.
The vendor I purchased from has refunded me today acknowledging they are getting lots of returns on faulty Fenix 6 HR monitors
If you look at the point in which Garmin releases the firmware, there are exactly two people that say they’re still having some sort of issue, one of which was 5 days ago.
Nobody is saying there wasn’t issues. What I’m asking is if you applied the update and if it fixed the issue, or if you just returned it without the update.
Hi Ray,
I have a brand new 6X Sapphire, which had the problem. I did the beta update and it seems to have resolved the problem.
I’m curious what the root of the problem is. I was hoping you might have some insight or knowedge of what went sideways. Meaning is there a simple timing problem that wasn’t discovered during development, and they got bit in production? Or is this a distinct manufacturing issue?
Wondering if having a watch with this problem will be a downside at some point.
Hemming and hawing on whether to return or not. I bought from the nice folks at Clever
I received the same feedback from them about the 6X Pro Sapphire: “We currently do not have an estimate on when we will receive this product.” In Europe, some models are currently not available in stock.
Maybe Ray could contact them and make this clear. According to reviews this is daily business, accepting the money while items are not in stock.
It should not be linked on this site until it’s clear if they are in stock or not.
Sorry for the troubles. My guess here is that the support person you’re talking to doesn’t see the inbound shipment of units (meaning, they don’t have access to that system), and thus the ordering platform does see that inbound shipment – shows it as 5-7 days – and is specifying that accordingly.
Still, I’ve escalated to validate that’s the case. Keep in mind that sometimes (ok, often) – Garmin does change how much stock they had planned to send to a retailer. CT tends to be pretty conservative with that metric (meaning, they usually add buffer because they don’t tend to believe most companies). But sometimes it goes even beyond that.
Got after the email yesterday about not being able to confirm a delivery date today an email that is has been shipped ;-)
So, a bit of patience at launching a new product/series is always necessary.
Virtually every SKU except the solar went out Friday and should be cleared up back-order wise, save a couple of very near-term orders.
Looking at this, I missed that you were on solar specifically, let me poke them on that one. I know they did fix the backorder status lengths, and I know more orders were set to show up this week (again). But let me check on solar SKU.
I’m not sure but to me it looks like Garmin should re-think their rollouts/announcements.
Emotions across all forums and comments I read are very negative considering the alpha stage they release their products in and the problem with stock.
I got some clarity last night, and also helped figure out why folks were seeing one thing but getting another (in terms of timelines).
There was a bug that was showing two different dates. If you looked at the drop-down it was showing ‘Expected Late September’ (the correct date). However, for that DLC Solar SKU, it was also showing incorrectly “5-7 Days” up above higher on the page, which wasn’t updating based the selected SKU below. This only impacted the Solar SKU, the remainder of the SKU’s were updating correctly.
No matter, the case now is that Garmin has pushed out delivery of additional 6X Solar units now till late October for all regions. CT has updated the page as such (to October) in both US and EU/UK. You’ll note this is inline with what Garmin is telling others, which range from late October to late November. I don’t know why there’s such a delay, though typically when we look at huge shifts in parts without any known issues – it likely means a supply constrained part.
Additionally, CT UK is going to be reaching out via e-mail to those UK folks who got hosed by the Solar timing display bug with some options (as well as a bit of an apology).
I mean I hate to say I told you so, but like I said in my initial post about Solar being not available, it really sounded like my source was saying this was more than just a quick supply issue. I went and looked again and obviously this could mean about anything, but the Garmin employee said “I guess we are still tweaking them regarding the solar panel.” That could obviously be pure speculation, but the note went on to be less speculative that it wasn’t expected that this was a short thing, either. Which was why I looked at Garmin’s site and got worried about the 5-8 week thing. :(
Solar units went out, but clearly yields aren’t as high as they want – hence the delays. So it’s not as though they haven’t shipped units, it’s just not shipping as many as they wanted.
Sorry Chris – but to be clear, this is impacting all retailers on all continents. Unfortunately like most retailers, they can’t control when Garmin decides to move the goalposts. One only need to look at the Fenix 5 launch to see that (though, Garmin has done better, mostly, lately in that regard).
Sure, I understand. But as customers we can only put pressure on the retailers to hopefully propagate upwards.
I’m very disappointed. Garmin does this (same for Software) all the time and this is not how you run a business. They should really think about how they do rollouts and how it affects their customer base.
I’ve always gone for the sapphire editions in past I work outdoors and it’s hard as nails, never scratched it. I’m wondering how tough the solar glass is?
Great review! I’m currently using 920XT. Due to serious issue with irritated skin caused by HR band I’m considering Fenix 6. Do you know if the HR registered by Fenix6 can act as an external sensor for other devices (i.e. Wahoo Elemnt)? In order to do so, it should send HR signal by ANT+ or BT. Can’t find confirmation it has or hasn’t that functionality.
I’ve got the 6 saphire — hooked up my rhythm sensor and saw it displyed and pick up on the watch. but on the run the HR was way off — on a tempo run was showing 90 bpm. Took it off and the watch showed 140 which was about right. ANyone else seeing this w/ non garmin tools?
With all the GPS options available to us, is there a good general guideline on which setting to use? I live in the central US so I’m not sure Glonass would be helpful, but I’ve read that Galileo isn’t fully implemented yet, so does that mean just normal GPS will give me the best results?
I use GPS+GLONASS on my Edge 830 and Fenix 5+. GLONASS satellites aren’t hovering over Russia and Galileo aren’t hovering over Europe. Synchronous orbits are too valuable to use for something like a positioning system. GPS satellites are in 12 hour orbits and cover the entire planet, and I assume GLONASS and Galileo are in similar orbits with similar coverage.
My Fenix 5x I’ve been using GPS+GALLILEO. Not sure why I switched, probably because it was new, and at some point its claimed to be better. That said. Like anyone here thats had more than 10 GPS devices over the years, you learn to be patient and accepting. No matter what setting, you’ll just have some bad tracks. No reason or explanation. I like to think that satellite just freak out and add 10m to a dimension broadcast or something. I’ll run a looped trail and on the third lap, it will just flake out. and add like 5m only on one axis. So the entire track is shifted. unless its an actual race (which it very aggravating) you learn to live with it. No device is great ..all.. the time.
PulseOx – I read the info above. Read about how there sensor issues, and new firmware. That said. Put on your salesman hat. Why do I want PulseOx info from sleep. Whats its really really telling me. Just like some of the running dynamics stuff added a few years back. Interesting data, but what do you really do with it. (exception being the left/right balance, that I do really like). I already dont sleep enough. Usually sleep quite well. Whats pulseOx likely to indicate? Thanks for the PulseOx – for – dummies answer….
The ski maps, pace pro, increased battery and battery modes all seem to make this watch perfect for me (golfer, runner, skier, hiker, etc). Specifically the 6x Sapphire (I care a lot about durability and duration, which is why I prefer the 6x to the 945). I’m coming from a VivoActive 2, which I loved, but it crapped out on me after almost 3 years. The past few VivoActive increments haven’t increased battery life and I feel like they’ve gone backwards in durability. So I have one simple question…..
Realistically, how long can I expect a 6x Sapphire to last me? I’m assuming the enclosure, screen and outer components will be ok, but the charging connection and internal battery, I don’t know. I don’t care about newer features or having the latest style. My VivoActive 2 was solid, and until now I haven’t seen a reason to jump on new features (not having to pull out a phone when I’m skiing is huge and the golf updates push it over the top). I like the look and this does 99% of everything I’ll ever need.
Do any of the users have anecdotal evidence from wearing their Fenix watches for over 5 years? It’s not like dropping $850 will kill me, but I’d like it to last 5 years if possible. Even if that sounds crazy on a smartwatch…..
My Fenix 1 still works. I used it as my daily wear in addition to recording activities for maybe 3 years. Replaced it with an Epix when the Epix came out, and the Epix was replaced a week later with an Apple Watch as my daily. The Epix still works as well, but didn’t get the daily usage the Fenix did. Now I have a Fenix 5+, and I’m waiting for my just arrived iPhone 11 Pro to finish updating before I pair my just arrived AW5 with it. The Fenix 1 and the Epix are now powered down; I turn them (and my other retired devices) on about every 6 months when we switch from daylight to standard and back to make sure they’re still working right. In short, I wouldn’t worry about the durability of a Fenix.
A lot depends on how much you use it outside of “watch mode”. My fēnix 5X has lost about 25% battery capacity in two years. Now it doesn’t have enough capacity anymore for an ultramarathon that requires substantial navigation. I use it 6-7 days a week for workouts.
I have a buddy who had an f3 fail completely dead at about 2.5 years. The gasket in the “start” button had ruptured resulting in a lot of sweat intrusion.
Just wondering whether the increased number of datafields on the screen will show up on Extended Display? Or does Extended Display limit it to just the traditional 4 fields (plus the timer field on the Edge itself)?
Hey Ray,
You’re the best product reviewer! Got my 6x (pro) Sapphire yesterday. All the buttons make a very noticeable double click sound when pressed – and feel less stable than prior watched. I don’t remember any clicking sounds with my 5x or my 3HR. Can you or anyone else expand on this new being “normal” or not?
Scott
Hi folks,
I use a Fenix 3 and consider buying a new device. Since heart rate with chest belt is fine with any watch, gps accuracy ist the most important feature for me. My f3 performance disappointing under trees, messing up actual pace totally (shown as pace per 1km Autolap). Is any of the new Garmin’s better when it comes to gps? Which one should I go for – F6, 935 or 945?
Any of them, paired with a footpod. I know this is not the answer you want, but it is the right answer as far as I read on the internet. See link to fellrnr.com.
I just pushed the update for the 6xpro, and it seems to have resolved the problem.
I’m curious what the core issue is. Comms with the sensor hub going down? Or the sensor hub not properly programmed to chat up the sensors? (I assume Garmin is using an off the shelf sensor hub….but it’s an assumption)
Note: those installing should be aware that there are different files for the different devices. if you don’t select the right one, nothing will happen.
Ray, I just got the Fenix 6 and it is working great but since I have been using it I have noticed some quirks with Garmin Connect
1. When I do an indoor workout on Zwift but not using a Garmin device but the workout is downloaded to Garmin Connect it does not add the workout to intensity minutes and does not apply it to training status or to calories burned. The workout is there but that is it…
2. Also when working out indoors on Zwift or outdoors using my Garmin 1030 the HR showing in Garmin Connect Never show my HR from the workout so my high HR is never right. I have Physo True turned on.
3. Body Battery is also off because of this doesn’t take into account Zwift workout
Your item 2 might not be just related to F6. I have the same behavior on my F3HR as well. Somewhere along the way the watch(es) stopped recording heart rate strap data outside of an activity that is being recorded on the wautch.
Thanks for the reply even though that does suck..Any ideas why they don’t have the capabilities…It really makes the app useless if you indoor train..Too bad.
I guess training peaks works but it would be nice to have everything in one app especially since I have the Fenix and 1030
Can anyone with the 6x Solar version comment on the actual crystal size? There is plenty of debate about screen protector or not. Degraded solar charging ability. Does it reduce clarity. Etc etc etc. All that said, we know sapphire will be harder. But one should consider the solar option has (or should in theory) be a selling point for ultra marathoners and those others with long timed events. Those sorts of events also tend to have increased likelihood of trips, falls, spills that can scratch a display. Maybe you just carry a USB charger as always and go with sapphire. Go solar is pretty cool tech, even for incremental gain. What do you ultra runners think, an for those with the solar, what is the mm diameter of the crystal display
Completely normal for any Garmin device that supports music. Get a copy of Android File Transfer and you’ll be able to see and use the file system if you need to. (Express will complain that it needs to shut Android File Transfer down when you start it, so only use it when you’ve shut down Express.) Express has no problems seeing it, but no other Garmin software that I occasionally use (BaseCamp, MapInstall) can see my 5+.
Has there been any testing on slow- or no- movement accuracy, or “GPS drift”? I had the Fenix 3 and discovered that at slow speeds (ie mountaineering, climbing, etc), small drift would add up to large discrepancies on total distance. For example, I would go on a 20km mountain scramble, and the rest of the people in my group would only have gone 18km.
At the extreme, I set up the watch stationary outside overnight along with 3 other devices. The Fenix “moved” about 2km, whereas the other devices were limited to a few meters.
I went back and forth with Garmin for months over this, and it was never resolved. My conclusion was that it was a hardware issue.
So – has this been fixed? Has anyone tested this?
I don’t typically do stationary GPS tests, mostly because I’ve yet to get a clear reason where the actual use case is (though, climbing could potentially be one). I tend to fall in the camp that if you’re not moving, there’s little need to use a GPS device in an always-on/always-recording scenario.
And if you’re climbing, the obvious fix that others use and Garmin doesn’t, using the accelerometer to see if you’re actually moving, will fail anyway.
Thanks Ray — long time reader (since 2011?) and much appreciative of your work. That said I also have some choice words for Clever UK … I ordered a 6x Solar on Sept 4 (delivery 3-5 days). I have inquired several times and today the latest response from their teams (at least kudos here – they do answer) is that inventory is expected the week of Sept 30th, and “The expected date of inventory is still the same and should be dispatched within 24 hours and after the product is dispatched it can take up to 3 weeks to reach you.”
Ray – In short I think you need to re-evaluate the impact of associating your brand with Clever if that is how they play. I for one will likely cancel my order and pay full price elsewhere
PS: Clever had no problem charging my account immediately (!)
PSS: The website has claimed every day since Sept that “Availability: Ships in 5-7 Business Days” – this is still true today, and I suspect that is what they will claim even next week as Sept 30th comes and goes.
At this point – they should come clean with your customers and offer another 10% in the way of compensation
What a fantastic in-depth review! I am glad to stumble across this article.
Article mentioned the lug-to-lug distance is significantly less so it will be better for smaller wrists. Is 5″ circumference acceptable for the optical heart rate sensor accuracy? And I prefer to wear Garmin on inside of my wrist during runs so not sure if it will affect its sensor accuracy. I currently own legacy 920XT so this will be a huge upgrade for me.
Hey Ray, question for you about the Fenix 6 since you seem to be able to talk to the dev team and engineers and may have some ideas. I contacted support for an issue with my Aftershokz Aeropex headphones. If i have the watch on the left wrist and listen to spotify on the watch and run or walk or do anything, the connection is rock solid no issue. As soon as i run using GPS, tested using the my coach feature in a run, the music cuts out and sputters. It possibly seems like some GPS dead spots or tree cover make the connection even worse. I asked support if they are lowering the bluetooth power when in a activity, since it works absolutely perfectly outside with the exact same conditions. They said they were not engineers and couldnt help me or tell me anything, only to move the watch to my right wrist, which i hate the feeling of. Any ideas? Do you know if they do in fact lower output while in activities? Its the Fenix 6 titanium sapphire and both the watch and the headphones are fully charged. The headphones work fine with my phone in a camlebak on bike rides with no issue whatsoever also.
Hi Ray,
After enjoying your review and getting the Fenix 6 mainly for navigating on my MTB rides along with some HR readings, I am majorly disappointed by how unusable the navigation in practice seems to be.
Just check my screenshot to see what I mean. Basically there are no useful indications in the navigation about where to go next. The turn cues sometimes produce useful results just to be totally off or not existent on other occasions. And map based routing which would be able to give clear graphical instructions using a white arrow only works for very short routes.
Already escalated this to Garmin with no reply. Maybe you get the chance to get their view at some point.
For now I utterly regret spending that amount of money on the item :(
I agree — the watch does have turn by turn information it can tell you about before starting, but once you get rolling it only tells you if you are off track and by how much. Not helpful if you are unfamiliar with the area. Felt like Marco-Polo. I did find the trail mapping useful on a complex trail while walking. I opted to go with a basic map/music/wifi-free Fenix 6 instead.
I copied a .fit file from Training Peaks onto my Fenix 6X, like I used to do with my fenix 3. But now that I have the watch disconnected I cannot find Workouts in the navigation system.
I ordered a Fenix 6x Pro Solar from Garmin online on August 29th in Germany because it was directly available at that time. Now it should be available again from mid-November, that’s not nice.
The Fenix 6x Pro Solar has everything I want, but at 3 points I still see question marks:
– The optical heart rate measurement is not so accurate, but this is like all other companies, including Polar, with Polar Precision Prime the precise measurement wanted to have. But technically, accurate optical heart rate measurement is difficult to implement.
– GPS accuracy is not always accurate. It’s also not clear if dual-frequency GNSS is really much better. Current tests show no significant improvements in dual-frequency GNSS compared to single-frequency GNSS in fast movements such as running.
– Integrated power meter in the clock would have been nice, but is it really that accurate? Polar is proud of its built-in power meter, but I’m seriously wondering if it’s technically accurate on the wrist.
I upgraded from a Fenix 3 to the Fenix 6X. Love the new display, but have a question regarding workouts. On the Fenix 3 when I programmed a workout with intervals it showed the whole interval in virtual partner, i.e. 6 miles at 8:00 min/mile would show on the virtual partner page how I was doing on that interval. This morning on the workout I had a 6 mile piece that it was recording, but showed me the pace of each mile and no overall on the piece. How do I change it to give me how I am doing on the whole piece as I would like to run a marathon with 5K segments? Thanks.
I however have one question. I’m deciding between a Marq and a F6. Base on what you were saying, they have identical internal hardware so how is it that you weren’t so impressed with the Marq Sony’s chip accuracy but the issue was not so much of a problem with the F6.
thanks for the review, a very nice over-and-over read ;-).
A few questions though:
1. from a software perspective feature, all the Fenix 6 Pro variants share the same functionality?
2. besides the different size, there’s no other difference (software wise) between Fenix 6 Pro and Fenix 6X Pro
Tudor- yes. unlike the older Fenix watches where the larger X version had additional mapping functions- all of the Pro versions are functionally identical- except for size (obviously) and battery life.
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I’m torn between the 6 Pro and 6X Solar.
What would help is in the photos you could caption which watch it is we are looking at, I know some of the photos is the Solar due to the watch face, but others I’m not sure on.
Is it possible to Show the a comparison of how all the watches including the Forerunner 945 look on your wrist to get an idea on the size of these…
Cheers
S
Here is an image of all fenix 6 one one arm
link to soyacincau.com
Cheers for that.
Hmm, seems the F6X is quite big, just need a side shot to check the thickness.
Hi DC,
Great review as always. I purchased a fenix 5 plus at the start of the year. Do Garmin tend to provide some updates to legacy models ie could we see the new firstbeat metrics on the 5 series or do they tend to remain static please?
many thanks and best wishes,
Mark.
I would not say they tend to do that, no. Sadly. I upgraded from 5 to 5+ since the software on the 5 was not updated with the 5+ release.
It sucks.
They actually have in the past. Though, there’s no plans to this time around.
I’d encourage folks to look back at the firmware update listing to see just how much stuff gets added after release: link to www8.garmin.com
Can anybody tell me if Fenix 6 (or 5) overlooks steps when it’s not on the wrist but there is an external cadence sensor connected which it hasn’t switched to? I just discovered my F3 HR has this shortcoming.
This is all the website shows.
I happen to have nbr 5.40.
They’re keeping the watch updated longer than they do the site. Which, I have to admit, is better than the opposite…
But still a bit weird.
Hi Ray,
Is the 6S the only one with a smaller lug to lug distance?
Thanks
on the Garmin forums, someone posted a comparison of a Fenix 5 Pro and Feinx 6 Pro,.
Looks like the lug was shorter on these as well
Is there a difference between the display of the solar one and the normal 6x with gorilla glass regarding visibility and clarity/brightness?
Great review Ray!
How is the bluetooth headphone reception on it? I’ve got a 5 plus that I’ve loved – music without a phone on a jog is fantastic – however when using my Jabra Elite 65t’s with it I find I need to wear it on my right arm otherwise audio keeps cutting out.
Any idea if this is improved with the 6? How is Bluetooth audio on it?
Thanks!
I have the Elite Active 65T. Generally bluetooth appears improved vs the 5x plus and MARQ. I wear my watch on the left and have had no issues so far.
With the 6 & the Elite Active 65T? Which model 6 are you using?
Any idea if it’s better with pairing connecting initially as well? Mine always seems slight spotty to connect.
Only say this as the major issue for the 5 plus for me has been the fact I need to use my right arm for audio purposes.
I use the Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless- wore my Fenix 6X Pro on my left wrist. Paired successfully without me having to redo the process 15 times like before.
No dropouts during my 30 minute run either- really happy with this.
6x Pro Solar (also have a MARQ) the Jabra buds do a weird thing where they are looking for a propitiatory connection in the first 10 seconds or so to set the “moment” via the Jabra app. So your best bet is to always have the phone as the 1st device and the watch as the 2nd (my experience). I pull the headphones out of the case, let them connect to the phone, and then start music on the watch. Works great. You get some connection oddities (skips and such) as the phone is disconnecting when you run away from your house, but otherwise performance is brilliant.
Thanks – that’s really helpful. Looks like I’ll pull the trigger on getting the 6 in that case!
I’m wonder if OHR works during swim, does training load counts this activity? Or do I need to use HRM belt as I do now?
@Garmin: any plans to add wrist based swimming HR to older units (F5, FR 935, F5+)?
Can you load audiobooks onto the 6? Audio books on wearables is a big topic of discussion among my running mates, but we can’t find much about it anywhere.
You can add your own audio files, so if the audio books are in a (non drm?) format it should work.
Pity that Garmin hasn’t found a way to let us use audiobooks in the format we buy them in.
So from my understanding all the models are available for purchase right now except for the solar ones which will be available towards October, correct?
Already a firmware update, just last night uploaded version 3.0 in my 6X pro solar
3.0 is the initial public release.
My question is about the glass, Gorilla vs Sapphire. I’m clumsy, and watch faces don’t survive with me… until Sapphire came along. Nearly 2 years later and my Fenix 5 still has no scratches. So how strong is the 6x Solars glass compared to the sapphire models?
Good question, i want to know too how is gorilla glas compared to saphire.
Same here.
I am in the same boat! DC says it is Gorilla Glass v3 (with DX coating) which is a pretty old recipe. I owned a Fenix 3HR and currently a 5X. Both had suffered zero scratches or breaks in the sapphire glass. I really need to know how close Gorilla Glass v3 & sapphire are together in regards to durability!
It will scratch easier than sapphire. I’m a bit worried about it myself, but willing to see how it holds up due to the additional clarity and the solar feature is pretty cool
Well, yes. But how much is what I am wondering. Also, the impact resistants is an issue! I love the idea, but it just will not be practical if the glass is super fragile. I think i will wait it out and see what people say.
Gorilla glass is level 6 hardness whole saphire is level 9, might not sound as much but it’s a huge difference. You will scratch gorilla glass at some point 100%
“Gorilla Glass 3 with DX Coating” – To clarify, is it:
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX or
Corning Gorilla Glass 3 DX+
I had the exact same concern. Although I bit the bullet an bought the solar, hopefully it works out okay :P
It is Gorilla Glass DX:
link to corning.com
I put a grinder with a flap disc to the saphire glass to see and had it on there 5 seconds…it ground down bezel glass was dang near flawless…I held it there till it finally scuff burnt it and it took alot of pressure and time on it….i do fabrication and build buggys cant tell you how many times I’ve swung an arm to metal with the face of mine….
Point is I’ll SKIP the solar one with gorilla glass for the saphire one that i know personally is tried and true…headed to get my 6 pro saphire tomorrow
The GarminLabs running power apps don’t seem to be compatible with this device? Just tried to download, only goes up to the Fenix 5?
Run one done: looking good! (didn’t “soak” the watch prior to starting, used every second recording and GPS+GLONASS)
Check out my running activity on Garmin Connect. #beatyesterday
link to connect.garmin.com
I am also extremely pleased that my Sennheiser Momentum True Wireless are fantastic with this watch!!
(My former watch, the MARQ Expedition, did a poor job playing music so it had to go back)
That is too funny. It is all in how you brand! Pretty soon we’ll see organic, farm raised Lucky Charms….
…will that button be next to the Nacho Cheese Dispenser button?! Please, Please, Please!!!!
Do you know why Garmin isn’t using bluetooth version 5? I can’t find any info online but it seems odd that they are still only on 4.0 when most new devices are on version 5. Unless I misunderstand what 4.0+ means..
5 is mainly for range (40 meters comparing to 10).
1.6Mbps (theoretical) against 1Mbps
Does it really worth it?
In theory it’s also “less power consumption” but most of the chips on the market shows same in practice.
thank you. That is good to know.
EU/UK code DCR10BTF doesn’t work in garmin PT store. Says it’s not valid :(
Hi Ita-
You’ll need to use it on Clever Training EU/UK, not on the Garmin site.
Cheers!
-Ray
Pretty disappointed there wasn’t a Forerunner 945 vs Fenix 6 section. You know that’s a hugely popular question you’re going to be asked continuously for the next year.
You do realize you can compare them yourself on this site…?
link to dcrainmaker.com
Yes, but he even in his comments said garmin has committed to some features but not others (bringing them to the 945).
ie if a triathlete needs a watch, would he recommend a fenix 6 or a 945? feature-wise, they’re almost identical. Given that, his opinion would be super interesting.
IMO it all comes down to the battery life you need.
I can’t remember Ray ever did an entire comparison section in one of his reviews. I guess because in the end it comes down to every individual preferences and needs.
And even assume he would do a section where he compares the 945 with the fenix 6, people will start asking for numerous such comparison sections. So where to draw the line? Which devices deserve a comparison section and which do not?
From #7 citing Ray:
I will “pull together a more specific chart for those two. It’s tricky with the larger comparison charts from a database perspective, else the entire chart basically just becomes a ‘Garmin product comparison database’, since it’s frankly rare that we see new feature innovation that’s easliy listable from the primary competitors in this space. ?
The main differences once the firmware updates are done though is primarily physical in nature (look/materials), but also it’ll be the Fenix 6 will have stronger golf support, better ski resort support, and up to 8 data fields for the 6X (the FR945 will get 6 data fields). Additionally, the battery aspects are still TBD if Garmin will adopt them. That’s it.”
First of all thank you for [one more] great review!
Am I right that ClimbPro also exists on 5X/S and I need just to load a track to see details?
But what is really interesting is how much “power” they add to 6 against 5? Sometimes I try to load navigation data from Strava/Wikiloc and if I use “low detailed” track (about 500-600 points on 20-30 km) all works well. But if I use detailed track (10k points on 20-30 km which may be useful on hilly forest) watches just hangs, reboot sometimes and even lost trainings data.
This looks like “not enough memory/CPU for this”.
Is this kinda improved in 6 or 1030 unit still the best solution?
Climbpro was first added on the 5 plus line. It only works with a course. Hopefully Garmin will implement it to work more like “segments” so that it can be used on the fly.
I think this limitation has to do with whether you load a track or route. These have different limitatoins in number of datapoints.
Awesome write up! I just got the 6X solar and at first the solar intensity widget showed a numerical % which was really cool, but now after the 3.00 update, there is no % anymore. Any thoughts on this coming back? I really wish it would. Thanks!
And so, the neverending update hell has begun. :-)
Great Article, thanks.
“except for the specialty units that come with an extra strap.”
Which are considered “specialty units”? What extra strap do you get?
Thanks.
The titanium versions come with a silicon strap as well, for example.
Like usual, excellent review. Exquisite, bellisimo! :)
“Like past Garmin watches, you still (for now) have to configure these on the watch itself and not via a smartphone app. I think Garmin gets the desire for folks to configure them on a phone or web app, but they aren’t there yet.”
Yeah, that’s Pain in the Ass.
For me personally, it’s one of Garmin’s biggest shortcomings after switching from previous Suunto and Polar. Inability to edit sport modes from a mobile application or from a computer. As you stated, Garmin is so much bigger than these 2. Yet, they struggle for… how many years now? 3? 4? 5? To implement sport editing mode via mobile/desktop app… C’mon.
Also, adding a single POI (when I’m not physically in this particular place) also requires a lot of gymnastics or the use of awkward third-party applications.
Does anyone know or can someone tell us what’s the lug to lug distance for the 6s, 6 and 6x models? The diameter is important, but the lug to lug distance too (for anyone with a small wrist to decide which model is the best for him/her). Thank you!
Can someone clarify, please? Is the 10% solar panel right under the glass? And thus blocking the display a bit? Is it reducing contrast or brightness of the display, or do you get more reflections? How does it compare to sapphire glass?
One more question? Why is the 100% solar strip only one millimeter, there is a space for maybe 3-4mm strip (between the screen and the actual edge)! Could have been taking 4x more energy from that part!
You wouldn’t know it was there if Ray didn’t tell you. The ring around the display is interesting, because as the angle of the sun changes you can see it a bit more/less around the display, but under the display you wouldn’t know anything was there. The glass over the display is more clear than my MARQ or 5x Plus.
Hi there
Very good review. Thanks.
Is trailrunning now measuring (or calclulating) VO2 max?
Thanks!
Just received my 6x Pro and all is well except unable to change map theme to Popularity or Ski Resort as they don’t appear in the menu. Any ideas?
I received my fenix 6x Pro Solar Titanium Carbon Gray DLC today. I’ve always installed Skinomi TechSkin screen protectors on my previous Garmin watches. However, Skinomi has yet to have the 6x protectors in stock. Therefore, I installed a fenix 5x protector onto my 6x, which covers all but the outer 1mm of the display including the solar absorbing ring. I can confirm that the screen protector does not interfere with the solar functions of the 6x!
Just to clarify above, the screen protector is covering the solar absorbing ring, but is not interfering with it’s functionality.
Thanks for this great review and the discount code. Will upgrade my 5s to 6x pro now. Really looking forward to use the music, payment and training recovery and training advice functions.
Did you get the discount code to work (USA)? I’ve tried everything and can’t get it to work…
Unfortunately Garmin is usually excluded from the 10% discount in the US. If you join the VIP program then for items where they are excluded from the discount you get 10% in VIP points instead which are good for a dollar each off a future purchase. It’s not as convenient as a straight discount but it’s still better than paying full price. I look at as it just means I have a little extra money to spend come the black Friday sales.
Hi Ray,
How does the size of Fenix 6 S (screen and overall) compared to Vivoactive 3 (sans music).
Thanks!
I assume, the lack of roadmap of most 6 features to fenix 5/+, is a foggy “don’t buy fenix” message to non hardcore sports enthusiasts. That is however, clear and early “don’t buy fenix 6+” message when it comes out. You know what will happen to it when 7 comes out a year after. Also garmin, for the love of sake, change the looks of fenix watches a bit. Physically solid watches don’t have to have ugly faces and screws exposed on it (i.e. polar and suunto).
Appeal of the Fenix’s aesthetics is a matter of personal preference. I personally think these look good and the rugged style matches their purpose. Garmin also offers the simpler looking Forerunners, or the more upscale Marq series if you’re looking for something different.
So solar models are not available in the US until early October?:(((((((
Just upgraded from Fenix 5 to Fenix 6. So far really pleased. One thing that is puzzling me (and may not be that important but I really like the data). In the screenshots above it shows respiration on the sleep tracking screen (there are 3 tabs including pulse ox). I can’t se this on mine, not can I find anything about this functionality online. Anyone know how this works?
Cheers, N.
It’s probably because Ray has test every Garmin :) The respiration rate is available on the Forerunner 945, which is probably why he has it on the Connect app.
On the Fenix it’s only available when using the chest strap.
It’s coming in a soon to be released firmware update. It was announced as part of the Vivoactive 4 & Venu series.
Genuine question; can the Apple Watch replicate any of this advanced functionality? I am thinking about pacepro, maps navigation, climbpro etc.? I wonder if this functionality can be replicated through either native AW apps or 3rd party apps.
I must admit I have fallen somewhat behind in terms of connected watches, and I have been blown away by all the things the Fenix 6 series can do. So much that money I have earmarked for a new Apple Watch is now being likely re-assigned to the Garmin. I would happily pay Garmin $100 or so for an AW app to replicate this functionality
I doubt there’s anything any of the Fenix models do (software-wise) that can’t be done on Apple Watch, if the developer interest is there. I’m very much intending on going Apple Watch 5 and relegating my enormous Spartan Ultra to very long training or event use only.
The big thing is it can’t pair with ANT+ sensors. That right there is a show stopper and Apple will never fix it. (And while, of course, there are apps with maps including trails, they’re separate apps which don’t include fitness recording.)
And no always on screen, poor battery life compared to a Fenix, can’t operate off the wrist (outside of clothing in the winter). There are lots and lots of reasons not to use an Apple Watch in place of a Fenix, and I speak as a person who owns one of each (always wear the AW during the day, wear the Fenix only when I’m recording activities on it.)
I tried an apple watch for a few months and went back to Garmin. The issues for me with an Apple Watch were –
1) Closed ecosystem, my activities on my 935 hit Garmin connect and then land in Strava and Training Peaks automatically.
2) Battery life, 935 gets used for cycling, skiing and hiking. It’s quite often recording a consistent GPS feed for 8-9 hours, an apple watch would struggle to do that
3) Ant+ sensors, I still have PM’s, HRM that are using Ant+, it’s very handy having a device that can pick up both BT and Ant+
4) Functionality, the buttons on a Garmin device and the pre-configured fields, layouts, etc are just more useful and usable straight out the box. The apple touch screen is almost unusable if you’re sweating and it just doesn’t have the sports functionality that the Garmin does
My summary would be that the Apple watch is the best smart watch and is fine for someone who wants to occasionally run around the block, you need something like a Garmin if you’re an athlete and want something to help you train/perform. That gap will probably close over time and the cellular feature of the apple watch means you can leave a phone at home which is very, very compelling.
Work outdoors app has good vector mapping, you can upload routes to track & it records health data and other stats … possibly Just as much as the Fenix. I use a Fenix 5& have an Apple watch Series 4. I tend to use the apple watch more as it’s a better Smart Watch & I prefer the Stryd app on Aw. The only time I use my fenix is on the bike. Walking, running & mountaineering are all on my AW now.
I can’t understand how at the end of 2019 a smartwach that costs so much is without cellular conectivity. I can not think nowadays running with a phone straped to me or running without cellular conectivity. Although Garmin is more functionable I still prefer the Apple watch due to its cellular capabilities.
I could offer a counterpoint: I very much prefer a watch that is not trackable in real-time (like any cellular device is).
But I’m curious: what makes cellular a “must” for you when running?
+1.0
I am using Garmin watches for 15 years – and of course I had ideas what could have been done better here and there for each single model (101,201,301,305,….935) – mostly on the software side, but also better screen quality (higher contrast) and size and longer battery life – at no moment I wanted cellular connectivity.
Personally I would be very happy to be able to run without my phone yet still be contactable if someone needed me in an emergency or I needed assistance, etc. Seems a very obvious use case.
Likewise quite often I run when I travel, the ability to look at a map as I’m lost is quite handy.
Sure it can be useful, that I agree, but to say it’s a must – that’s what I don’t understand well.
Ian, aren’t the maps on the Fenix itself enough? Just curious.
There are plenty of non-cellular enabled watches so there will be plenty of options for you to stay off the grid. Even if they all adopt a chip, none of them will make you activate it.
The advantage of it is mostly safety – getting lost, getting hurt, family emergency. I use to run without any device (and enjoyed being off the grid), but after a family emergency I now run with my cell phone tethered to me which I hate. Putting a chip in the watch lets me leave the phone behind but know I can communicate if necessary.
Hmm, I think the reason why I didn’t see this as very important was that I mostly bike, and having phone is usually a given. For mostly running, yes, I can imagine the advantage.
agreed on cost. I felt like paying $700 or so when the 5x came out was insane, but i wanted the maps. Now it is over $1000 to get the top end model. That is a lot of money for something that will be out of date in a few years. I know laptops and other tech get “old” but I am having a hard time at the $1k point. I still like my 5x though a bigger screen for my old eyes and solar battery extension are starting to add features I want-music: no, payment: no. Skiing-would be nice, but not vital
Great in depth review as usual. One thing I’d like to add is the temporary loss of all 3rd party software with the new Fenix 6 models. This completely threw me for a loop because I didn’t face that when purchasing the previous Fenix. It is also would have influenced my purchasing decision. I would have waited because there is 3rd party software I count on, like ErgIQ.
surely that is only a temporary thing until the apps/firmware catches up?
Actually, a fair few companies have publicly stated that they have not received the fenix 6 SDK yet….
Unlike in the past, where the screen size / data fields have remained the same , the 6 is different – so that’s presumably why
It’s a pisser for my stryd usage and also actiface doesn’t work yet!
Looks like the Fenix 6 SDK is out and Actiface and Stryd are among the first to be updated.
I can’t seem to add the stryd datafields if I use the 6x “8 field display” – works ok on other layouts
other connnectIQ datafields seem to have the same problem, not just stryd. Makes the 6x 8 field display a bit useless for me at the moment
As usual, support suggest a factory reset !
Thanks Ray for this detailed and useful review as always !
One quick question on a smaller detail
I was looking at the Nylon band model
Ever tried this one ? Any comment or added value on confort, sweat absorption… ?
Also looking in the Nylon bands options, it seems that there is 2 kind of Nylon band finish :
– Heathered Black Nylon
– Jacquard-weave Nylon Strap – Heathered
Not very clear about the differences and which one is included in the corresponding model ?
And one last clarification about the Sapphire – Black DLC with Heathered Nylon Band model, not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
Thanks
En
Hiya,
Just got the 6x Saphire and while device is impressive – I am learning that there is practically NO apps nor watchfaces for it in the CIQ store.
The ones I really rely on like monthly calendar widget and authenticator are missing and I cannot simply ditch my 935 yet.
GPS time function is also not working, and maps take 20-30 seconds to load…
Please help me.
