Garmin flexes its muscles with the new fenix 5 smartwatches

By Digital News Asia March 16, 2017

fenix 5 comes in three sizes, offers a choice to users who want a multi-use fitness tracker
Features include 24/7 heart rate monitoring, extended battery life, daily activity tracking

Garmin flexes its muscles with the new fenix 5 smartwatches

GARMIN has announced its new premium multisport GPS smartwatch fēnix 5 that will come available in three sizes: the fēnix 5S, fēnix 5 and fēnix 5X for users of varying wrist sizes.

“With our entry into Southeast Asia, the range of products lets us offer our wearables in different sizes to fit the Asian wrist sizes, which tend to be smaller. That is why we have designed the new line of fēnix 5 watches to fit every wrist and a wide range of sports and fitness activities,” said Garmin South Asia/ India Region managing director Engelhard (Al) Sundoro.

“This is the first time Garmin has created a variety of sizes for one product so now users don't have to compromise between getting the features they want and wearing a watch that fits,” he added.

With a focus on female adventurers, the fēnix 5S is a sleek, smaller-sized watch at 42mm. It is small and comfortable for petite wrists, without compromising any multisport features. The fēnix 5S can get up to nine days of battery life in smartwatch mode (depending on settings), up to 12 hours in GPS mode and up to 28 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode.

Measuring 47mm, the fēnix 5 has a brand new industrial design and is more compact than previous models like the fēnix 3HR, but fully delivering on multisport features. The fēnix 5 can get up to two weeks of battery life in smartwatch mode (depending on settings), 21 hours in GPS mode and up to 44 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode.

Built for larger wrists, the fēnix 5X measures at 51mm and is the only model of the fēnix 5 series preloaded with topographic maps, routable cycling maps, over 40,000 golf courses around the world and other navigation features like Round Trip Run and Round Trip Ride.

Multisport supported and smart features in all models

The series of versatile timepieces that complement daily wear and workout gear come preloaded with full multisport features including running, hiking, swimming and biking.

With built-in wrist heart rate technology Garmin Elevate, users get 24/7 heart rate monitoring whether resting or at the gym and without the hassle of a chest strap.

In addition to the wide variety of sport profiles, the fēnix 5 models have daily activity tracking, so users can wear their fēnix as a daily timepiece and a rugged training tool. The Sapphire editions also offer a scratch-resistant lens for outdoor challenges.

Built-in navigation features include a three-axis compass, gyroscope and barometric altimeter, as well as GPS and GLONASS support to track in more challenging environments than with GPS alone.

Users can also keep their training statistics right at their fingertips with a performance widget that shows training status, training load and more.

Each of the new fēnix 5 models is water rated to 100 meters, and are built to withstand the elements with a stainless steel bezel, buttons and rear case. Users can also take advantage of the UltraTrac power saver mode to extend battery life even more.

When paired with a compatible smartphone, users can get calls, text and app notifications right on their wrist. All fēnix 5 models are compatible with Garmin’s Connect IQ Store so users can customize their watch with apps, widgets, data fields and watch faces.

Availability

The fēnix 5S, 5 and 5x will be available on for pre-orders at the IT Show 2017 in Singapore from March 16 to 19, 2017, and will be available in stores end March.

The suggested retail price for the different sizes are as follows: