Garmin has announced several new fitness trackers that you don’t have to hang on the charger as often thanks to solar energy. According to Garmin, there is even one tracker that you never have to charge, provided it gets enough sunlight.
Garmin’s Instinct series is getting two new trackers, including the Solar Surf. The sports watch, as the name suggests, uses solar energy and is especially for water sports enthusiasts. The tracker has a special surf mode, offers information about wave heights and is the cheapest new watch from Garmin with a price tag of 400 euros.
The Instinct Solar Tactical Edition then works for 24 days without having to recharge and even up to 50 days if you wear the watch outside often enough. There is even an energy-saving mode, so you never have to charge the tracker again.
Fenix
The Fenix collection is also getting some new additions. In March of this year, the Fenix 6X Pro Solar, which introduced the Power Glass, a special transparent lens that uses solar energy to extend battery life, already appeared. With the two new trackers from the Fenix collection, Garmin offers somewhat cheaper versions of the previously released Fenix watches with slightly more modest specifications. Where you still pay 850 euros for the current Fenix trackers, the prices of the new Solar models start from 750 euros.
The new Fenix 6 Pro Solar and Fenix 6S Pro Solar both get special functions for surfing, mountain biking and bouldering, in addition to the usual functionalities for swimming, running and cycling. In the trackers you will also find a sleep monitor, storage space for music and many maps with golf courses and ski slopes.
The biggest difference between the Pro Solar and the 6S Pro Solar is mainly the battery life. The Pro S Solar can last for about nine days without intermediate charging and in smartphone mode (without GPS) or even 10.5 days if the tracker can charge via sunlight. The Pro Solar can even last for 14 days and 16 days when exposed to sufficient sunlight.
Finally, there is the Tactix Delta Solar Edition, mainly intended for military use. The price of the watch is therefore not tender: the tracker will get a price tag of 1100 euros.
Scratch resistant?
Where a regular sports watch lasts an average of seven days, Garmin knows how to significantly increase the battery life with the Power Glass technology. But at a price. The screen of the new sports watches basically protects against scratches, but is not as robust as the Sapphire screen of the older models. Garmin therefore recommends placing a protective layer over the screen.
The updated Garmin watches will be available from the third quarter of this year.
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