I have fenix6
I have a problem with Sleep Statistics. In the morning when i uplode Sleep Statistics to garmin connect show some data, Than have I trening- cycling ride (about 5h ) or sterntgth trening and after ride I transfere my data to garmin connect. Than I notic that my Sleep Statistics change after I uplode trening data: different REM, deep sleep and light sleep than in the morning. I have take ascreen shot of this if you are intersting.
Is this normal?
Great review! Makes me want to upgrade from my 5 Plus after reading about the improved GPS results on the Sony chipset.
One correction I see, the display size of the 6 has not increased by 17%. The 5 Plus has a 1.2″ circumference so the bump to 1.3″ would mean an 8% increase.
Screen size refers to the screen area. Thus, the area of a circle in this case.
The area of a circle is = Pi*r*r (r = radius, or 0.5d, d = diamter).
Once you plug all that in, you get:
1.2″ screen = 1.1304 insq
1.3″ screen = 1.3267 insq
The difference being 0.168…or 17% increase.
Wow! Thanks for explaining all that out. Really helpful and makes perfect sense!
:)
Thanks for one great review.
I have a question that you may be able to answer: if you use more than one garmin unit (in my case an etrex 30x), will the training load be updated, or it is just based on activities that are in the watch (fenix 6 or 945)?
Probably not with an etrex. Recent Garmin fitness devices do via Connect; training load is shared between my Edge 830 and Fenix 5+, and each one knows a summary of the other’s activities.
still want charging port in more convenient for use on the go place..
and for god sake, garmin, where is white 6x?!
Just tried to order the 6 Sapphire/Orange Band from Clever Training US but whenever I click Add to Basket it doesn’t get added?
Anyone else having similar issues?
Alex
Just wondering on GPS accuracy between the Fenix 6X and the MARQ Athlete. Different case materials make a difference I read recently, so is the ceramic and metal case on the MARQ an issue for the GPS when compared to the same chipset in the plastic case of the 6X?
Hi guys,
anyone has seen Fenix 6 with Sapphire and Gorilla Glass next to each other? It is clear that sapphire is more scratch resistant but some people claim that sapphire is darker. I compared my old Fenix 3 sapphire with FR 645 and Fenix 5 with normal glass and I have to say that while there is slight difference under certain angles and lower light … I would not call this significant at all. Most angles the two screens are near identical. Reflections seems kind of same as well. Anyone has pictures? Is Gorilla glass better from this point of view than the normal mineral glass on previous Garmin watches?
Thanks!
Yes that is correct. I did the same thing and put a 5X cover on the 6X solar and it does not interfere with the solar charging.
Curious about the F6x’s ability to create routes that follow hiking tracks or cycling paths or roads. My F5x will do that, though currently it suffers from a number of bugs like getting the elevation profile wrong a lot of the time, and showing ‘0 m to to next turn’ when following the route. Have those bugs been fixed in the F6, I wonder?
Also very interested in the ultra-long GPS mode which is something I’ve been fervently praying for. The use-case is obvious. Through hiking, where weeks without re-supply is a fact of life and you don’t need detailed accuracy, just the confidence that you haven’t walked off the route.
The limited zoom on the maps you mentioned bothers me. One needs that navigational context sometimes. The 5x will zoom right out, albeit not fast. It’s not hugely readable sometimes but still essential.
Hi Ray,
Isn’t the Solar charging hurt the battery life span in terms of cycles?
Tks.
Does anyone knows about the availability of the titanium editions with the titanium bracelet?
It seems that they are either unavailable in Europe at the sports stores or Garmin will offer them exclusively via generic watch stores.
The titanium edition with the orange bracelet is available though.
Yannis, I received the Titanium / Titanium 6X Solar today. Sept 10, 2019 from REI. Ordered online on August 29, 2019.
I upgraded from a Fenix 5X. I’ve only had it a few hours. The Orange Silicone band is included…
George
Is the existing sensors and features improved compared to the Fenix5? Would you say its a noticeable improvement a) the optical Heart-rate and b) first-beat features such as recovery estimate?
Ray, do you know if Garmin plans on using the solar cells of the 6X Solar line for anything else besides charging? For example, since it can measure solar intensity could in theory be used as a light sensor for automatic theme/watchface switching?
Not sure on any other purposes. I know there’s a lot they want to do with things like charge stats and stuff though that didn’t make the first software release. So expect that to mature.
Insofar as watchface theme/switching, etc, or doing ‘creative’ things. One of the things I’ve learned over the years from talking to Garmin is they they tend to be somewhat conservative on things like that. Meaning, they’ll usually be able to give you a pretty detailed engineering reason on why that works 95% of the time, but then the 5% it doesn’t work causes a balloon in support calls.
Obviously, as I’ve pointed out – doesn’t mean they always get it right. But just my hunch.
Cheers Ray! I was debating whether to go for the 6X Sapphire or the Pro Solar and besides the glass difference I wanted to make sure I wouldn’t miss on potential cool uses for the panels.
Kick-ass review as always!
Any word on whether UltaTrac has been fixed in the F6? That would be a huge change in usable battery life for all Garmins.
As far as I tried to find a solar f6x I can’t find one available right now at the US, seems like have to wait till Early October.
Thany you for your comprehensive review, Ray!
I already have my Fenix 6x and I think it is awesome! However I still have a huge complaint:
Why does garmin not use the bigger resolution of the 1,4”-screen to display more than two datafields on the map-page? Could you try to find out why the refuse to give the user the option of having 4 datafields on the map-page? I want that option badly!
And I have an other question:
Did you test the influence of the feature ‘continuous elevation correctio during activity’ when you were hiking in the alps? I don’t think that feature is doing anything.. I do have EU-maps and the DEM-map on my garmin watch, but after ‘correcting’ the elevation-data of an activity within garmin connect, there is always a HUGE discrepancy between the watch measurement and the ‘corrected’ data. The Corrected is always much, much higher.
So, why is there a discrepancy, if the measured elevation is continuously corrected on the device? Could you ask garmin?
Hi Ray,
thank you for your comprehensive review.
I’ve got one question though – would you know if there is any list of SKU numbers available?
I’ve found out that e.g. Fenix 6 Sapphire Carbon Gray DLC with Black Band is available in US as 010-02158-10, while in Germany it is 010-02158-11, the same applies to Black DLC with Heathered Red Nylon Band/010-02158-16 vs. Schwarzes DLC mit rotmeliertem Nylon-Armband/010-02158-17 (for which the band pictured is anything but red). It is similar to the rest of the models as far as I can tell.
Are those differences to SKU numbers caused by, I don’t know, different maps that are preloaded?
Cheers
Ray, when you get a chance could you add a the weights section into the review? Especially compared to a 945. I’m using the Garmin weights at the moment but would prefer to go on your independent view. Thx
I looked the weights up on clevertraining — Ray usually adds a ‘how much does it weigh’ section, but not this time.
Yeah, I’ll try and add them somewhere.
I actually did the weights as part of a unboxing video I did on three units, but haven’t edited yet (not sure I like the video).
Is there a) manual lap possibility in triathlon (multisport mode) during run
or/and b) possibility of using pacepro in Triathlon run
And – just to say it again – native power would be great thing…
No manual lap in triathlon mode, though automatic lap is still possible.
I haven’t tried doing PacePro in multisport mode, you might be able to engage it after the run has started. I’ll give it a whirl later and report back.
Thanks! I’ll try pace pro during multisport too – but without watch that is -… pretty complicated :)
Ok, I just tried. Best I can tell, there’s no way of doing it. You can’t get to the PacePro menu from inside the run (pre or during) of a multisport activity.
I’ll ask Garmin tomorrow (today is a holiday in the US and I think I’ve lit enough unrelated fires over the weekend already in that camp). I suspect this probably falls into the realm of the various things they want to tackle via updates.
Thanks for quick look.
Maybe easiest “update” for sport (and multisport) functionality is allow native run power from other devices. Thats just (my) opinion.
Hi
Thanks for the review
I had a Garmin Fénix 5 and then I get back to my old 735. This was because in two marathons the fenix gave me 2 more kms and the 735 worked perfectly.
And in another race inside a park the fenix 5 struglled and the 735 worked againd perfectly.
Now I will need to change and I don’t know if i will choose the 945 or fenix 6 pro
What do you think abou GPS accuracy? Because 2kms in a marathon seems a lot to fail
I’ve got a whole section on GPS accuracy above – where it does well, and where it doesn’t.
In general, with GPS accuracy you have to really look at the tracks. Take the marathon for example – I’d agree 2KM over is a fair bit. At the same time, if you’re 735 told you the exact same distance as the marathon, then I’d easily be able to tell you that’s wrong. Nobody except the race leaders following a painted line can run a perfect marathon* route/track. Some more details on that: link to dcrainmaker.com
Usually the actual track you ran lies somewhere in the middle.
*Fun titdibt: The Paris marathon actually paints the exact measured race line on the ground, across the entire city. It’s kinda neat.
Probably I explained me bad. The 735 marked 42,66Km while the fenix marked 44,72.
And in a garden the whole track of fenix was outside the park.
So between the 945 and the fenix 6 what would you choose for GPS accuracy?
Thanks for your help
GPS-accuracy those two devices seem to be a wash to me.
Why not use a footpod? They’re much more accurate for pace (which I believe is very important for long efforts) and should also be more precise for distance. See link to fellrnr.com.
Hi Ray – No running power with Fenix 6 series at the moment, correct?
Nothing native, nope.
I think the typical Garmin Running Power app works, though when I checked a few days ago, only one was updated in the store.
So here’s a screen grab from Garmin’s website. I saw something the same gauge the picture of the F6 on Wiggle. The gauge at the bottom looks very much like a native running power function given the zone and trainers. Are they close to a release?
No, that’s part of a handful of new graphical data fields. That specific bottom data field is cadence. There’s also ones for running dynamics, training effect, a few others, and you can also stash a reduced version of PacePro down there too.
Pace hahaha. How long do we have GPS???? What user % trains on the track? 0,003%?? Now hope it’s configurable…..
It doesn’t sound like you read what PacePro is…
Ray, do you know if those new data fields will come to FR945 as well? Thanks.
you mentioned that with iOS you can’t respond to notifications. Is this the case with Android as well? I would like to know if you can respond to whatsapp and skype chats for example. Great review!!!
Just ordered a Fenix 6 Pro but have one question…if we put a Garmin Cadence Sensor 2 on our recumbent exercise bike, will that send data to the Fenix 6 Pro and chart heart rate plus cadence over time? That way we can log indoor “rides” on nasty weather days.
Yup!
Can you answer texts and phone calls from Android phone?
that would be helpful! so i guess not..
So a $600 “smart” watch without tight smartphone integration?
I want the GPS stuff, but I also want to see notifications without pulling my phone out of my pocket. Too much to ask?
If on an Android phone you can respond to text messages. Here’s how to do it on the Fenix 5 series, I haven’t tried it on the Fenix 6, since I’m largely an iOS person:
link to www8.garmin.com
As for answering calls, there’s no microphone inside the Fenix 6, so answering calls is simply accepting the call and having the phone pick it up.
Oh, you’ll see the notifications. With an iPhone you won’t be able to do much about them, with Android maybe more. But you will see them.
But who said this is a “smart watch”? It’s for other purposes.
I am a Fenix 6 pro owner (had a fenix 5 before), and I miss some things:
1- Wikiloc app (I thought apps were compatible with all garmeni fenix devices, but it is not in the connect iq store)
2- stryd power measuring. Since stryd power is not in the connect iq store and the fenix 6 does not let me add a custom iq data field, I can only use stryd as a normal pootpod, but not as a power meter.
Do you know if they are planning to solve this soon?
Both need to be listed by the app owners as compatible (meaning, it’s not a Garmin thing).
That said, I honestly think it’s pretty silly Garmin just doesn’t mark everything as compatible and an app owner can ‘undo it’ if required. This is a really good example of: ‘If it works for Apple, it’ll work here’.
(Note: There are countless examples where that’s not true, but this isn’t one of them).
Going by this post in the Garmin forums it is probably not as simple as that in this case – jim is a seriously expert Connect IQ guru & points out that where possible that kind of auto migration has been done in the past. And the devs don’t have access yet to the SDK to release for the 6 series – they’re waiting for Garmin here.
Interesting. I’ve got some meetings with Garmin this week (including tomorrow), so I’ll try and get to the bottom of it.
Ultimately though, I don’t think it’s really acceptable (no matter how we slice it).
don’t think it’s really acceptable
No disagreement there!
just copy across the .prg files from your (eg) Fenix 5 to the same folder on the F6.
They SHOULD work but there’s always a risk.
i copied across crystal,stryd and humon….seems fine
Thanks. I would not want to be without my Stryd at the moment, doing some power focused training/racing to see what it does for me, and gaps in the record are bad for the trend tracking.
So it appears that there is native support for SMO2? Does that mean Moxy/Humon? Seems surprising that they’d go that direction before including power natively.
They’ve actually had it for a few years. Either 2 or 3 years, I can’t remember off-hand. Was trying to find my old post on it, but Google has failed me.
No kidding. I always assumed the reason I was seeing those Moxy and Humon apps in the IQ store was because there wasn’t native support.
Humon say NOT to pair their sensor to your Garmin device and use their CIQ data fields instead of the native metrics. The CIQ fields silently pair by themselves (like STRYD) and an ANT+ ID can be forced in Garmin Express.
Humon data shows fine on Wahoo’s native SmO2 so it should also work on the native fields in Garmin.
I had a moment of madness and tried the Humon Hex with MOXY’s CIQ fields and, IIRC, it worked. The reason to use MOXY’s apps would be as they have pre-canned tests that you can follow.
Funnily enough, Humon didn’t recommend using MOXY’s data fields/apps.
my thinking: let’s take the version that makes most sense, prob with solar. Scroll through review, go through comments sections with bit more detail hit order.. Done.
Wait.. what? a proprietary charge cable?? I a travel a LOT and charge cables are like socks..
But no worries the i’ll just charge wireless… Go through table to find wireless charging options.
None? wtf…
I don’t mind the price, I do mind the 3 USD cable that will be impossible to get on any airport..
This makes a great watch useless (or i could learn to never forget and loose charge cables..)
Ahh, c’mon youpmelone, you’ve been around this block long enough to know the Garmin charging cables. There’s no surprise there for you.
But, for anyone else – here’s why these companies use proprietary charging cable: They don’t kill your watch.
Seriously, that’s it. Using a standard like micro-USB, mini-USB, or USB-C on a wearable down to 100m is a non-starter. Polar tried on the M400 (a watch with a much lower waterproofing standard), it went horrifically. They’ve never made that mistake again. There just aren’t good options for both waterproof and sweatproof USB-standard ports on the market.
As for wireless charging – that could be a legit request. If only there was a standard for coil size. For example, you can’t charge my Apple Watch on Samsung’s wireless charging USB battery pack (I can charge the Samsung watch on it though). And take my Stryd pod and try and charge it on an generic wireless charging pad? Nope, won’t work either. Though oddly, if you position it just perfectly it will charge on an Ikea one. But again, not an Apple Watch charging dock.
The challenge with wireless charging and wearables is the coin alignment and size is so perfect/small that more or less you have to have custom pads for them. Or, you have to have a pad with so many coils that it just works – sorta what AirPower was supposed to be. I suspect there will be a day that Garmin gets there, but it’s not that day today – and I don’t think it really is for any other wearable either. Even finding an Apple Watch charger in an airport is near impossible (finding a person though wearing an Apple Watch to borrow their charger is easy though).
Do you have any information on the durability of the solar screen vs the sapphire? Also, if UK clever will get the titanium version with titanium band?
Great Review. I used your link to purchase a Fenix 6S through Clever Training. Quick question. I’m doing a non-standard triathlon that is a bike-swim-run-swim-run-swim and Garmin only allows 5 activities in creating a custom multi-sport profile. It does allow repeats, but the bike segment of my race doesn’t repeat, only the swim-run repeats. Do you have any suggestions as to how to record the race together? Is it easy for Garmin to make an update to allow more than 5 activities? The best option I could come up with to keep a total running time for the whole event is to select Triathlon, change the activities to Bike-swim-run, turn “repeat” on, then just skip over the bike repeats with the lap button? Any thoughts?
Thanks,
Kelley
You could also use the Change Sport feature. You can assign it to a hot key and change sports on the fly and as far as I know there is no limit. When you do this there will be an additional data page added that will show total time so you can keep track of that.
A couple of caveats though: as far as I know there is no way to include transitions when doing this, it just goes from one sport to the next so you’d have to include your transition time as part of one of the legs; it takes a little bit longer to switch since instead of just hitting lap you have to hold the hot key and then select the next sport from the menu; the last time I used the change sport feature when I uploaded to Connect each leg showed up as a separate activity instead of combined into a multisport activity, this may have changed since then but just something to keep in mind if that’s important to you.
HRV — how does the quality of the HRV from the optical sensor compare to the that collected from the strap? Is there any way to quantify? Are certain metrics based on HRV affected more than others? I’m ready to stop using a strap, but worried about “garbage in/garbage out”. Thx
Really great review. This helped me choose the base model over the 6x Pro. Thanks for the great info!
Why do you think they left LTE out of this series? Are they giving up on that or is it something they are still working out? I love my Garmin, but hate having to lug around my phone for emergencies. Would be great if they’d finally bake this in to the Fenix line.
I can’t understand the crying for LTE! For emergency cases I got myself a mini cellphone that has the size of my thumb. It fits in every pocket of my running shorts and cost 15 Euro. This one works in every country in the world while LTE with the Apple Watch f.e. could only be used at home (no roaming possible). And for other reasons my understanding is even less: Streaming music, reading messages while running? Sorry, I’m happy to have one hour per day being offline. So why putting another power-soaker inside the watch?
@JJS
Please give me a link of that tiny cellphone.
Very good idea
@jjs
Could you provide more info on that type of phone?
On my running/Biking I only need an emergency phone. Thanks
The one I own is a L8STAR BM10. You can search on amazon or ebay to find it. Works very well and has Dual-Sim either!
Can there be any variasjon in satelite reseption from a stainless steel Fenix, to a plastic 945 or a titanium Fenix?
I go out running, cycling and sea swimming twice in the middle of the week for about 1-2 hours and in the weekend for about 3 hours. sometimes i ho trail running in the woods alone.. being connected is a huge benefit that I can not do without no more. taking a phone for these activities is impossible so the connected watch is a must for me.. Furthermore I thing that in 2020 a connectedless watch is obsolete ;)
Quick question about bezels color:
In the last picture (DSC_5911), solar model (carbon grey bezel) appears on the left and another model with the black bezel on the right. Correct?
They practically look the same color…
is the fenix 6x pro has the Auto Activity Start Feature like the vivoactive 3?
It’s steel, Titan is mentioned in the title (if you click on the titan version).
I love this – am hugely tempted to get the 6s now that it’s less bulky.
