Garmin’s range-topping Fenix collection has moved on. Now in its fifth incarnation, the Fenix vary has three new watches in its line up, with the 5 Plus sitting alongside the Fenix 5S Plus and the Fenix 5X Plus. They’re nonetheless massive, nonetheless daring however now they’re much more brilliantly properly featured, bringing smartwatch abilities to the combination.
They’re additionally nonetheless massively costly, with value tags that vary from £599/$799.99/AU$1149 proper as much as £999/$1099.99/AU$1599. That’s critical cash however then these are critical efficiency and journey instruments.
There’s loads to like in regards to the newest improve. From path operating to open water swimming, the sport-specific monitoring smarts are complete, and there are superior coaching and efficiency options to go well with critical amateurs and professionals alike.
And while you throw in on a regular basis exercise monitoring, smartwatch abilities, Garmin Pay, music, stable sleep monitoring and even stress monitoring, you get a watch which may – we are saying would possibly very cautiously right here – justify the value tag.
To search out out, we put the center sized, 47mm Garmin Fenix 5 Plus sapphire crystal titanium to the check.
Garmin Fenix 5 Plus launch date and value
- Out now within the UK, US and AU
- Ranges from £599/$799.99/AU$1149 to £999/$1099.99/AU$1599
The Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is out now within the UK, US and Australia, nevertheless it’s not low-cost. Value-wise it ranges from £599 / $799.99 / AU$1149 to £999 / $1099.99 / AU$1599.
The variations in value are based mostly on a mixture of the scale you choose, the supplies used and whether or not or not you need its Pulse Ox Acclimation characteristic.
Design and specs
- Massive however appropriate to put on all day
- Accessible in three totally different sizes
- Full colour display screen and 10ATM water resistance
The Garmin Fenix 5 Plus is a rugged look ahead to the rugged person, the form of one that’s simply as at residence in a canoe as they’re within the desert or flinging themselves off a mountain.
Multisport journey watches like this aren’t usually that fairly to take a look at. If the Garmin Forerunner watches are like having a smooth sports activities automobile parked in your driveway, the hard-wearing Fenix vary has been far more like parking a tank there.
Nonetheless, the Fenix 5 Plus reveals simply how far Garmin has come on the design entrance. It’s nonetheless clearly a bit of watch however on the similar time, you’ve bought one thing you’ll be able to put on all day with good garments, with out feeling such as you’re making an announcement about how SAS you’re. Briefly, it’s a really good wanting and complex – if a bit massive – piece of equipment.
We examined the 47mm Garmin Fenix 5 Plus sapphire crystal titanium with Photo voltaic Flare Orange Band, which has greater than a contact of the Hugo Boss about its general look.
There are, nonetheless, numerous fashions to select from. The 42mm Fenix 5S Plus, the 47mm Fenix 5 Plus and the 51mm Fenix 5X Plus.
The usual Fenix 5 Plus weighs in at 86g – that’s 5g heavier than the Suunto 9 – except you pay a premium for the 10g lighter, 76g titanium model.
On the average-sized wrist of our male tester the 47mm felt proportionate and manageable, although the smaller-wristed will virtually actually want the 42mm and even that could be a bit cumbersome for some.
We appreciated the very fact the 47mm was somewhat smaller than the Suunto 9 and although there’s barely much less display screen actual property, you don’t actually discover the distinction while you’re mid-activity.
There’s a sapphire crystal version in all three sizes with a scratch-resistant sapphire lens designed to take all of the knocks and bumps. We put this by means of a radical examination out among the many rocks and sand of the Half Marathon des Sables in Fuerteventura, and the display screen got here again in excellent well being, although the titanium bezel did choose up a couple of minor scratches.
On cheaper variations these bezels are available in chrome steel quite than titanium and you’ll select a silver or a matt black end. On the 47mm and 51mm watches the bezels are punctuated properly by 5 screws that add an honest little bit of detailing that you just don’t get on the 42mm.
The 47 x 47 x 15.8mm watch face is smaller than the Suunto 9, with the show sitting inside a small border and taking on 30.4mm.
There’s room for 4 stats on display screen at anybody time in numerous customizable layouts, although we felt three stats was sufficient, something extra and issues began to get somewhat cramped and lack hierarchy. That’s nonetheless loads although.
The display screen is a full-color transflective Garmin Chroma Show with LED backlighting and even in extremely shiny sunshine within the desert sands of Fuerteventura we discovered it simple to learn. We additionally used it on an evening stage for operating in the dead of night utilizing a head torch with none downside in any respect.
The readability isn’t as sharp as you’ll discover on one thing just like the Apple Watch 4 however the one time this turns into an actual concern is utilizing a few of the mapping options. After which once more, the Apple Watch four received’t take the arduous knocks this can.
There’s no touchscreen right here such as you get with Suunto’s flagship watch, as a substitute the Fenix is managed utilizing 5 facet buttons which are properly responsive and straightforward sufficient to search out on the transfer. Is it missed? It’s very a lot a subjective factor however touchscreen controls aren’t that simple to make use of while you’re bouldering up a cliff facet or rushing down a mountain path, so we weren’t that bothered.
We might have appreciated to have the ability to swipe the maps to make extra of the Fenix’s new full-color topographic routable navigation however in any other case we weren’t that fussed. Some individuals would possibly want to have the choice for navigating put up exercise. If that’s you, this can irk you.
The silicone straps vary for wrist sizes from 163-249mm and you’ll select from silicone, leather-based and metallic. It’s stupidly easy to modify the straps, with in all probability one of the best clip mechanism we’ve seen on a sports activities watch.
The silicone strap we examined was completely snug for lengthy durations (we ran the lengthy stage of the Half Marathon des Sables for 11 hours with no hassle).
Flip the Fenix over and there’s the usual Garmin Elevate-powered optical coronary heart fee sensor with three inexperienced LEDs sitting within the middle of the domed metallic again.
The sensor bump – sure that’s the technical time period – protrudes far lower than on the Suunto 9 or the Polar Vantage V, however due to the dome there’s nonetheless good contact with the pores and skin with none discomfort on longer runs. Sure it leaves somewhat mark, however so do all optical coronary heart fee sensors.
Subsequent to the optical sensor you may have the Garmin cost dock, a four-pin affair that clips agency while you put it on cost and comes with a cable that’s much less cumbersome than some.
In terms of sensors, on the navigation entrance, the Fenix 5 Plus packs a three-axis compass, gyroscope and barometric altimeter in addition to multi-satellite (GPS, GLONASS and Galileo) functionality to trace in more difficult environments than GPS alone. Extra on the accuracy later.
There’s additionally an accelerometer for monitoring indoor operating and actions, similar to energy coaching, plus a thermometer, helpful for those who’re pushing extremes.
There’s 16GB of reminiscence on your music and exercise historical past, although with the auto-sync over Wi-Fi and Bluetooth syncing if that’s patchy, you’re unlikely to push the bounds.
For the swimmers, triathletes and water sports activities fanatics, the Fenix is water resistant to 10ATM, so pool and open water swimming are coated however diving to any nice depths nonetheless just isn’t beneficial.