You can also display a map of your current location and create an automated running or biking route with round-trip mapping. Not only do users have access to a package of topographic maps, but they can also add their own maps to the watch’s database. Sadly, they are only available on the Fenix 5X, but they’re a welcome addition all the same. While Garmin didn’t incorporate any game-changing upgrades into its new watches, it did add plenty of supplemental functionality to its existing categories.Īdding maps was arguably the biggest change to the Fenix 5 Series.
Fenix 5: FeaturesĪside from the WiFi capability on standard models, the Fenix 5 series includes all of the features from the Fenix 3 HR. Verdict: The slimmer design may tempt a largely untapped demographic, but if you don’t mind the size of your Fenix 3 HR, there’s no real reason to upgrade. These buttons give you access to a host of functions, which we will get into shortly. Navigation remains largely the same on the Fenix 5 series, so users still cycle through different menus by pushing one of the five buttons surrounding the display. The Fenix 5X only comes in the sapphire edition, while the Fenix 3 HR also features a sapphire crystal lens. These special editions make the watch significantly heavier, but they are the only models with WiFi capability. The 5 and 5S also come in a sapphire edition, which replaces the glass lens with sapphire crystal. Both silicone and steel straps are available for the 5 and 5X, while the 5S also includes a suede option. Like the Fenix 3 HR, the Fenix 5 series features interchangeable bands. The Fenix 5X and the Fenix 3 HR have the exact same dimensions. By no means are these two watches slim, but the company undoubtedly targeted women and smaller-wristed individuals with these changes.įor those who prefer the gargantuan feel of previous Garmin models, not to worry. Older models like the Fenix 3 HR basically swallow your wrist, so the Fenix 5S and Fenix 5 offer a thinner alternative. With the Fenix 5 series, Garmin addressed one of our biggest complaints from previous watches - size.
Fenix 5 debate to help you determine whether you should upgrade to one of the company’s newest watches. Garmin Fenix 3 HR users arguably have the toughest choice, considering their device has only been out for a little more than a year. While there’s no doubt you get what you pay for with Garmin products, their hefty price tag makes the decision to upgrade more difficult. The company’s latest collection of wearables - the Fenix 5 series - starts at $599, which puts them on the higher end of wrist-worn devices.
Garmin produces some of the most feature-packed watches on the market, but that functionality comes with a price.