Is there any chance you could add comparison photos of the 6s and the 645 (or any other relevant models, but 645 is what I have and what, for my taste, is clearly the best Garmin for style … until this new 6s and probably the vivoactive bunch that’s about to come out).
Thanks!
Kristina
Hello everyone,
Just a quick confirmation as the materials finish are not always clear on Garmin site
For the Sapphire – Black DLC model (Ref 010-02158-17) not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
Thanks
En
Hello,
Anyone got this information?
I reached Garmin support and even them cannot answer…
Even so as I understood, the bezel material remain in Titanium (therefore keeping a little lighter model) and the DLC (DLC stands for “Diamond Like Carbon”) is like a coating finish to make it look black and even more scratch resistance
DLC being pretty much the sapphire crystal of watch coatings as far as scratch resistance is concerned.
Not sure if this is the right explanation?
Thanks for any confirmation or correction
En
Hello,
Sorry to insist but anyone has the answer ?
As it would be one of the topic to make my final choice
Thanks for your feedback if any
En
Hello,
One thing I have been missing on my Garmin watches is the ability to charge the watch during an activity. For instance Suunto is supporting this. If you plug in yuor Suunto to a batterypack during an activity it will continue to record the activity and charge at the same time. None of my Garmin watches have ever been possible to charge this way, they always go into charging mode and recording activity stops.
How about this watch, does it support charging during an activity?
Br
D
Yup, it supports it.
In fact, almost all Garmin’s do. There was a period of about 18-24 months back a few years ago where they didn’t. But basically anything made in the last 3 years, or prior to about ~2015 supported it just fine.
I can charge and record on my Fenix 3 HR.
On that I had to go into Settings > System > USB Mode and set USB Mode to Garmin.
Once you’ve done that you can charge and record activities at the same time.
I can only presume you have to do the same thing in the settings with newer watches too??
I have done this successfully with my older 310XT and 910. It charged just fine while recording but, the display was not usable. I haven’t tried with my Edge or Fenix.
On my Fenix 3HR once the USB Mode is set to Garmin and you connect it to the charger there’s nothing to tell you that it’s actually charging, even though it is.
It simply functions like normal.
Of course, charging while recording is a lot easier with clip-style cables than with the Fenix plugs.
Very true! That’s probably the last thing the design engineers are thinking regarding charging ports and cords.
Can anyone tell me if lap pace on the Fenix 6S is more accurate / stable than on the Forerunner 645 (which is really erratic at the start of a mile lap), and GPS / antenna performance in general compared to the Forerunners – thanks
Comprehensive and good review as always, but missing some of the critisism that could be mentioned. After getting my F6 Pro as an upgrade for my F3 HR, I’m very happy about it, but there are some minor annoyances:
Processing power: I was expecting the F6 to be a lot more responsive on any action that my old F3 – and mostly it is snappy, and things like sattelite aquisition is a lot quicker. But new things like maps take a while to display. Generating courses on the F6 takes even longer. I get tired of watching the spinning circle in this time of instant gratification :-)
The music player is great for leaving the phone at home, and the fenix quickly and effortlessly connects to my Airpods 1gen. However, there is the occasional glitch in the music streaming. Measured in milliseconds, but a small annoyance that I never get with my Airpods connected to my iPhone.
The other slight let-down with the Spotify music player is the low bit rate quality. S’es and f’s makes a hissing sound, and the bass is not as deep, full or precise as on my iPhone or on other music systems playing from Spotify. The music isn’t as engaging. I’m not a hi-fi geek, and not as much as changing to Tidal to get super high bit rate, but I do enjoy higher bit rates and good quality on my music streaming. Hopefully the Spotify app can be made to allow for higher quality bit rate transfers in exchanger for fewer songs? Or would it also be a hardware issue for the F6 to process larger music files?
I also think the old F3 feels even more solid, and the buttons give a higher quality feel when pressed. The solidity might be due to the F3 just being bigger and heavier. I also must say like the design of the F3 better with its more rounded edges and matte bezel. The F6 has a kind of Tag Heuer et al look-alike complex. But I get that taste in design and looks are subjective :-)
These are all small annoyances rather than big flaws with the F6, but at close to $1000, I think it’s allowed to be nit-picking.
But the F6 is mostly all good, and I do love going into all the new features. And more than any small flaws or design choices, the real value is in everyday use:
Today I left my smartphone at home and put on my F6 and went for a run. It was wonderful not having the big phone along! The F6 quickly locked onto GPS signal, and off I went. Up into the mountains surrounding my city, enjoying the silence and nature, then back down towards the city center. Putting on my Airpods and turning on the music on the F6 quickly found the airpods and started playing, while also delivering audio running metrics at intervals. After descending to the city, I ran over to my favourite café, not worrying about having left my credit card at home, as the F6 handled the transaction smoothly through Garmin Pay, letting me reward myself with a post-run coffee in the sun. Life’s good.
How have you found the weight of the 6Pro while running? I was originally planning to get the Forerunner 945 but the 6Pro features are great for hiking/backpacking as well. My only concern is the weight.
Thank you for sharing!
I guess that’s a subjective thing. The Forerunners are (a little) lighter. But I’m used to much heavier watches from the old ages, aka mechanical watches :-) I’m also coming from the F3, and the F6 feels lighter/less hefty.
Personally, I don’t see the weight as a problem. If you feel you notice it in the beginning, I think it’s something you’ll get used too, and after a week or so of wearing it all day, every day, you’ll hardly notice it.
I got the F6 for hiking/backpacking as well as running and everyday wear. I think the F6 is a great compromise that works well for all those areas. Your milage might vary.
I’m pretty sure most readers would rather see rounded prices. All these 9’s are just ‘polution’. 1.199 = 1.200. Ridiculous!!
thanks for the update but i’ll stick to my fenix3. can’t find any new features worth the investment
Excellent review!
I’ve a question on the titanium bracelet version of the Fenix 6:
– in most specs online incl Garmin looks as if with the bracelet it is equal in weight to the rubber strap. Is this really the case? Eg the Marq aviator in full titanium is much heavier with titanium bracelet than rubber version.
– I know probably not the intended use, but is it an option at all to go running with the titanium bracelet on? (So not having to change to rubber every time). Any experience here from earlier models?
Many Thanks!
To answer your second question. I sometimes run with my F5 with a metal bracelet. You can definitely feel the extra weight and it’s certainly worth it to change it for the rubber band if you have that choice but it’s not impossible to run with it if you have to. I also prefer my metal bracelet to not sit too tightly on my wrist so optical HR doesn’t work too well when running with it. But with a snugly fastened rubber band it works pretty well.
Thanks for the review and discount code! However, a bit disappointed on Clever Training EU/UK response and the way they seem to manage the stock and my order. Ordered on Friday (Aug 30) when 6X Sapphire was in stock expecting for immediate shipping (and did expedited shipping +25 euros). After enquiring today, they simply have stated “we are expecting shipping your Garmin week commencing 16th September…”
That is not “in stock” by any means, or then I just have a different understanding how reliable online retailers work. And the CT EU/UK website still shows for new 6X Sapphire orders “ships in 5-7 business days”. Not a good first experience…
As always, thank you very much for putting the time into this.
One question that no one has been able to answer for me about the Garmin Devices with Topo / full maps – do the GPS ‘Ultratrac’ numbers (the ‘Max Battery GPS’ setting) reference the device while still showing the Topo maps? Or are the topo maps / full maps something that are only ‘on’ while in normal GPS mode.
Essentially what I’m wondering is, for example on the 6s, if I am hiking and want to use full topographic/info-dense maps & GPS but *no* other features – which quoted ballpark battery life figure is relevant, the ~25hr or the ~50hr? What about is I want to use only three features: topo-maps, GPS, *and* optical HR?
I appreciate anyone who can shed even a little light on this, as those of us hoping for 5-6 day long expedition use (~8-10hr device-on time a day; turned fully off when camp is reached) would find it quite valuable information. Thank you!
Would also be interested in any info on battery life in this setting..
I’m also looking forward to testing Ultratrac mode on the F6, as I found it mostly useless on my former F3. Ultratrac put me all over the mountain, and was just good for localising my hike to a general area than actual tracking my route, much less getting any useful hiking distance. I’m hoping the F6 is an improvement in that area, too. Any info would be great.
Hi Daniel, I own the forerunner 945, which is very similar to this watch. I recently used the watch for an ultra distance mountain run that required navigation. I used the watch in gps with 1 sec recording,optical heart rate monitor on and detailed topomap active for 16 hours straight and was nowhere near depleting the battery. I do not remember the exact percentage left but It could have gone several more hours. An important note is I did not zoom in and out of the map constantly for 16 hours, and I did have stuff like bluetooth and fancy watch faces turned off- The new batery modes will help you do this on the fenix 6s. On the other hand during the race I did also had long periods of time where I was changing the zoom level to see details of the track and landscape. In short, it will definitly get you through one or several long days of hiking. And charging the watch is also fast with a proper powerbank which can handle the relativly low batery capacity of the watch.
Does the Fenix 6 have Atrial Fibrillation detection like the apple watch? I like that feature but want a watch that has better battery life.
No
I compare Fenix 6 Pro Solar Titan vs. MARQ Athlet
Fenix has a higher resolution display and longer battery lifetime
What will be the reason to buy a MARQ Athlet ?
Aesthetics.. Some people will prefer the looks of the MARQ.
Hi Ray.
I have a question regarding a function of this watch.
My attractiveness to women, judging by the number of dates and relationship successes, peaked with the 735 and Vivoactive original. Since then I’ve had terrible luck and have even tolerated some women who were tuned to the moon, off their trolleys, absolute space-rockets.
Please see chart below. X is time, Y is attractiveness
| _____
| / |
|__ / |
| |_______
|___________________
^ ^
735/vivoactive all other fenix/935/935 bug-riddled garmin products
As we can see, when giving up the 735 and vivoactive original, my relationships plummeted to all time lows, never to recover.
I suspect this is due to the numerous problems with the 935, 945 and fenix series, such as cracked heart rate sensors, borked software updates that made problems worse rather than better, resulting in my constant moaning, thus repelling women. It certainly can’t be the fact I am an ageing 50 year old, balding and constantly scowling at anything that moves, moaning about the state of modern society, etc.
Does the Fenix6 range guarantee increased attractiveness to those of interest? I see it missing from your comparison table.
Thanks.
Great article and video. Just what I was looking for and more. This helps me understand how I can better utilize a tool like this. Thank-you.
It’s the display still 64 colors, or have they improved this?
Hope long does the 6X (non solar) take to change?
I need a new watch and I’m choosing between the Felix 6pro and a Suunto 9. What would you say are the main advantages of one over the other? I’m an ultra runner and need something that will last me at least 24 hours with gps tracking.
I think both would work. I am an ultra runner as well and it may depend on how long your races are. For me hard 100 milers or longer I will need up to 48 battery life. The advantages of the S9 (I have one) are smart battery management that is live and most importantly FusedTrack. When you extend the battery with intermittent GPS fixes FusedTrack provides a GPS track that is hard to tell from best GPS fix, it is amazing. Distances are fairly accurate too for me. Navigation will not affect the battery as long as you are not on the Nav screen too often (it switches to best GPS fix when you are on the Nav screen). The S9 is much lighter than the 6x.
However, the Garmin has a lot of features the Suunto does not and you can certainly read what is different. For ultras ClimbPro and PacePro could be useful but PacePro paces are way to fast for most ultras (they do not go below 14min/mile). I do not have the 6x but have contemplated seriously getting one. A main reason for me is inReach connectivity as I use an inReach device nearly every weekend.
I am quite happy with the S9 and the GPS accuracy and altitude accuracy are very good. I think this is a difficult decision. The UI for the two devices is very different as well.
Good luck with making your decision.
While the tracks generated in Ultra mode on the Suunto 9 are amazing, I was really disappointed to find that the screen turns off in that mode and the distance traveled/pace updated extremely infrequently. When I’m in a race I care mostly about distance to next aid station and never really give a thought to the resulting GPS track. Has that situation changed since I sold my Suunto 9 last fall?
How has the optical HR on the Suunto 9 worked out for you? I had lots of problems.
Between the two I would chose the fenix 6 (or 5) without hesitation.
The ultra mode is pretty extreme and with Endurance mode, 50h and the screen does not shut off so you can see the information you would want. The oHR I think is highly personally dependent. I have good and bad days. I get much more consistent readings if I wear the watch higher on my arm than normal (two to three fingers above the wrist bone). I don’t like wearing it there but it works. I am so used to using an HR belt, that is typically what I use.
Anyone have ever tried to link a polar OH1 with a Garmin watch (I.e. 735st)? Does it work? Thanks.
No problem. Since ANT+ came up with a firmware update, it works perfect with any of my Garmin devices (even eTrex 30).
I’ve had most many Garmin Fenix watches, last was 5X. But as I now do more and more Crossfit or HIIT type of exercise the Garmin wrist based HR was not very good good HR readings during workouts with a lot of intervals.
I want to avoid chest straps or similar. I ended up with Apple Watch 4 – it is very accurate and good for wristbased HR. But I still want a Garmin – if only the wrist based HR is better, it seems the Garmin 6 has a upgraded HR?!
Also would 42mm/47mm maybe be better than a heavier 51mm? Ideas or any experiences to share?
Thomas
Get a Scosche Rhythm 24. I do CrossFit 5X a week and use this on my forearm and is quite comfortable and quite accurate. It’s an OHR sensor but much bigger and better than a wrist-based one. Check it out. I think Ray has done a review on it.
Moved from fenix 5x to fenix 6x, and very pleased… until this morning where my fenix 6 did not detect any laps in my “Pool Swim” activity. I ended up with time recorded only, “0m” as distance. Anyone faced the same issue? Software bug? In settings, “Stroke Detect” was on. No “Laps Detect” or equivalent? Thanks
I love technology but I’m not a sports guy.
I do like to hike now and then. Like 50km 2 times a year.
I bike sometimes, I inline skate sometimes, I fitness sometimes, I run sometimes.
Someone, please tell me that I really don’t need to buy a Garmin Fenix 6X Sapphire for $849
You don’t really need a 6X Sapphire, that’s for sure.
But you would very likely enjoy having one, and it would probably motivate you to do some more sports.
Did this help? ?
This helped, now I just need to convince the wife :-)
A better fit for you might be the Vivoactive 3 or new VA4 series. Like you, I don’t compete but lift weights, indoor row, bike, etc. I think the Fenix series is overkill for most people who are not triathletes. And yes, I can’t justify $850 for a watch that in 2-3 years will likely be obsolete and not supported.
Is there anywhere to try on the different sizes/options? I went to my local Best Buy and REI and neither had the Fenix 6 Series yet.
Was anybody able to find screen protectors for 6x? Can’t wait for the solar to be available in US. Thank you.
Does anyone know when the Fenix 6 will be available in Canada ?
Hi DC and Gang,
Which of the #F6 variant is top range? Also do you think consideration to upgrade from #945 to #F6 should be given?
??
Keith.
Hi DC
Great review! I really like the details and the commitment of your work. I just ordered a Fenix 6 pro through cleaver training. I haven’t been able to find a bundle with a kitchen sink, as my the one I got with my old forerunner 405 needs replacing.
Hi Ray, went out and bought a Fenix 6 Titanium. Massive upgrade on my Fenix 3 (non HR), love it!!! Question. I could not get the optical HR to work in swim mode, any ideas? Has Garmin activated it yet? For example in the Open Water swim activity, it just says no HR, whereas if i go to the bike activity then I get HR right away. Same goes for the pool swim. The HR data screen doesn’t display any data. I did an hour swim tonight and it couldn’t find any HR data. Any pointers would be appreciated.
Did you enable swim HR in the sensor settings?
So i have a question
If Fenix 6X Pro Solar runs out of battery and closes off,
will it still be able to charge exclusively from the sun and power on again?
Technically yes, practically speaking…not exactly.
I actually tried it yesterday for a video I shot. To spoil the video for you, I put the unit out at 9AM on top of the RV facing the sun. It was a bluebird day, without a single cloud in the sky. I left it and came back at 9PM, giving it approx 11 hours of strong direct sun.
It went from 0% totally dead/empty to…4%. It was powered off when I came back, so it wasn’t burning any power, I powered it on and checked the battery.
Is it possible, that perhaps the unit stopped charging in direct sunlight because of overheating? Maybe it stopped charging from 12-16PM, therefore the 4% gain would be not so bad…
That is highly likely as i managed to conduct a similar test and got roughly 2% in 3 hours. I have the advantage of being at altitude in the US Southwest so the sun is a little more intense here, but i doubt that alone would account for the difference.
Altough this tiny 4% may seem ridiculously small to consider it as a way to charge the watch it can still help in some critical situation when one just needs to get a GPS fix and see the position on the map for a minute (e.g. someone lost in wilderness without battery bank).
IMHO, impact of solar charging on everyday’s usage of the watch in smartwatch mode is pretty useless (and only good for marketing showroom) but it could help in above “special” situations.
For my own case, I’ll stick with my “old” F5X for the time being. F6X is just too expensive and too low in serious new features to decide buying it. The only new feature that really stands out is the bigger screen.
Could the charge be explained by the wait time or temperature change.
I mean it could it not have charged at all when off?
If it did charge when off, even only 4% it can be a life saver.
Ray – pardon if I missed it in the comments, I did look and couldn’t find any such question… not sure if it’s a fair comparison question to ask, but here goes:
If one — whose main sports are cycling, weight training, Cybex machine cardio, and a little golf — were torn between the 6X Pro and Polar’s Vantage V Titan (with assumed October firmware release features), where would you come down and why?
So…when I upgrade how do I transfer my training stats ok be built up on the previous watch (645m) to the new watch e.g. training status, vo2 number, sleep, all of it….
Or…am.i back to square one building up the stats as I use the new watch?
Garmin Connect knows all about me…guessing they’ll realise I have a new watch when I sync it for the first and it’ll download all my numbers from where I left off….right?!
Quick question:
Does anyone know if there is a Kind of ‘activity-primer’ that explayns how certain activities on the Garmin watches work and what Impacts they have on the physiological scores? E.g.
– Does Trail-Running impact the Running-VO2max calculation/score?
– Does Mountainbiking impact the Cycling-VO2max calculation/score?
– What is the purpose of the ‘tracking-activity’ and does it influence any ‘distance overviews’? Can it be used to log car-drives?
– How do ‘skiing’ and ‘snowboarding’ differ from each other?
– What is ‘boat-activity’ and how does it work?
Is there maybe a Garmin Forum FAQ-thread?
Any help is appreciated.
With both fenix 3 and fenix 5 (not plus) I had issue with barometer/altimeter that stop working. I think it is related to swim in both cases, since after I begun using those watches in swimming pool (never used in open water), they shown broken altimeter/barometer after few swims. “Broken” means that altimeter and barometer got stucked on a fixed value, and never work even after reset and restore.
And I got the 5 substituted by Garmin for this issue.
Did you noticed that with 6?
Hi Ray and all
One point that is quite important on a daily basis and often overlooked: the overall reactivity of the watch in the menu and the improvement of the processor.
