S From Test With Solar Charging
Ready for test – Full sunlight:
After 3 hours – 19% battery left:
There were 0% Solar intensity throughout the 3 hours:
I did a little more digging into the subject and the best explanation is that 3 hours simply isn´t enough to make a real difference. If we look at the numbers, Garmin say that Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar in GPS-mode preserves power up to 36 hours WITHOUT SOLAR, and up to 40 hours WITH SOLAR. This corresponds to a battery life extension of about 11% in GPS-mode with ideal conditions.
This means that in my test where Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar lost 6% power in the shade, the watch should theoretically “only” have lost 5,4% power – But as the difference is so small , and as Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar indicated the battery level in whole numbers , I see no difference in my test.
Perhaps the result would have been different if the test had been for 8 or 10 hours. But anyway, the differences are very small. I have seen other tests and reviews, where people have noticed a significantly greater effect of the Solar charge, but for obvious reasons, I can only make conclusions on the basis of my own little test.
Fenix 6 Excels At Activity Tracking Outdoors But Not Inside
Knowing that Garmin specializes in GPS technology, its no surprise that that is where the Fenix 6 really shines. With personal stake in the running tracker, thats where I spent most of my time, and I was consistently impressed with both the experience and accuracy. I trusted the data as much or more than any GPS watch Ive used before. Its also worth mentioning that the mapping capacity of the Fenix 6 is quite advanced, detailed enough to turn even questionable navigators such as myself into confident pathfinders.
Beyond running, the Fenix 6 tracks dozens of other activities that range from the ordinary to the less common to the obscure . Admittedly, the two activities I had to look up are unlikely to be ones Ill ever engage in jumpmaster is for experienced skydivers, and tactical tracks the users location and elevation changes and displays current coordinates.
Besides the treadmill running tracker, which was both inaccurate and pretty pointless in my opinion, all of the activity modes I tried did a fine-to-great job. However, I got much more out of those that I did outside while covering ground than those done inside while staying in place . The purpose of tracking those, I suppose, is to offer the watch a complete picture of your exercise so you can keep track, and so it can offer you estimates of your fitness level and recovery needs.
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Test: Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar Solar
Garmin have recently launched a number of solar powered watches where the battery life can be extended thanks to solar energy. I have tested the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar, and in this review I will go through the most important features of the watch.
I´ve had this watch for months and in this test I will of course review the solar power feature which can extend the battery life. But I wil certainly also talk you through the Garmin Fenix 6-model, to show you what it is capable of.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar has basilly the same features as all the watches within the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro – or Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire series. I have listed all the watches here:
Garmin Fenix 6S Pro, Garmin Fenix 6 Pro, Gamin Fenix 6X Pro
Garmin Fenix 6S Sapphire, Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire, Gamin Fenix 6X Sapphire
Garmin Fenix 6S Pro Solar, Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar, Gamin Fenix 6X Pro Solar
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar The Details Of The Watch
The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar comes in three different sizes and an array of seven different colorways.
It also has a solar ring on the interior of the watch face to allow for solar charging.
There are options of a titanium or silicone strap. The strap also affects the weight of the watch, the titanium strap sits around 82g, and the silicon strap is around 54g.
The watch comes with 32GB of memory for your audio, whether its songs, podcasts, or audiobooks.
Related Article: Best Garmin Watches For Runners
Waterproofing: the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar is waterproof up to 330ft underwater!
Compared to most other smartwatches, this doubles the depth that the watch will stay protected underwater. On top of that, theres no need for a expel water sequence once youre finished your swim.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar Price
The watch is top-of-the-line in many ways, and that is reflected in the price point.
Even so, several features are optional and can adjust the price you pay at checkout, including many of the options listed above.
Obviously, when choosing the right watch for you, it can be quite a loss if you spend hundreds of dollars to be unhappy with your choice. After putting it through its paces, I fully believe the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar is worth the splurge if youre in the market for a full-featured GPS watch.
You can take this watch anywhere, track practically anything, this watch is versatile to a fault.
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Fenix 6 Is A Hefty Watch And Can Weigh You Down At First
In terms of aesthetics, the Fenix 6 definitely leans toward the rugged end of the spectrum. Its not an attempt at a sleek fashion-meets-function watch, which I appreciate, because it looks exactly as I think a premium multisport GPS watch should look: durable, substantial, and full of adventure tools. It also has a nice-sized color display, both a little larger and a little higher resolution than the Forerunner 945 .
Size-wise, though, theres no sugarcoating it: the Fenix 6 is a whopper of a watch. If I thought the Forerunner 945 wasnt small wrist-friendly, this watch takes that statement to a new level. Although both of them occupy the same amount of space on a wrist, the Fenix 6 is noticeably thicker and significantly heavier .
Wearing it, I actually felt a little lopsided while runningespecially for the first mile of any run, and whenever I ran uphill. I had my husband take it on a spin for comparison, and even though hes a much larger human than I am, he agrees: the weight is a little distracting until you adjust to it. Granted, I probably would have gotten used to it over time, but had I tried the Fenix 6 on in a store, the heft would have been a non-starter.
Battery Life On An Average Day
When I use Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar on an average day where I spend most of the day indoor, the Solar-feature doesn´t have a big impact on the total battery life in Smartwatch mode.
During the testing period, I wore both Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar and Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire for two weeks and exposed them to exactly the same conditions. Fenix 6 Sapphire ran out of power on Day 10 while Fenix 6 Pro Solar managed about 12 hours more which corresponds to a battery life extension of about 5%.
During the two weeks I went for 8 runs which of course took its toll on the battery. And I think that I was outside for about 2-3 hours a day. And that is simply not enough to reach a meaningful effect with the SOLAR feature when you live in Denmark . So I have certainly not used the SOLAR feature to its full capacity.
But judging from my individual tests, the SOLAR feature does at least have the capacity to extend the battery life if you stay outdoor for enough time .
Garmin say that with ideal conditions, you can extend the battery life in smartwatch-mode for two days from 14 days to 16 days. And with ideal conditions Garmin means 3 hours on a daily basis with a minimum of 50.000 lux light conditions.
During a cloudy day where the sun isn´t directly visible but you can almost see it behind the clouds, you will get an effect of about 30%. And during a completely cloudy and rainy day there is no effect at all.
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Battery Life And Solar Charging
Alex Evans / Immediate Media
True to Garmins claims, when used as a smartwatch with constant heart rate monitoring and nighttime-only pulse Ox2 tracking, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar would last on average 14 days between charges.
Battery depletion would be between five and eight per cent in any 24-hour period, with the majority of that happening at night when the pulse Ox2 tracker was enabled.
In my experience of using the watch in Scotland, the solar-charging function couldnt charge the watchs battery. Instead, it slowed down the speed at which the battery drained to between three and seven per cent in any 24-hour period, even when worn without actively trying to increase its battery life. The longest time I went between charges was 16 days, once again true to Garmins claims.
People living in sunnier climates might experience longer times between charges, however.
When used as the primary GPS activity tracker, the battery would last around seven days. A two-hour activity usually drained between three and 10 per cent of the batterys charge, whether it was connected to an external heart rate monitor or not.
This makes the Fenix 6 Pro Solars scope truly mighty, and only the most dogmatic exercisers will need to charge it twice a week.
Its battery life is massively commendable and extends the Fenixs usability into the realms of consolidating smartwatch and dedicated cycle computer into one.
Garmin Fenix 6 Series In
Glad I bought my 5x plus from REI 2 months ago. Hate to be that guy, but I’m 100% returning it for this.
This is why I only buy from REI.
More goodies for the monthly yard sale!
I bought mine also from REI in late July. Probably will return as well. I have the 5s Plus, and I’m not happy with the battery life. I have to charge every 5 days.
Unpopular hot take: I cant believe that these things are $700 or more. There isnt anything compelling enough in the Fenix6 to make me want to get rid of my Apple Watch 4 LTE and my Fenix3 HR.