Often, more features means more lag and bug. I would expect Fenix6 to be more “powerful” than FR945 for instance in term of calculation capabilities. Do we have any view on that?
There is no worse sensation to move from old model (Fenix3 / suunto 2/3) to newer generation and loose in reactivity.
thanks!
In your discussions with Garmin, have they ever considered a “high power GPS mode” where the drain is higher, but the accuracy is improved? Especially with the “development” of battery/power profiles, it could make a lot of sense for people who want higher accuracy and are willing to sacrifice some battery life.
Obviously, there is the physical antenna limitation, but I would assume they could eek more accuracy out if given an increase load.
+1
Be very cool if the chip supported RTK.
Just got the 6x pro solar and the one thing that I don’t think the review doesn’t mention but will be very helpful with the scratching concerns for its non sapphire glass is the fact that the glass Is not sitting at the level of the bezel like 5x plus does, it’s about 1/8” deeper. Again, thank you for the review.
I had that very question. I typically buy the sapphire glass to avoid scratches. How does the solar pro glass compare? At risk more than the sapphire?
I’ve been playing around with PacePro today for an upcoming mountain ultra and I have 2 issues:
1. The max pace is 14 min/mi, which is borderline for me in a 100 mi with 31k ft of gain (and way too fast for most runners).
2. When creating a strategy by elevation, some segments have the change going in the wrong direction. For instance, after the very first climb of the race, the next mile or so is downhill. However, there is a 0.35 mi split at the beginning of the descent that shows as 279 ft uphill. That’s about a 15% grade! The pacing ends up being several minutes/mi off.
I’ve created 2 pacing strategies and both have numerous cases of issue 2. Anyone else seeing this? I chatted with Garmin support and sent them some screenshots, but the rep seemed unaware of the issue. Hopefully more people contacting them about it will get a fix prioritized.
Awesome review! Would your rather have the MARQ or the 6? I am a pilot so I’m really liking the Aviators features but the screen is bigger and nicer on the 6. I’m also wondering if they will come out with an updated version of the MARQ series next year.
Thanks as always!
I think I’m the only one who used the Fenix 6X Pro Solar during UTMB. If not the only, then one of the handful. Here are my Strava stats. I started on a full charge and finished, after 42 hours, with 27% battery left. I was wearing a chest strap and got all of the data I could have hoped for and it looked fairly accurate.
link to strava.app.link
Did you use navigation features, as in: following a course? I got a little over 16 hours per charge from a Fenix 5X Plus during sun-baked PTL, which could have been a perfect scenario for a solar powered watch.
Thanks for your awesome review, Ray.
Jam-packed with great details and comparisons!
The new F6 Series is groovy-cool and all, but the charging mechanism still SUCKS.
I’ll stick with my mapped-out DOA 5X-Sapphire for now and hope the charging port system will be improved in a future Fn version (I was so hoping it would be so with the F6 series).
Thanks again for all you put into your reviews!
Sherry
True, it’s not ideal for charging on the go (on your wrist). But I wonder at this point, is that really an issue anymore – even for most ultra runners? I feel like GPS battery life is getting to the point where it’s largely outlasting your body’s ability to actually keep moving. Of course, doesn’t help those scenarios when you realize you forgot to charge before you go out, but for most ultra folks you’ve got a vest and can toss the watch temporarily into a pocket with a lipstick charger. It’s impressive how fast it charges.
Ok, we’ll give this beast a try :)
I finally managed to unbox and setup my 6S Sapphire (coming from a 5S Plus Sapphire) yesterday.
One thing that surprised me, was how smaller the 6S comparatively looks. I guess that goes back to greyish (“Carbon”) finish of the bezel and reduced lug to lug distance.
Sure, I read about this change in the review but underestimated how this would feel in real life. Besides that, the 6s, from my point of view, is nice a upgrade – not a must have but notable.
I’m curious how long the new watch will keep this sleek look. My black 5S Plus developed some minor abrasions at the bezel over time. Besides that it still looks perfect and even after a few hits the glass is 100% free of any scratches.
Hey Ray. Is there, by chance, gonna be a soft uptade for the fenix 5 series, in which they will get some features like the 3 widgets on page, and others…
No plans to unfortunately.
I got my 6 Pro on Wednesday. In <48 hours, the battery has dropped from "14 days" to "8 days" with about 30 minutes of GPS use in that time….
Try getting it all fully charged up, and also double-check that it has the latest firmware on it.
This is actually a huge issue with the Fenix 6 — the battery is crapping out with ordinary use. It’s just not performing as advertised.
I have a Fenix 6S and I’ve done two FULL charges. The last time I left it chargine overnight (100%), ran 30-minutes, then wore it overnight. I woke up to 53% battery. I’ve turned off all of the extras (Pulse Ox, backlight way down, etc.). I’m not seeing the battery life advertised.
I’d ring up Garmin support and see if they can enable logging or such and determine what specifically is causing the battery drain.
As you know (but for the benefit of others), the most common battery drain items are:
1) PulseOx
2) Backlight on all the time (Setting = Stays on)
3) Connect IQ Watch Face or App that’s got something wrong
4) Music of any sort (playback primarily, but also even downloading)
5) Navigation while on the map screen (though, I wouldn’t say this is an issue much with the Fenix 6)
I am getting about 1/3 of stated battery performance.
Given your comments about how impressed you were with the GPS tracks, I’m wondering if the other Sony-equipped ForeRunner watches are starting to show improvements with new firmware… Any comments?
All those units get the updates as well as they come through, same chipset and all. I’m getting largely good tracks on my FR945 lately.
Thanks, that’s encouraging… Is that with vanilla GPS? I remember you saying the Galileo side was lagging behind a bit.
Correct, the defaults of GPS+GLONASS for the Sony units for me. I have been using GPS+GALILEO on the MediaTek units (specifically my FR935) with very good results. I also think one of my Edge 530 or 830 units is configured with Galileo too without any issues.
Thanks. One final question – as things stand, which chipset would you back to provide an accurate track under tree cover? (pretty much the norm for me as my main sport is orienteering).
Good luck with P3!
Received my F6 Sapphire Titanium yesterday and already submitted a return request to the vendor. Unfortunately my device has a defect in the screen (black smudge under the glass) and also has the intermittent OHR issue that quite a few people are experiencing link to forums.garmin.com . It seems unclear if the OHR issue is hardware or software related.
The above, combined with even Garmin having not ported their apps e.g. Running Power to the F6 yet means I’ll likely request a refund and wait a couple of months to see how things improve. You would have thought I would know better than to jump on a new Garmin device at launch by now ;-)
Will revert back to my 645M which does what I need for now, although would like PacePro/Body Battery and some of the other metrics that are on the newer generation devices.
OHR issue: My first 6X Sapphire had a faulty sensor, did not work at all, I thought there was something wrong with my wrist or perhaps I was deceased. Then Pulse OX didn’t work at all.
Went back to Garmin and 30 minutes later they confirmed it was faulty and replace it… worked perfect ever since. There are several people on Reddit with the same issue, so it seems to not be so uncommon – surprising for a Garmin product IMHO.
On the contrary! It would be very surprising if nobody would have problems! All Garmin products are launched without being ready for it. You should’ve wait a couple of months, a year. Like in the old days…… as a boy I heard the men talking about cars…… never buy first editions…. In those days it was mechanical, and handproduced. Now it’s premature releasing, no proper testing and, as a result, the discovery of hidden mistakes or inferior components.
Budgets, targets, greedy shareholders. Welcome in the modern world.
sounds great as usal looking forward to mupgrade my 5X to the new 6x solar..
I have a dilema I want to clear up, maybe somebody knows how to solve this. It’s about the maps. I have an opportunity to purchase the Fenix 6X from the US in mid October when I travel there, but I live in Europe and in my country the watch (is available already) is more expensive by about 100$, because import taxes and VAT.
Buying it from the US would mean having US maps, not very helpful for me.
So, is it possible to get original European maps transferred from another device somehow? I know about the Open Street Maps procedure to get any other region, but I read about the difference in “heat” data, and so I would prefer the original Garmin european maps. Any thoughts?
Thanks!
Hi Finch-
Yup, you can actually buy them off of Garmin’s site online. It’s kinda cumbersome, but is totally plausible.
Cheers.
Do you have any details about the changes to the race predictor? I see that marathon time predictions are now much, much slower. I realize that a straight VO2max predictor will by overly optimistic at the marathon distance for 99% of people, but I’m curious what they’re doing instead. FWIW, my predicted marathon time is now 3:10, and I’m less than a year removed from running 2:30.
I agree. I’m very curious about this.
Ray – hats off to you for this, and your other reviews :)
I am a little concerned that it seems that garmin have still not released an SDK for the F6…..
Am doing shed loads of runs and no stryd data!
Is the battery replaceable and does the solar charging influence the battery capacity/life-span?
Thanks, Ray! Does the solar charging influence the battery capacity/life-span and is the battery replaceable?
Not sure on either.
Hi everyone,
I’ve just bought a Fenix 6 Pro and I share your enthousiasme about this new version. I’ve updated the watch to the Firmware V.3 but I’ve noticed a strange behaviour… after an exercise with a Chest HR Band, the Wrist HR monitor does not switch back on automatically… It can take hours and a lot of trial and errors to get it back on.
But when it’s “on”, it works super well.
Am I the only one experiencing the same issue? I’ve checked and the settings for the wrist HR is set to “auto”.
Thanks in advance (and congratulations again for the impressive job on your blog Ray!)
I haven’t seen this (ever on a Garmin actually). However, any chance that your HR strap is either on you still, or shorting out (such as in a pile of wet laundry), and still broadcasting?
I’ve got a bit of the opposite problem. It appears that the OHR continues to be on (flashing green) during an activity when I’m wearing an HR chest strap (Garmin HRM RUN). I verify during the activity that the status of the HR chest strap is “connected”, so the watch appears to see it. I’m assuming the HR that’s being recorded is from the strap since it’s quite good and I’ve not had good results in the past with OHR, but not really sure since the green lights stay on the whole time…
Anyone else notice something similar?
A number of people are having similar issues (myself included) with the WOHR on the Fenix 6 only working intermittently. See the following post on the Garmin Forums:
link to forums.garmin.com
You can see how intermittent the WOHR has been on my F6 yesterday. The walk activity used a Wahoo Tickr HRM strap.
Supposedly Garmin are aware of the issue and will be doing a software update to fix.
@kls1891,
I have the same thing with my F3HR after a recent GCM update as well. My edge unit records from HRM (the oldest plastic one) and F3HR seems to be doing its own thing, even though it reports being connected to the HRM.
When I look at heart rates during the activity, the recorded activity heart rates, do not match what F3HR reports for that duration.
Nope, I’ve even checked that the HR Strap is set to « off » in the sensors menu.
That’s super strange, 24h now since it stopped, I’ve done a hike & yoga activity and did not manage to bring it back on.
I’ve seen a couple of similar issues here: link to forums.garmin.com
The fact it worked well for a time on my watch makes me believe it’s a software bug but who knows…
Very strange.
HI Pilok-
Yup, check out this portion of the thread. Same issue by the sounds of it. You are correct, it’s a software bug of sorts. A fix is already in the works. link to dcrainmaker.com
Yep. And I’ve noticed that the steps count is also « off » since the same moment as the HR.
I hope they’ll release the fix soon.
But beside that, I really share you enthousiasm about the widgets and the quality of the watch.
I’ve been using Suunto watches for 10 years and the Spartan Ultra (I’ve bought one of the first unit back in 2016, big mistake) was a huge disappointment which only softened a bit with the software updates. They’re still trying to reduce the software gap between them and Garmin.
Thanks for the follow up!
there has also been a similar bug in reverse which i especially noticed on the 945 but which also happens on the F6 Pro. However, I can’t narrow down the exact use case so that it can be replicated.
Broadly: the watch SOMETIMES requires a re-boot to connect to a previously, successfully paired HRM chest strap after using oHR in sport.
Imaginative Solution: re-start the watch.
I have a Fr945. Wondering if I can use it for a titan obstacle course race 5k mid and water or should I upgrade to the F6? Any help will be appreciated.
Hi Ray,
Since these watches have become so versatile, does it still make sense to have a dedicated bike device, etc. So would my 6X offer the same “recording” capabilities as my 820 when it comes to biking? I understand that maps are more convenient on a bike mounted device, but the maps for where I live are a joke and completely irrelevant (UAE).
Just wondering on your thoughts.
Sacha
From a recording standpoint, yup, the Fenix 6X would offer the same capabilities. In fact, in some ways greater when it comes to things like the training load bits and pulling in temp and altitude data for acclimation.
That said, I still prefer a bike computer on my handlebars. That said, you could easily use the Fenix 6 in conjunction with the Edge 820 for a bit of the perfect pair. Check out this post on how to do that: link to dcrainmaker.com
Hi ray,
I am trying to find but I don’t know if it exists. Is there any bike support for the fenix 6x? I have been using the 935 as a bike computer and would like to upgrade.
Nothing like the quick release kit for the forerunner 935, is there anything?
Hello everyone,
Reposting this post if by any chance, anyone would have the answer
Just a quick confirmation as the materials finish are not always clear on Garmin site
For the Sapphire – Black DLC model (Ref 010-02158-17) not sure about the bezel material, seems to be titanium right ?
I reached Garmin support and even them cannot answer…
Even so as I understood, the bezel material remain in Titanium (therefore keeping a little lighter model) and the DLC (DLC stands for “Diamond Like Carbon”) is like a coating finish to make it look black and even more scratch resistance
DLC being pretty much the sapphire crystal of watch coatings as far as scratch resistance is concerned.
Not sure if this is the right explanation?
Thanks for any confirmation or correction
En
If there is no titanium in the name, there’s no titanium, plain and simple.
Except the specs on the Garmin page specifically say the DLC variants are Titanium even though Titanium isn’t in the name of the watch ;-)
I bet that’s a mistake in the specs. If you check, the price for this specific variant is cheaper than the one that explicitly mentions titanium. For the 6X, the specs mention DLC-coated steel, so it does look like a mistake in the 6 model pages. Also the 6 non-sapphire page says DLC-coated steel.
I just bought a 6X Solar today. I spent 4 hours messing with it to get the wrist HR and PulseOX working. After hours of frustration, I returned it to Best Buy to find out there are no other 6X Solar in the large market I’m in (Charlotte, NC), so I’m waiting for a replacement to be shipped to me. After coming home frustrated, I decided to check out the Garmin forums, and found this thread:
link to forums.garmin.com
There are many people across many different Fenix 6 devices having the same issue. They’ve all tried the same things as me and it appears the fix is to replace the device. I’m very curious if this is in fact many defective devices or is it’s something that can be fixed with a firmware update. Here is a summary of my issue, tons of detail on the linked post if you are interested.
I got a Fenix 6X Solar. Very tough to get HR (would have to sit and hold/press the watch, tilt the watch, etc), but never got PulseOx. It came with the 2.2 firmware, so I of course updated to 3.0. Still had issues. I reset to factory defaults, and set it up manually (not pairing with my phone). HR seemed to be working normally for a bit. I then enabled PulseOX and both didn’t work. So, I reset to factory again, paired it to my phone, and the HR was a little better, but still would drop out and I couldn’t get to come back. I enabled/disabled PulseOx, then couldn’t get it to work at all again.
Garmin, are you listening out there?
There’s a comment just a couple above yours by Sacha reporting the same thing. My guess here (since we didn’t see any issues till just the last day or so), is a specific bad batch. I’ve got a chat with Garmin tomorrow, so we’ll see if there’s some light they can shed.
General/minor pro tip though: When dealing with stock-limited items (meaning, super low supply), always call Garmin support first rather than the retailer if the retailer has no other stock. The reason is that Garmin sets aside stock for support replacements on the fly (for cases just like this), whereas the retailer only has what they have to sell.
Thanks Ray! I should clarify, they do have stock and I will have a replacement on Tuesday. They just didn’t have it in store. BTW, I would have 100% supported you through Clever if they had this model in stock.
Also, I definitely would have called Garmin if they didn’t have stock, but it’s a challenge that their support isn’t open on the weekends. They state they are busy Mondays, and it’s the same with me.
Your site, blog, reviews, and response are always awesome. Thank You. Please respond back and let me know what they say.
ps – apologize for not noticing the post above. I was tired from reading all of the replies from the post on Garmin forums.
Ok, got a bit of an update on this one. In short, they’re aware of it (from an senior engineering/management standpoint) and a fix is already in the works from a software standpoint. Support is using hardware swaps as the fastest way to fix the issue for customers that run into it. It sounds like the software fix is already in internal beta validation though.
It’s not an issue they saw in beta testing, but have a pretty clear path to fix is pretty quickly.
My general recommendation would be that if you can swap out the physical unit easily from your nearby retailer or Garmin support, then go forth. Whereas if they are saying that getting a new unit in your country/locale is a longer lead-time, then I’d just wait for the firmware update. I would ensure you log an issue with Garmin Support though, so that they can track it and perhaps get folks early access to a firmware update to resolve the sensor shut-off issue.
That sounds like if it will take some time, before we see a fix?
Btw: Have you a direct 24hr/day emergency connection to Garmin?
For this, I expect the fix to move super quickly.
Hey,
thank you so much for checking with Garmin an dupdating us on this topic!
Did they happen to give you an ETA on when they anticipate to releaes a fix for it? The thing is that i just received my RMA number and could send it back immediately but i am unsure how long this process takes until i get my watch back. and i have an half marathon upcoming in 3 weeks :)
No date yet. I know it’s fast moving though with teams on multiple continents working to validate the fix.
That said, with Garmin support RMA’s, there’s actually a lesser realized option which is called a ‘Cross Ship’, this means you provide Garmin a credit card and they cross-ship you a new unit while you get yours back. You can even ask for 1-2 day shipping, and sometimes they’ll give it to you gratis.
As long as you get yours back to them in about 30 days, they won’t charge the card. Works super well (and seems to be in most countries).
Hi Ray,
Do you have updates on this issue by any chance? I am not sure whether this is a software issue indeed, or the affected watches will need to be replaced. On the Garmin forums their official position doesn’t seem to be to encouraging:
“Anyone else experiencing Heart Rate information disappearing when turning Pulse Ox Acclimation to All Day, since we have not been able to reproduce it here at Garmin, would like anyone experiencing this to reach out to Garmin Support. This will provide us with more information to near down the list and also will allow us to add you to the ticket and we can email you when the fix has been put in place.”
Thanks,
Istvan
LE: The beta version of a new firmware was just rolled out, with the following release notes:
Change Log Notes:
The zip file contained in the link above only includes a sensor hub update of 2.25. This resolves the issue for 6X devices failing to turn on Pulse-OX and Wrist Heart Rate.
Fingers crossed.
Indeed… fingers crossed!!! ??
I did a 5k Park Run today which my Fenix 6 logged as 4.77 km and 20:31 minutes. The official time from the organizers was 20:38. I had run the exact same course last week using my Forerunner 645M which logged the run as 4.99km and 20:36 minutes compared to an official time of 20:35.
Even taking into account the 7 second discrepancy I found the Fenix 6 GPS track to be far less accurate and the total distance recorded disappointing. I had per second recording on and the default GPS settings.
The difference in distance also totally messed up the pace the watch was indicating.
Have boxed up the Fenix 6 and it will be returned for a refund on Monday.
Disappointing and from my experience not a watch I can’t rely on for my training/timed runs at present.
Alex
What’s the version of your watch? Sapphire?
Are there any hardware advantages of this compared to $100 smart watches by Amazfit, that do have Google Fit integration (unlike Garmin) and twice as long battery life? Anything about the Garmin that makes it better for any particular outdoor activity?
The Amazfit models compete with Vivoactive and Venu lines mostly, beating them in battery life. The Fenix it’s another league in terms of build quality and features, but comparing specifically for a parameter, the Amazfit can be a better choice, given the price. If battery life is desired, while the mapping and music is not a must, then the Amazfit GTR is a winner, checking 12 sports profiles, battery life and lower price than a Fenix 6 without music and maps. The latest Chinese models do look amazing, I only played with one and the ceramic build looks and feels impressive.
You get what you pay for, especially in terms of sensor accuracy and software
Actually, you don’t always get what you pay for. For the price of the new Fenix 6, the OHR doesn’t seem to be working all that great.
First impressions of the Fenix 6 Pro Solar:
1. It’s huge.
2. I fully charget it 72 hours ago and now it’s 50% after running 10K and swimming 1K
3. I ran with my AW 4 series and Fenix 5 plus in a well known course (to me). The GPS accuracy of the 6 is very good.
4. The big screen is delightful! I ran with 4, 6 & 8 screens all very visible.
5. I was mostly in the sun this weekend but I am not sure how much the solar contributed to the battery power.
6. Havin 3 widgets in one screen is amazing!
overall experience is pretty good but I stiil have to test it in open water, cycling, ski etc..
Hello everyone,
Thanks DCRainmaker for the detailed review. Great as always!
Between the Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire and the Fenix 6X Pro Solar what do you think will be the ‘best’ option for the following workout scheme:
– 4 outdoor runs per week (30-60min each run)
– 2 pool swims per week (50min)
– Gym (3 times per week)
Currently, I’m more inclined for the 6X Pro Sapphire, because the 10℅ battery gain of the Solar version probably will be only visible for those who have a more intense exterior workout with at least 3-4hours per day of run/trail/bike/hiking/other.
Also, the fact that the Solar version has a Gorilla Glass screen instead of Sapphire (less resistant to scratches) is an important fact to consider, especially if you don’t want to take the risk of having a scratch few weeks later in a 850-950$ watch. With the Sapphire that definetly won’t happen but with Gorilla glass is more likely to happen considering that you probably shouldn’t add a screen protector that could compromise solar charging.
Based on these facts and the type of training I do, am I correct or is it worth choosing the solar version?
Best regards,
Leandro Silva
Yeah, I don’t think the amount of workouts that you’ve outlined is an area you’ll really need to worry about battery power, assuming you charge perhaps once per week or so depending on what else you use the phone for and notifications and such.
Given your situation, I’d just go with the non-Solar version.
If you buy a fenix 6 pro with North America maps, then add maps for Europe (just need Italy), when you go to Maps will it show both installs and let you select one, or only show maps for the location you are at now…in which case, how would you know the other maps were successfully installed?
It’ll show both maps installed.
I think in my video you can see it for a split-second where you’ll see I’ve got both US and Europe maps loaded. I don’t think there’s any photo here in the review that shows both loaded.
But yeah, both are there. You’re totally fine to have both loaded. Where it goes sideways is if you have two overlapping map regions loaded (like adding Italy atop a Euro-unit).
Just wanted to point out that you can create courses/tracks on connect mobile and sync it to your Fenix 6 wirelessly.no need for pc/mac. Sadly track needs to be built manually and can’t get imported.
Yup, I talked about GCM course creation (and even showed screenshots in the review). The challenge is that it’s not designed for speed and is cumbersome.
As for importing files, you can actually do that. Just send them to yourself via email on the phone and tell it to open in GCM.
Anyone have the Garmin watch create fake events on the Fenix 6? It suggests dinner dates and brunch at a local restaurant with one of my contacts? My first thought was I was becoming mentally detached from reality. I asked the people it claimed i had plans with and I did not. These events are nowhere to be found in any of my calendars. Garmin is really raking through my personal data and geo location huh?
I have never, ever had this happen (using Android here). You don’t have multiple profiles on the phone maybe?
It is creepy one person in garmin forums said it happened to them as well
Honestly, that sounds about 99% like a 3rd party app that’s just surfacing notifications to your Garmin. Got any pictures of it? Might give you a hint as to what the app is.
Next time it happens I will, it is plain text with no clues as to where it came from. I mean it chose a person I have only known for a few weeks to create a dinner date for, not harvested from email or calendar because she is not connected to me in any way but text message. The restaurant is a town over that it suggested i was having brunch at and ive never been there and haven’t gone past it running or biking with my GPS active since having this watch. So at first i thought maybe yelp or open table or email but none of those fit at this point. Again ill send a screen shot next time it happens.
Are you using an Android phone or an Apple? There’s been a problem recently with spam/phishing emails generating spurious calendar entries in Google calendar. Whatever’s doing what you’re seeing, it’s a similar worry to that.
Also had my F6x pro solar create a fake calendar event which made question my own sanity lol
Can you share some details? Like a screenshot or photo? Nothing here really screams Garmin creating events, but rather some app.
Ray, Just bought a 6X Pro Solar. I’m seeing a calendar entry I didn’t make either. It popped up last night with the event scheduled for today.
It’s not on my Apple calendar (paired with an iPhone X).
At least whatever app created the entry picked my wife for a dinner date. I may have had some explaining to do otherwise.
I had a Fenix 5X previously and haven’t seen this before.
Any chance you’ve got GMail? There seems to be a semi-common thread there.
I do have gmail. I haven’t had it happen again, only happened the one time and it was for the day after I received the Watch.
Hi there DC RAINMAKER. Fantastic review thank-you. Most comprehensive i’ve been able to find. I notice on your charting that the Fenix 6x Pro Solar was the least accurate during the “switch back” phase of your run in the French Alps.
If money wasn’t an object, would you buy the “GARMIN FENIX 6x PRO SAPPHIRE” or the “GARMIN FENIX 6x PRO SOLAR” ?
Most of my running is trail/off trail with a mix of 50% Bush and 50% open cover in the Hills/Alps of New Zealand.
GPS tracking accuracy is fairly important for me. Run time between 2-9 hours / overnight.
Thanks
Ray
To me, money no object I’ll personally take the 6X Solar over the 6X non-Solar. Given I’m already paying the size penalty, I’ll take the ever so slight battery gains. Or maybe it’s just geekery I like.
That said, I’m not really a huge watch person, so I’m more likely to settle on the 6 Pro instead.
According to this article, it’s only the Pro model of Fenix 6 that has music storage, yet the Garmin website states ALL Fenix 6’s are capable of storing music (not just playback from your phone). Anyone know the answer to this riddle?
Definitely only Pro models, the non-Pro models don’t have any storage space.
Does that mean that the Sapphire and Solar models are ‘Pro’?…or just more expensive?
Sapphire and Solar are Pro with sapphire glass and Pro with solar glass respectively.
Thanks!
Ray,
You really should do an article based on Garmin updating previous models. Its ridiculous that a $600 watch only gets feature updates for maybe a year. Garmin is treating these like $100-$200 Fitbit models. Obviously they cannot add Solar or any other hardware updates but there is no reason why the 5 and 5 Plus series dont get UI changes and a few of the software updates. Garmin is supposed to be a premium brand like Apple who update their hardware for year. Apple watch series Gen 1 is getting Watch OS 6…the watch was released in 2016!
I have a Fenix 5X and I am waiting for a fix of “distance 0” issue for a loong time, months… And the new Fenix 6 series doesn’t have it . Garmin used to be better on this.
this is exactly how I have started to feel. Garmin makes very functional devices. but it seems like they have nowhere near the organizational sense as traditional tech companies. These should be software updates as much as the hardware supports it.
Edge 820 (& other models?) have problems with elevation grade (which is only the signaller, real problem is the elevation measuring going in chunks) for many months (maybe a year??) It seems they have denied there is a problem. Practically Orwell’s 1984!!!
Incline is always a problem on Edges. Since they have no way of measuring it besides altitude gain/small distance, it always lags a little.
Your other problem isn’t common. I’ve never seen an Edge (I’ve used the 705, 800, 1000, and currently 830) measure in chunks unless the port was blocked by something. I’d check all of the holes in the case to see if there’s any blockage. If not, maybe it’s time to get it repaired/replaced. The only altitude problems I’ve seen on recent Garmin devices (that can’t be chalked up to the usual problems caused by using a barometer to measure altitude) is that they display one altitude and record another in the FIT file. The difference is usually too small to matter (but on my Epix, it was 100 ft).
I did the checks. The problem also isn’t always. Sometimes it will add up every meter mounted and then the gradient nbr at a value that could be possible. Living in De Ronde Hoep I can only check this function when on holiday.
Ray,
I know you’ve mentioned that the Fenix 5 won’t be getting the software features but any news on the Forerunner 645/645M getting any software updates?
In theory this is still their top of the range single sport running watch and presumably won’t get replaced for another 6 months. Could you ask Garmin if there are plans to implement Body Battery and/or PacePro and/or Hydration on the 645/645M?
thanks
Alex
How much free GB in 32GB for music storage?
F6 Pro Optical Heart Rate (OHR) is way too low during strenuous activity.
I’ve used the F3HR for years without issues. OHR was never super accurate, but ball-park accurate.
On the F6, resting OHR is good, and normal activity tracks well.
I had one run where I had issues getting a good reading, but resolved it through repositioning watch. After upgrade to v3.00 (not sure there’s any causality), I have not been able to get the OHR above 115-125, even over long climbs hiking when I manually check my pulse to be 160-170.
I’ve tried repositioning up and down wrist, wearing normally or on palm side, switching wrists. Wearing watch loose, tight, super-tight. Can’t get it above 125. It’s very demotivating during excersise :-)
Seems to be more people with same issue here: https://forums.garmin.com/outdoor-recreation/outdoor-recreation/f/fenix-6-series/172239/fenix-6x-sapphire—faulty-ohr-or-software-bug
Doesn’t sound like same issue as OHR drop-out, but hope this «too low OHR» issue can be addressed in software update too?
Are there any third party wristbands that work with the Fenix 6?
I’m interested in the leather bands but I’m wondering if I really have to get the expensive Garmin ones
I have had a genie 6x for just over a week and am returning it tomorrow. Since the software update to v3.00 the HRM is unreliable. Doesn’t always switch on and when it does the readings are inaccurate. It works in some activity types but not in others even with identical settings. Apparently Garmin are aware of this but do not yet have a fix. Surely a premium product like this should be exhaustively tested before hitting the shelves..,.. apparently not. I will be going back to Suunto.
A beta software fix for the OHR issue has just been released. Go to the Garmin forums to download. So far people are stating it has solved the issue.
New hub update is out. Is worth waiting a little while longer.
Ray, any clue why the Solar is now “5-8 weeks” on Garmin’s site? I had a small retailer try to order me one within a day or so of your post and ultimately they were told “sorry, gonna be a delay on this while we work out some issues” or something generic, but definitely alludes to a problem other than just stock depletion. Any inside info?
They were going into launch with Solar being a bit more limited than the other units.
For Garmin’s 5-8 weeks, that’s just their standard line that’s listed on the website until they fulfill retailer backorders. Garmin always gives retailers first access to units and usually fills stock there before their own site.
Any thoughts to why BestBuy has Solar stock while REI does not? Is that just a REI didnt order them or just such a limited quantity. My 5x Sapphire is up on ebay, due to close in a few days. I’ve ordered every other Fenix from CleverTraining. But I happen to have both REI and BestBuy gift cards. REI would be better with the 10% back though. WIsh I could just order it.. its just TBD there
There’s no exclusivity on Fenix 6 within the US on any SKU’s (where in Europe there’s a handful of SKU’s/color models that seem to have some exclusivity).
So in this case, yeah, basically – REI didn’t order enough of that SKU or what-not ahead of time. These companies would have made predictions back in the June/July timeframe. Sometimes aided a bit by Garmin’s expectations on popularity, but ultimately each retailer has to do the spreadsheet and decide which SKU’s their customers will buy the most of and hope for the best.
Sometimes it works…sometimes not.
Anyone else have any issues with IQ connect data fields in position 5 or 6 on the fenix6s pro defaulting to timer when trying to add?
Is this a limitation I’m not aware of? A bug? or something else?
This sounds like a bug. I’ve had a similar bug on the Fenix 3HR where if my watch crashes during an activity the CIQ fields (sometimes just 1 of 2) will switch back to the Timer field. I assume that Timer is just the default field inserted if there’s some sort of error.
It’s a real pain on the 3HR as there is another bug where it still thinks that there are the 2 CIQ fields installed, so it won’t let me put it back to my CIQ field. I have to create a whole new replacement app to fix the issue…
Yep, that happens to me too.
Does anybody have experience with AirPod or Powerbeats Pro, will the connection drop out? If want connect AirPod back to you iPhone, does there need pair again?
If the experience not great, I gonna stick with my 5X, thanks a lot
I’ve been using the PowerBeats Pro without issue, and have only occasionally used the AirPods with them in a non-athletic scenario (just listening to music), without issue.
The AirPods and PowerBeats retain existing BT connections (I believe it’s up to 8), so you don’t need to re-pair them every time.
The Fenix 6x Pro Solar is really a good watch, has everything I want. But the GPS- and the Heartrate-Accuracy are not very awesome. Ok, for an excellent GPS-Accuracy you need Dual-Frequency-GNSS, but for Garmin is more important to have a long battery life, and no wearable has Dual-Frequency-GNSS inclusive the new apple watch 5.
Realistically we’re not even seeing dual frequency GPS on any major phones, so we’re not going to see it for a while on wearables.
Also, prior to everyone chasing battery life – we’ve had really good tracks on wearables with a single system for quite some time in older units. With newer units, it’s hardly limited to Garmin – everyone is using the same chipset, in fact, Suunto went first, then Polar, then COROS, and now this year Garmin.
I was going to wait until the solar 6x pro is available from Garmin but realized what Ray said, that they fulfill retailers first. Ended up getting the black one in Best Buy. I wish they did the full titanium o e in both silver and black for the bracelet.
What’s your comparison to the 6x pro saphire versus 5x plus….
I have had the 3 5 and so on everytime they come out I was a suunto guy for years till fenix 3…I have also READ all your fenix reviews before I purchase a new garmin…so I kind of count on your input amd it helps me to make a rational purchase versus emotional
hello,
one question About the 6x pro:
Is it possible to enter Navigation points/Coordinates (i mean only numbers-for example-points that Were taken out of a paper map) directly to the watch (not with the app or phone/computer)???
THANKS VERY MUCHֱֱֱֱֱ!!!
I had the 6X Saphire for a few days but returned it because the size was too big and apps not available. I’m coming from a Fenix 5 Saphire.
My initial reactions:
* Pulse ox interesting. Interested to see if drops seen in middle of night are significant.
* Pulse ox worked, but reporting seemed off — would report a reading but then report older reading
* Screen seemed a little fainter that 5. Hard to read default screen.
* Missed my favorite watch face not being available.
* 3-screen widgets are nice, but don’t reduce button presses required to scroll them.
* Vo2max seems likely to more representative (does it take into account hills?).
* 8 data point screen cool, but limited use without stryd power being available at time
* Nice to get respiration rate as a new feature rom an “old” heart rate strap. I had a vo2max test recently and noticed that respiration rate maxed out with vo2max, so wonder now if I should have breathed faster, or maybe instinctually knew it wouldn’t matter to breath faster if something else was limited.
* Auto loop routing interesting feature for unfamiliar areas. Used it on a trip.
The routing feature gave turn by turn directions before the run, but I couldn’t figure out how to get them during the run. I had a hard time following the lines on the map screen and had to navigate by doubling back when I went off course. Eventually couldn’t find a route that stayed on course and gave up.
Waiting for orange band 6 pro now to be in stock.
I replaced this with a vanilla Fenix 6 directly from Garmin that arrived today and find the pulse ox does not work and the OHR seems to break once pulse ox is attempted. Seems to require a firmware fix but those only available for pro/saphire. I did see a brief flash of red light but generally not “measuring” when it says it is measuring.
I could see retail inventory being caught with this problem but surprised Garmin is shipping from their inventory with what at this point seems to be a right out-of-the-box problem like this.
OK — the beta worked on the vanilla Fenix 6 and addressed issues. Labeling could be better and not imply update is only for pro/sapphire…
Hello,
In Europe, it’s better to purchase the Fenix 6 directly from Garmin website? or from a local store?
I’m asking this for two main reasons:
01. The current shipping time on Garmin website is between 4-7 days for the Fenix 6X Pro Sapphire (in multiple stores, it’s not even available to purchase). The price will be kept at 850$ everywhere (website and stores), so we shouldn’t expect any discounts on local stores, correct?
02. In terms of warranty, there is no difference, right?
Cheers,
Leandro Silva
Shipping times are never carved in stone…..
And you’ll only hear about the delay after ordering.
There’s no difference in terms of product/warranty/etc between Garmin.com or an authorized retailer. Garmin in Europe will charge the MSRP, while 3rd parties will vary a bit.
Garmin typically fulfills 3rd party retailer orders prior to Garmin.com orders, though not always.
As far as discounts go, you can find a few. For example you can use Clever Training EU/UK for the Sapphire 6X Pro, and that gets you 10% off (straight discount in EU/UK). Link here: link to clevertraining.co.uk
And use coupon code DCR10BTF. That of course supports the site here. There’s no stock available for the 6X Pro Sapphire at the moment. Given Garmin.com shows 4-7 days, and CT UK shows ‘early September’ (a bit of a liberal definition of the current date), my guess is both are expecting stock any day now.
But, as noted…ya never really know until Garmin ships it, either to you directly, or to a retailer and they get an actual tracking number.
Thanks Ray!
I’ll follow your advise and purchase on Clever Training (using the coupon), since 10% off is definitely a ‘big’ save and at the same time supports the blog ;)
Cheers,
Leandro Silva
Does anyone know if the pre loaded golf courses and the 2 million ski resorts can be deleted?
I’m a Fenix 3 sapphire user since 2014, only recently switched to a Fenix 5 sapphire, I enjoyed the weight saving of a smaller sized Fenix 5 but the news of Fenix 6 release really broke my heart (and potentially wallet) and I knew instantly I wanted a 6x pro.
After some research, I have came to the conclusion that the solar function, or so called PowerGlass, at least to me is a gimmick. In the past, long before the Fenix line came out, I have used Casio pathfinder watches with the ability of sustaining itself just on the solar power. It was useful as those watches doesn’t come with a charger and as long as they are exposed to the sunlight the watch would not die. From my experience of using those watches over the year is I didn’t even had to intentionally go out of my daily way of life to charge them under the sun and the battery would be good for years. Now Fenix 6x pro solar is not the same, the solar charger does not charge the watch fast enough to negate the battery drain caused by other functions of the watch, even the most basic watch function (judging from the spec page, the charge rate is at most 50% of the battery drain during watch mode alone). This means you will never be able to rely on the solar power alone to recharge the watch and you will have to use the wired charger sometime. From my experience with Fenix line of watches, I really don’t care if I have to charge the watch every 21 days or 24 days, I probably recharge it on every other weekend anyhow. That is to say, the solar charger on Fenix 6x pro provides no real benefit to me at all.
On top of the gimmick, the top of the line 6x pro is only available with gorilla glass. It is not even the latest generation of gorilla glass, I have seen how gorilla glass performs on cellphone and I do agree it is better than generic mineral glass. However, it is not sapphire! On Mohs scale of hardness, gorilla glass will scratch on level 6 compared to sapphire on level 9. Fenix 6x pro is an outdoor watch and it will come in contact with rocks and sand, both usually contain quartz, a level 7 hardness material, it will very easily scratch gorilla glass.
On a positive note, I do want to recognize the fact the the gorilla glass was coated with anti-reflect material, I wish this is applied to other watches too. Titanium case seems to be exclusive to the solar version of the 6x pro as well. I hope Garmin will release a Sapphire with DLC Titanium version of 6x pro. That would be the version I will drop my money on.
Here is an informative video on solar performance on the Fenix 6x Pro: link to youtube.com
+1 on the Sapphire with Titanium (DLC or not, I don’t really care) in the 6X form.
And thank you for the explanation why outdoors rock/dust scratch gorilla glass, I didn’t realise the quartz part.
I guess the models are final – or not? Maybe Ray can comment
Models are final, but we often see Garmin add new variants.
I actually did a test last week to go from 0% (totally dead) to not 0% where I left it outside on a super sunny day from 9AM till 8PM. I got 4% increase in total. Note, i left it powered off the entire time, and only powered it on when I came back at night.
I don’t think anyone (including Garmin) is saying this is going to fully replace the battery. It’s simply a starting point, without looking like a watch that has solar panels on it (as the Casio Rangeman looks). Perhaps there’s a Garmin-specific market for something that’s more solar-obvious, but that wasn’t really what they were going for here. I also think we’ll likely see them push the tech a bit more in future iterations.
From the battery expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the decrease in load from the solar netted ~6-7% more battery life, is this correct? Trying to gauge what percentage you might recover after a full day of hiking on sunny days.
From the energy expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the drop in load from the solar netted ~6-7% gain in battery life, correct? Trying to gauge what energy savings someone might expect after a full day of hiking in sunny weather.
I feel exactly the same way!
I’ve had the Fenix 3, the Fenix 5X, and I have the Fenix 5X Plus Sapphire Titanium strap on my wrist as I’m typing this.
Upon reading about the new Fenix 6 models, I immediately preordered the $1250 (incl VAT) 6X Pro Solar. Why? Because I fell in love with the silver titanium bracelet. I work in an office and am in a position where I would need something a bit more fancy-looking than dark titanium (which I currently have so that would have been a step up), and the most expensive Solar has it!!! Solar I thought could be a nice to have (but not a necessity), especially as I occasionally run Ultras or do multi-day hiking expeditions.
And then I realized… no Sapphire. Which sort of makes sense because of the solar panel. Ok then I thought, I dont really need the solar panel. But if I want a top of the line Ti watch, it’s gotta be protected by Sapphire. Alas, such a watch does not exist in the 6X lineup. There is so 6X Sapphire with the nice silver bezel and silver Titanium. Why would you create such nice (hence pricey) watches and not protect them with Sapphire?
MARQ? Meh. I’m not a race car driver. I’m not a boat racer. I’m not an F16 pilot. I’m an athlete I guess. But the athlete doesn’t look work-ready like the other models do.
Then I figured I’d be getting a 6X Sapphire with black bezel. And reuse my current black Ti strap. Not enough of an upgrade from my 5X Plus DLC Ti though.
So I’ll be skipping this iteration. I didn’t want to, I love to send Garmin a grand a year, for some people it’s their phones for me it’s the Fenix. Not this year.
Garmin if you read this, please create a 6X Sapphire with silver Ti. And I’d happily pay over a grand for it!
I also would like a Garmin 6X pro Sapphire with silver Titanium, but there is not !
Hi, for those experiencing issues with the wrist HR sensor, the beta fix has been released for both Fenix 6 XS, 6 and X. I’ve tried it on my Fenix 6 and it solved the issue (hurray!)
More info here: link to forums.garmin.com
Beside that, the watch works pretty well with the firmware v3.0 … I still experience average GPS precision compare to my “old” Spartan Ultra watch but I’ll try to dig into it.
Hello Pilok,
I have the similar issue with Garmin Fenix 6, the wrist HR sensor issues. Can you please let me know how to install the beta fix..?
i transfered the file to my device, but i dont see any update option after disconnecting the device..
awaiting your reply with bated breath :|
Regs
Andy
Well it’s done I went and bought the 6x saphire….cant do the solar with gorilla glass way to hard on watches…plus with it being so m8nimal to charge ot would be more for me to say “hey look how cool my watch is”…its a fenix it already says that lol….
I will add I did read one review on here someone stated it was a little harder to see in light than the 5x plus I had and I will agree it’s a bit harder to see at a angle in sunlight than theb5x plus but directly looking at it, it is very easy to see. Increase in screen size is a huge plus and I love the new scroll layout…it rolls instead of 1 up on screen…..
Sapphire vs Gorilla glass – why one or the other. Sapphire really more scratch resistant?
Has anyone tested the watch with a screen protector on the glass? Does it affect solar capability?
Do I actually *need* a PC to do firmware updates? My 6X is on it’s way, but I only have a Chromebook – which is typically fine for me.
It looks like I just need to move the relevant firmware file on to the watch and then the rest of the process is on the watch, so it should be OK to do this from the Chromebook?
Cheers,
James
Once configured via iOS or Android, it’ll simply use WiFi/Bluetooth for downloading and installing firmware updates. Maps updates however do require a PC, but honestly, most people never both it seems.
Thanks. I can always borrow a windows laptop if it becomes necessary.
I take it I don’t need a windows PC to put on Open Street Map maps?
Correct. For OSM, as long as you can unzip a file and mount a USB drive, you’re good to go!
Hmm a Android Phone also can do this, but Garmin doesn´t allow us to copy files to the watch with Android. So you are forced to have access to a windows pc. Not nice on a longer journey. I don´t get the point for this limitation?!
Any chance in seeing or getting size comparison with other watches like you usually do please?
I’d specifically like to see how the 6 and 6S compare to the 645M. A watch size comparison tool like phonearena’s for mobile phones would be awesome ?
While not a detailed review I did post a thread on the Garmin forum comparing my 645M to Fenix 6 Titanium Sapphire (both with orange strap for aesthetic comparison purposes!)
link to forums.garmin.com
Feature wise aside, the Fenix 6 (and presumably Fenix 6S) will be noticeably bulkier/heavier for the first couple of days but after that I found the Fenix 6 to be fine. I very much liked the Fenix 6 bigger screen but returned it due to a screen defect. Due to some of the current (temporary) issues with the Fenix 6 (HRM, limited apps/etc, GPS inconsistencies) I am mulling over whether to wait for the 655 or get another Fenix 6. Appreciate both will have software issues at launch, but deciding do I need the extra features of the Fenix 6 and the increased size/different styling or not.
Thanks so much for that, exactly what I was after. Shame as it means it would have to be the 6S, which as you’ve pointed out has reduced resolution and battery life… Perhaps a 655 is en route
I don’t have any inside information but am assuming we will see a 655 in Feb/March 2020. I’m currently deciding whether to wait for the 655 (and accept it will take Garmin 1-3 months to stabilize that firmware), or go for the Fenix 6 Pro in Nov when the firmware has stabilized a bit more. I’m expecting that the new features I want (Pace Pro, improved Training Status info, Body Battery) will be included on the 655 and I don’t really need the maps, but I feel that Garmin has forgotten about the 645 as presumably they could easily migrate some of these new features to it.
Completely agree on the features Alex. For several years now, Garmin has been deliberately software-hobbling their own devices. There is very little between the hardware, and most features just require additional code to implement now. I don’t know why they keep such a large portfolio of products – maybe they have too many product managers internally or something – but without a software mod community for Garmin devices we’re stuck having to refresh devices at vast expense for what effectively amounts to a software update. Shame on Garmin for this practice.
Either way I’ll be holding fire until early 2020 to see what their portfolio looks like then…
For me personally the 6s is perfect. I loved size and design of the 645 and the 6s is just a teeny tiny bit smaller (thinner!) but given the 6s has a much better look and feel overall, it’s my clear winner. I don’t remember having ever been so excited about a garmin product. 6s is perfect (for now :-))
Very curious – are you saying the 6s is *smaller* than the 645? Do you have a few pictures maybe?
I’d be interested as I’ve told someone they shouldn’t bother thinking about upgrading, since the 6s will be bigger – I thought as such from specs.
Hi Ray
If you were guessing, do you think when (if) the 245 gets Pace Pro it will give ahead/behind based on your GPS position on a given course as opposed to the recorded distance as you mention above with the Fenix 6?
Hope that makes sense :-)
Cheers
Any word on when the next iteration of Tactix watches comes out?
It didn’t happen during the week it happened again when Saturday hit
I believe when you posted last up above someone was asking if you were on iOS or Android, as it sounded like there was some cases on Android around auto-creation of calendar events with certain apps. None of which has anything to do with Garmin, as it would appear on your calendar which Garmin just happens to sync.
Hello ray frear as usual
My question is if the solar could work as the sensor myskintrack from laroche you menarioned a while ago that this could be perhaps included in future watches now seeing the f6solar I am wondering if from the hardware standpoint this could be done within the watch if software would be available. From Garmin or third party…
Enjoying your in depth description
Hi Ray,
Can multiple GPS watches be simultaneously paired to the same Apple or Android phone? That would certainly be more user-friendly than pairing one watch, unpairing it, and then pairing a different watch when we swap between GPS watches. I am sure many readers have more than one GPS watch after reading your blog and being tempted by all the new goodies coming out regularly by the manufacturers.
What happened to the rolling pin comparisons? Those were great.
Thanks, Gene
Ive been using a couple of watches simultaneously and the switch has always been seemless. I dont know the details of how it goes about e.g. step counting when both would be in use (i have never worn both at the same time) but it has always seemlessly recognized which watch i wanted to synchronize.
To clarify – I think Gene is asking about pairing the Garmin to two phones, versus pairing two Garmin’s to one phone.
As far as I know, the Garmin side of the equation is singular, it can’t be paired to two devices concurrently (two phones concurrently). Hooking up to one kicks out the other. It doesn’t sleep around.
And yes, I need to do more rolling pins. Actually, it’s not so much doing them, it’s remembering to add the darn things. I always shoot them, but usually get lots in the last minute shuffle.
Thank you for the awesome review Ray!!
Do you know how well the fenix’s do in the cold ?
I’m looking to use the Fenix 6s for a multi-day backcountry ski trip at sub -20 degrees celsius.
How long do you think the battery would hold in Ultratrac mode?
Thank you!!
Hi Ray,
Am I understanding correctly that the only difference between version 010-02158-11 and version 010-02158-17 is the black bezel and nylon strap and 100€?
If so, that’s a shame – i really want a pro, sapphire with black bezel and black strap. But a 100€ extra + a strap seperately is over the top imo..
Btw thanks for the Clevertraining discount! Once i figure out which one to get i’ll order from there!
There is no mention of HR underwater. It is such a BIG deal. Most of the features are evolutionary except Solar
Mostly because optical HR underwater isn’t super accurate across any units I use. Also, I do actually cover it within the comparison database.
I did some testing with it, and it was ‘blah’ at best. The challenge with HR underwater (even chest straps) is that for most swimmers, HR will lag considerably comparative to effort underwater. It’s not usually as responsive as it is above-water for most athletes.
From the energy expenditure plot in the article, after 3 hours of GPS activity, the drop in load from the solar netted ~6-7% gain in battery life, correct? Trying to gauge what energy savings someone might expect after a full day of hiking in sunny weather.
Yeah, I gained 4% battery on a different day (at lower altitudes, a few weeks later, all sun), so my guess is 6-7% or more at a far higher altitude would be in the ballpark of correct.
Shimano Di2 & D-Fly: Remote Control the Fenix 6??!
As you may know the Shimano Di2 is capable to remote-control the Garmin Edges via the D-Fly Module. E.g. you can swipe through the datapages, Start/Stop a Round, etc. by pressing the ‘hidden Buttons’ on the latest STI-leavers. Can you remote control the fenix 6 like the edges as well? I know that the fenix 5 plus was NOT controlable.
Could someone that has the D-Fly unit try out that feature on the fenix 6? Thank you!
link to youtube.com
Hello Great review as usal
Ray a quick question on the solar model,
You reviewed a whihle ago an Myskintrack from la’roche and you mentioned that this could be perhaps included in future watches, now being the Fenix 6 solar does the hardware support this kind of UV mesurements or is this not possible?
cheers marc
Ray – do you have any idea if a longer 20mm strap is available for the 6s? I intend to wear it daily in a formal office environment and much prefer the sleekness and smaller watch face of the 6s but have a 170mm circumference wrist and the watch is on the second last hole.
Ray,
Quick query. From reading your review and many others on the Internet I haven’t see one mention of the OHR issues in the review itself which suggests none of the reviewers experienced this issue. However from the comments here, posts on the Garmin forum and my own experience it seems to be common enough that I would have thought some reviewers would have come across it?
Any thoughts on why this isn’t the case?
thanks
Alex
Reviewers by now consider it to be known that OHR has its limitations. Serious measuring will never be done with OHR, at least those in wrist worn devices.
It’s different of course for a malfunction that’s more than wild measuring margins.
Agree that a OHR has limitations. I use a Chest HRM for when exercising, but leverage the wrist OHR for general metrics measuring when not exercising. The issues of the Fenix 6 OHR not working correctly isn’t due to it being a wrist heart rate as the wrist heart rate on my 645M works fine. It is a bug/defect in either the software or hardware. I’m surprised that it wasn’t noted in any reviews and was wondering if it was due to different firmware versions or Garmin hand checking any review models they send out or some other reason.
RE: OHR Not Turning On Issue
No, I didn’t see the specific issue that was related to people’s OHR sensor not turning on at all. Basically it was a blend of a manufacturing issue and specific body/sin composiion with an easy software fix so that it wasn’t going to sleep. For whatever reason I didn’t fit that body type that was triggering it to occur more frequently (again, combined with some slight variances in manufacturing). That’s the firmware update they’re pushing out to the sensors. You can download it sooner if you need to.
RE: General OHR stability
I covered this in my accuracy section in plenty of detail, so I suspect this isn’t what you’re talking about
RE: OHR vs Chest Strap
There’s pros and cons to both. I definitely don’t subscribe to the theory that somehow chest straps are the end-all be all of HR measurement. One only needs to look at the long history of people having issues with chest straps to see that. How quickly everyone has forgot that the most popular posts every year on this site prior to optical HR sensors were how to troubleshoot the same chest strap dropouts/spikes/cadence locks/etc… What’s old is new again, we all just pretend to blame the new stuff instead.
In fact, in my reviews you’ll often see cases where chest straps from all vendors (Garmin, Polar, etc…) have accuracy failure moments, typically towards the start of workouts – even with wetness.
My original query was around the OHR Not Turning On Issue. I’ve seen the 2.30 firmware was posted and now there is a 2.32 beta to further address OHR issues. I’m hopeful they resolve this issue and generally have a stable watch firmware as I am looking to buy another one (returned the first) in Oct/Nov depending on how the firmware stability looks. Unfortunately I depend on a Garmin watch enough that I had to revert back to my 645M.
Yes I’m in the that chest strap boat. Maybe my sweat is more saline then average I dont know. But even with regular cleaning, my chest strap rarely lasted a year. Eventually I followed some posts about how general cleaning might not actual do enough. Long story short me and some other tended to clean with soaking in alcohol to desolve the salt deposit. it helped up. But within doing that the HR dropout and spike were maddening. Enough that I gave up and wanted OHRM. Its got its own issue. But admist all this trial and error. I’ve become quite proficient with RPE. I dont need a watch to tell me my heart rate is jacked up way to high or not high enough. One day maybe HRM in some fashion will be reliable. until then. Its just guidance data. imho
BEST AVOID. Loads of devices with HR issues
My 6x never read above 85bpm, even when i was up above 170. Sent it back for refund and back on my Fenix 3HR
See below thread for loads more issues, seems usual buggy Garmin release
link to forums.garmin.com
The very thread you linked to includes links to the firmware update to fix the issue of OHR sensor not turning on or getting stuck.
@ DC Rainmaker
The link is to the ‘alleged fix’ which doesn’t work, as per the myriad of comments from frustrated customers of 6X watches that have faulty HR sensors.
I would encourage anyone thinking f buying one of these to read this link before going ahead as currently there is a high rate of product failure.
The vendor I purchased from has refunded me today acknowledging they are getting lots of returns on faulty Fenix 6 HR monitors
Read the dates/times on the thread. Time matters.
If you look at the point in which Garmin releases the firmware, there are exactly two people that say they’re still having some sort of issue, one of which was 5 days ago.
Nobody is saying there wasn’t issues. What I’m asking is if you applied the update and if it fixed the issue, or if you just returned it without the update.
Hi Ray,
I have a brand new 6X Sapphire, which had the problem. I did the beta update and it seems to have resolved the problem.
I’m curious what the root of the problem is. I was hoping you might have some insight or knowedge of what went sideways. Meaning is there a simple timing problem that wasn’t discovered during development, and they got bit in production? Or is this a distinct manufacturing issue?
Wondering if having a watch with this problem will be a downside at some point.
Hemming and hawing on whether to return or not. I bought from the nice folks at Clever
Hello guys,
do you have info about stocks in retailers ? Especially with clevertraining UK ? I shoot’em an email but got no answer yet…
thanks
Give them a call. My 6x shipped yesterday. They were great when I called a couple of times to ask when they’d be getting that stock.
I’ve ordered the pro solar at clevertraining, it said 5-8 days to ship.
I’ve checked two days ago, same shipment date.
After 8 days of waiting I’ve contacted them and they told me they don’t have it in stock and don’t know when it will be in stock again.
This is ridiculous and very disappointing.
They could at least inform the customers that have already paid for it.
Very disappointing service.
I got today an email from CleverTraining that they run out of stock but expecting deliveries soon. They are sorry not to have a confirmed date.
I received the same feedback from them about the 6X Pro Sapphire: “We currently do not have an estimate on when we will receive this product.” In Europe, some models are currently not available in stock.
The problem is that I’ve already paid 1k and it still states 5-7 days although they have no clue when they will be in stock again… this is a scam.
Maybe Ray could contact them and make this clear. According to reviews this is daily business, accepting the money while items are not in stock.
It should not be linked on this site until it’s clear if they are in stock or not.
Hi Guys-
Sorry for the troubles. My guess here is that the support person you’re talking to doesn’t see the inbound shipment of units (meaning, they don’t have access to that system), and thus the ordering platform does see that inbound shipment – shows it as 5-7 days – and is specifying that accordingly.
Still, I’ve escalated to validate that’s the case. Keep in mind that sometimes (ok, often) – Garmin does change how much stock they had planned to send to a retailer. CT tends to be pretty conservative with that metric (meaning, they usually add buffer because they don’t tend to believe most companies). But sometimes it goes even beyond that.
Again, I should have some answers in a few hours.
Thanks!
Thank you very much, looking forward to their anwer.
Got after the email yesterday about not being able to confirm a delivery date today an email that is has been shipped ;-)
So, a bit of patience at launching a new product/series is always necessary.
Any news Ray?
Virtually every SKU except the solar went out Friday and should be cleared up back-order wise, save a couple of very near-term orders.
Looking at this, I missed that you were on solar specifically, let me poke them on that one. I know they did fix the backorder status lengths, and I know more orders were set to show up this week (again). But let me check on solar SKU.
Thank you very much.
I’m not sure but to me it looks like Garmin should re-think their rollouts/announcements.
Emotions across all forums and comments I read are very negative considering the alpha stage they release their products in and the problem with stock.
Hi Christoph,
Do you have any update from Clever about the stock of the Solar version? In their website, now it says “Expected Late October”.
I’m also waiting some stock update on the 6X Sapphire, which is expected ‘Late September’, but it seems that won’t happen soon.
I got some clarity last night, and also helped figure out why folks were seeing one thing but getting another (in terms of timelines).
There was a bug that was showing two different dates. If you looked at the drop-down it was showing ‘Expected Late September’ (the correct date). However, for that DLC Solar SKU, it was also showing incorrectly “5-7 Days” up above higher on the page, which wasn’t updating based the selected SKU below. This only impacted the Solar SKU, the remainder of the SKU’s were updating correctly.
No matter, the case now is that Garmin has pushed out delivery of additional 6X Solar units now till late October for all regions. CT has updated the page as such (to October) in both US and EU/UK. You’ll note this is inline with what Garmin is telling others, which range from late October to late November. I don’t know why there’s such a delay, though typically when we look at huge shifts in parts without any known issues – it likely means a supply constrained part.
Additionally, CT UK is going to be reaching out via e-mail to those UK folks who got hosed by the Solar timing display bug with some options (as well as a bit of an apology).
I mean I hate to say I told you so, but like I said in my initial post about Solar being not available, it really sounded like my source was saying this was more than just a quick supply issue. I went and looked again and obviously this could mean about anything, but the Garmin employee said “I guess we are still tweaking them regarding the solar panel.” That could obviously be pure speculation, but the note went on to be less speculative that it wasn’t expected that this was a short thing, either. Which was why I looked at Garmin’s site and got worried about the 5-8 week thing. :(
Cancelled my order, it says “late october” now – this is just a scam nothing more. Ridiculous.
Solar units went out, but clearly yields aren’t as high as they want – hence the delays. So it’s not as though they haven’t shipped units, it’s just not shipping as many as they wanted.
Sorry Chris – but to be clear, this is impacting all retailers on all continents. Unfortunately like most retailers, they can’t control when Garmin decides to move the goalposts. One only need to look at the Fenix 5 launch to see that (though, Garmin has done better, mostly, lately in that regard).
Sure, I understand. But as customers we can only put pressure on the retailers to hopefully propagate upwards.
I’m very disappointed. Garmin does this (same for Software) all the time and this is not how you run a business. They should really think about how they do rollouts and how it affects their customer base.
Hi
I’ve always gone for the sapphire editions in past I work outdoors and it’s hard as nails, never scratched it. I’m wondering how tough the solar glass is?
Will
Great review! I’m currently using 920XT. Due to serious issue with irritated skin caused by HR band I’m considering Fenix 6. Do you know if the HR registered by Fenix6 can act as an external sensor for other devices (i.e. Wahoo Elemnt)? In order to do so, it should send HR signal by ANT+ or BT. Can’t find confirmation it has or hasn’t that functionality.
Yes, it broadcasts via ANT+ your HR to other devices.
I’ve got the 6 saphire — hooked up my rhythm sensor and saw it displyed and pick up on the watch. but on the run the HR was way off — on a tempo run was showing 90 bpm. Took it off and the watch showed 140 which was about right. ANyone else seeing this w/ non garmin tools?
Any chance of a shot of a Fenix 6S next to a 945? Thinking of upgrading my 935 and torn between these two. Thanks!
With all the GPS options available to us, is there a good general guideline on which setting to use? I live in the central US so I’m not sure Glonass would be helpful, but I’ve read that Galileo isn’t fully implemented yet, so does that mean just normal GPS will give me the best results?
I use GPS+GLONASS on my Edge 830 and Fenix 5+. GLONASS satellites aren’t hovering over Russia and Galileo aren’t hovering over Europe. Synchronous orbits are too valuable to use for something like a positioning system. GPS satellites are in 12 hour orbits and cover the entire planet, and I assume GLONASS and Galileo are in similar orbits with similar coverage.
My Fenix 5x I’ve been using GPS+GALLILEO. Not sure why I switched, probably because it was new, and at some point its claimed to be better. That said. Like anyone here thats had more than 10 GPS devices over the years, you learn to be patient and accepting. No matter what setting, you’ll just have some bad tracks. No reason or explanation. I like to think that satellite just freak out and add 10m to a dimension broadcast or something. I’ll run a looped trail and on the third lap, it will just flake out. and add like 5m only on one axis. So the entire track is shifted. unless its an actual race (which it very aggravating) you learn to live with it. No device is great ..all.. the time.
PulseOx – I read the info above. Read about how there sensor issues, and new firmware. That said. Put on your salesman hat. Why do I want PulseOx info from sleep. Whats its really really telling me. Just like some of the running dynamics stuff added a few years back. Interesting data, but what do you really do with it. (exception being the left/right balance, that I do really like). I already dont sleep enough. Usually sleep quite well. Whats pulseOx likely to indicate? Thanks for the PulseOx – for – dummies answer….
The ski maps, pace pro, increased battery and battery modes all seem to make this watch perfect for me (golfer, runner, skier, hiker, etc). Specifically the 6x Sapphire (I care a lot about durability and duration, which is why I prefer the 6x to the 945). I’m coming from a VivoActive 2, which I loved, but it crapped out on me after almost 3 years. The past few VivoActive increments haven’t increased battery life and I feel like they’ve gone backwards in durability. So I have one simple question…..
Realistically, how long can I expect a 6x Sapphire to last me? I’m assuming the enclosure, screen and outer components will be ok, but the charging connection and internal battery, I don’t know. I don’t care about newer features or having the latest style. My VivoActive 2 was solid, and until now I haven’t seen a reason to jump on new features (not having to pull out a phone when I’m skiing is huge and the golf updates push it over the top). I like the look and this does 99% of everything I’ll ever need.
Do any of the users have anecdotal evidence from wearing their Fenix watches for over 5 years? It’s not like dropping $850 will kill me, but I’d like it to last 5 years if possible. Even if that sounds crazy on a smartwatch…..
Thanks.
My Fenix 1 still works. I used it as my daily wear in addition to recording activities for maybe 3 years. Replaced it with an Epix when the Epix came out, and the Epix was replaced a week later with an Apple Watch as my daily. The Epix still works as well, but didn’t get the daily usage the Fenix did. Now I have a Fenix 5+, and I’m waiting for my just arrived iPhone 11 Pro to finish updating before I pair my just arrived AW5 with it. The Fenix 1 and the Epix are now powered down; I turn them (and my other retired devices) on about every 6 months when we switch from daylight to standard and back to make sure they’re still working right. In short, I wouldn’t worry about the durability of a Fenix.
Cool protocol, Paul.
A lot depends on how much you use it outside of “watch mode”. My fēnix 5X has lost about 25% battery capacity in two years. Now it doesn’t have enough capacity anymore for an ultramarathon that requires substantial navigation. I use it 6-7 days a week for workouts.
I have a buddy who had an f3 fail completely dead at about 2.5 years. The gasket in the “start” button had ruptured resulting in a lot of sweat intrusion.
Your mileage may vary.
Ray,
Just wondering whether the increased number of datafields on the screen will show up on Extended Display? Or does Extended Display limit it to just the traditional 4 fields (plus the timer field on the Edge itself)?
Hey Ray,
You’re the best product reviewer! Got my 6x (pro) Sapphire yesterday. All the buttons make a very noticeable double click sound when pressed – and feel less stable than prior watched. I don’t remember any clicking sounds with my 5x or my 3HR. Can you or anyone else expand on this new being “normal” or not?
Scott
Hi folks,
I use a Fenix 3 and consider buying a new device. Since heart rate with chest belt is fine with any watch, gps accuracy ist the most important feature for me. My f3 performance disappointing under trees, messing up actual pace totally (shown as pace per 1km Autolap). Is any of the new Garmin’s better when it comes to gps? Which one should I go for – F6, 935 or 945?
Thanks in advance!
Any of them, paired with a footpod. I know this is not the answer you want, but it is the right answer as far as I read on the internet. See link to fellrnr.com.
Thanks for the hint! And now let’s talk about gps accuracy ;)
I wish to talk about that as well. I’`ve seen a lot os cases that Fenix 6 watches show a better performance compared to the previous models.
I just pushed the update for the 6xpro, and it seems to have resolved the problem.
I’m curious what the core issue is. Comms with the sensor hub going down? Or the sensor hub not properly programmed to chat up the sensors? (I assume Garmin is using an off the shelf sensor hub….but it’s an assumption)
Note: those installing should be aware that there are different files for the different devices. if you don’t select the right one, nothing will happen.
Ray, I just got the Fenix 6 and it is working great but since I have been using it I have noticed some quirks with Garmin Connect
1. When I do an indoor workout on Zwift but not using a Garmin device but the workout is downloaded to Garmin Connect it does not add the workout to intensity minutes and does not apply it to training status or to calories burned. The workout is there but that is it…
2. Also when working out indoors on Zwift or outdoors using my Garmin 1030 the HR showing in Garmin Connect Never show my HR from the workout so my high HR is never right. I have Physo True turned on.
3. Body Battery is also off because of this doesn’t take into account Zwift workout
Thanks in advance for your help
Ron,
Your item 2 might not be just related to F6. I have the same behavior on my F3HR as well. Somewhere along the way the watch(es) stopped recording heart rate strap data outside of an activity that is being recorded on the wautch.
#1 falls under the case of ‘the way it currently works for all units. :(
#2 Zwift doesn’t add to totals for Physio True Up type things.
#3 And, same here too.
Sorry, Debbie Downer on all of those.
Thanks for the reply even though that does suck..Any ideas why they don’t have the capabilities…It really makes the app useless if you indoor train..Too bad.
I guess training peaks works but it would be nice to have everything in one app especially since I have the Fenix and 1030
Can anyone with the 6x Solar version comment on the actual crystal size? There is plenty of debate about screen protector or not. Degraded solar charging ability. Does it reduce clarity. Etc etc etc. All that said, we know sapphire will be harder. But one should consider the solar option has (or should in theory) be a selling point for ultra marathoners and those others with long timed events. Those sorts of events also tend to have increased likelihood of trips, falls, spills that can scratch a display. Maybe you just carry a USB charger as always and go with sapphire. Go solar is pretty cool tech, even for incremental gain. What do you ultra runners think, an for those with the solar, what is the mm diameter of the crystal display
Just bought the Fenix 6X Sapphire …
It doesn’t seem to appear on my Mac desktop as an USB drive like all my other Garmin GPS units! Is this normal, or is there something amiss?
Completely normal for any Garmin device that supports music. Get a copy of Android File Transfer and you’ll be able to see and use the file system if you need to. (Express will complain that it needs to shut Android File Transfer down when you start it, so only use it when you’ve shut down Express.) Express has no problems seeing it, but no other Garmin software that I occasionally use (BaseCamp, MapInstall) can see my 5+.
Has there been any testing on slow- or no- movement accuracy, or “GPS drift”? I had the Fenix 3 and discovered that at slow speeds (ie mountaineering, climbing, etc), small drift would add up to large discrepancies on total distance. For example, I would go on a 20km mountain scramble, and the rest of the people in my group would only have gone 18km.
At the extreme, I set up the watch stationary outside overnight along with 3 other devices. The Fenix “moved” about 2km, whereas the other devices were limited to a few meters.
I went back and forth with Garmin for months over this, and it was never resolved. My conclusion was that it was a hardware issue.
So – has this been fixed? Has anyone tested this?
I don’t typically do stationary GPS tests, mostly because I’ve yet to get a clear reason where the actual use case is (though, climbing could potentially be one). I tend to fall in the camp that if you’re not moving, there’s little need to use a GPS device in an always-on/always-recording scenario.
And if you’re climbing, the obvious fix that others use and Garmin doesn’t, using the accelerometer to see if you’re actually moving, will fail anyway.
Thanks Ray — long time reader (since 2011?) and much appreciative of your work. That said I also have some choice words for Clever UK … I ordered a 6x Solar on Sept 4 (delivery 3-5 days). I have inquired several times and today the latest response from their teams (at least kudos here – they do answer) is that inventory is expected the week of Sept 30th, and “The expected date of inventory is still the same and should be dispatched within 24 hours and after the product is dispatched it can take up to 3 weeks to reach you.”
Ray – In short I think you need to re-evaluate the impact of associating your brand with Clever if that is how they play. I for one will likely cancel my order and pay full price elsewhere
PS: Clever had no problem charging my account immediately (!)
PSS: The website has claimed every day since Sept that “Availability: Ships in 5-7 Business Days” – this is still true today, and I suspect that is what they will claim even next week as Sept 30th comes and goes.
At this point – they should come clean with your customers and offer another 10% in the way of compensation
What a fantastic in-depth review! I am glad to stumble across this article.
Article mentioned the lug-to-lug distance is significantly less so it will be better for smaller wrists. Is 5″ circumference acceptable for the optical heart rate sensor accuracy? And I prefer to wear Garmin on inside of my wrist during runs so not sure if it will affect its sensor accuracy. I currently own legacy 920XT so this will be a huge upgrade for me.
Hey Ray, question for you about the Fenix 6 since you seem to be able to talk to the dev team and engineers and may have some ideas. I contacted support for an issue with my Aftershokz Aeropex headphones. If i have the watch on the left wrist and listen to spotify on the watch and run or walk or do anything, the connection is rock solid no issue. As soon as i run using GPS, tested using the my coach feature in a run, the music cuts out and sputters. It possibly seems like some GPS dead spots or tree cover make the connection even worse. I asked support if they are lowering the bluetooth power when in a activity, since it works absolutely perfectly outside with the exact same conditions. They said they were not engineers and couldnt help me or tell me anything, only to move the watch to my right wrist, which i hate the feeling of. Any ideas? Do you know if they do in fact lower output while in activities? Its the Fenix 6 titanium sapphire and both the watch and the headphones are fully charged. The headphones work fine with my phone in a camlebak on bike rides with no issue whatsoever also.
Hi Ray,
After enjoying your review and getting the Fenix 6 mainly for navigating on my MTB rides along with some HR readings, I am majorly disappointed by how unusable the navigation in practice seems to be.
Just check my screenshot to see what I mean. Basically there are no useful indications in the navigation about where to go next. The turn cues sometimes produce useful results just to be totally off or not existent on other occasions. And map based routing which would be able to give clear graphical instructions using a white arrow only works for very short routes.
Already escalated this to Garmin with no reply. Maybe you get the chance to get their view at some point.
For now I utterly regret spending that amount of money on the item :(
I agree — the watch does have turn by turn information it can tell you about before starting, but once you get rolling it only tells you if you are off track and by how much. Not helpful if you are unfamiliar with the area. Felt like Marco-Polo. I did find the trail mapping useful on a complex trail while walking. I opted to go with a basic map/music/wifi-free Fenix 6 instead.
I copied a .fit file from Training Peaks onto my Fenix 6X, like I used to do with my fenix 3. But now that I have the watch disconnected I cannot find Workouts in the navigation system.
Where do I go to Do this workout?
Got the answer here: link to forums.garmin.com
Great and thorough review giving really full insights about all the features in this very nice device.
I ordered a Fenix 6x Pro Solar from Garmin online on August 29th in Germany because it was directly available at that time. Now it should be available again from mid-November, that’s not nice.
The Fenix 6x Pro Solar has everything I want, but at 3 points I still see question marks:
– The optical heart rate measurement is not so accurate, but this is like all other companies, including Polar, with Polar Precision Prime the precise measurement wanted to have. But technically, accurate optical heart rate measurement is difficult to implement.
– GPS accuracy is not always accurate. It’s also not clear if dual-frequency GNSS is really much better. Current tests show no significant improvements in dual-frequency GNSS compared to single-frequency GNSS in fast movements such as running.
– Integrated power meter in the clock would have been nice, but is it really that accurate? Polar is proud of its built-in power meter, but I’m seriously wondering if it’s technically accurate on the wrist.
I upgraded from a Fenix 3 to the Fenix 6X. Love the new display, but have a question regarding workouts. On the Fenix 3 when I programmed a workout with intervals it showed the whole interval in virtual partner, i.e. 6 miles at 8:00 min/mile would show on the virtual partner page how I was doing on that interval. This morning on the workout I had a 6 mile piece that it was recording, but showed me the pace of each mile and no overall on the piece. How do I change it to give me how I am doing on the whole piece as I would like to run a marathon with 5K segments? Thanks.
Hi Ray, great and detailed review as usual
I however have one question. I’m deciding between a Marq and a F6. Base on what you were saying, they have identical internal hardware so how is it that you weren’t so impressed with the Marq Sony’s chip accuracy but the issue was not so much of a problem with the F6.
Cheers
Hey Ray,
thanks for the review, a very nice over-and-over read ;-).
A few questions though:
1. from a software perspective feature, all the Fenix 6 Pro variants share the same functionality?
2. besides the different size, there’s no other difference (software wise) between Fenix 6 Pro and Fenix 6X Pro
Thanks,
Tudor
Tudor- yes. unlike the older Fenix watches where the larger X version had additional mapping functions- all of the Pro versions are functionally identical- except for size (obviously) and battery life.
hi and thanks ;-). thought so too after reading the reviews, but just wanted to make sure :-).
tudor
I think you can put more fields on a page on the x, because the screen is bigger, and that’s the only software difference.
Great review,Thanks!