Im on the other side – went from Fenix3 to AW4 last year and regretted it ever since – love the AW as a watch, hate it as a fitness device – now Im looking at the 6x – which has everything I could wish for in a fitness/outdoor watch – can store music & use as an alternative to Apple Pay?? …take my money!
Expensive but if there are interesting features then it’s worth it. I’m in the same boat though. GPS is mostly good enough and I’m fairly OK charging every few days.
i ordered today and it is already dispatched 🙂 🙂 🙂
Garmin Australia are telling me 3-5 weeks. 🙁 No other Aussie retailers I looked at had it. 🙁
Take my money! 6 x Pro Solar for me 🙂
But be aware… The Solar Version is Gorilla Glass and NOT Sapphire. So it will scratch. A showstopper for me. I ordered the 6X Saphir.
6x sapphire bought, should have tomorrow. Almost bought pro solar but I’m sure I’d mess up the gorilla glass.
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Should You Buy The Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar
If you want one of the best fitness watches out there, with money no object, the Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is an easy recommendation. It can track so many exercises that we felt guilty for never taking it snowboarding or hiking more often, and the health tracking features really do add insights into your day.
You can easily look at one of the cheaper watches in the Fenix 6 range if you don’t need the solar glass or onboard maps, but if you fancy an investment in your health, with a great companion app delivering regular and useful insights, then this is a great choice.
Crash Detection And Tracking Feature
As most of the latest Garmin watches, Fenix 6 Pro Solar also has the crash – and tracking feature which can notify your loved ones if you suddenly doesn´t feel well, have an accident or get into a situation where you don´t feel safe and want to make sure people know your whereabouts.
You can press the top left button for about 5 seconds to send the message. But the watch can also send the message itself if it registers a strong blow followed by a period of no movement .
In that case a message will be sent to your loved ones with a live-track link to alert them of your whereabouts. Of course its a feature that you hope you will never need but its certainly great to have. Notice that this feature only works if the watch is connected to your smartphone and the smartphone is nearby. Also the Crash Detection feature only works if you have activated an activity like a run or a bike ride.
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Worth The High Price Tag
The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar was clearly intended for hardcore athletes and adventurers. In addition to the standard smartwatch features of today that include weather, altitude, heart rate, wallet, notifications, and music, it goes beyond in a few distinct areas.
This model excels in the mapping and activity tracking departments , offers more than one way to extend battery on long-haul treks , and offers features that apply to just a tiny subset of thrill-seekers. If youre in the military or are an extreme athlete, and data matters to you, youre probably a good candidate for the Fenix 6 Pro Solar.
That said, most people myself included will consider this watch overkill. Its weight alone is a personal deal-breaker, and most of the features that make it unique among smartwatches dont apply to me since I dont surf, skydive, deep-dive, mountain bike, or regularly embark on days-long excursions. The $800 price tag cant be ignored either, especially for those of us who wouldnt capitalize on all the watch has to offer.
In my mind, the perfect Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar user is a large-wristed individual who loves off-road adventures, participates in a wide array of sports and activities , regularly goes hiking or exploring for days at a time, and has never met a metric he or she didnt like.
Garmin Instinct Solar: Tracking Companion For Much Less Cash
The Garmin Instinct is a solid buy all year round, with a price tag of £270 when we first gave it a four-star review. Its Solar edition is normally quite a bit more expensive than that, as you’d expect, with an RRP of £320 and an average Amazon price of £243, but it’s now crashed to £160. That’s an amazing price for many of the features youd normally associate with Garmins more expensive Fenix range such as GPS tracking and navigation tools, and the usual 14-day battery life is vastly extended by solar charging. A brilliant expendition companion at a stunning Black Friday price.
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Garmin Fenix 6x Pro Solar Review: Features
- Huge array of health tracking features
- Onboard, offline Spotify playback is a big win
- Useful smartwatch functionality through the day
The Garmin Fenix 6X Pro Solar is, as we’ve outlined a few times already, a watch that can do it all – whether it’s tracking nearly every aspect of health daily, or keeping you entertained during a pretty heavy run session, it’ll be there by your side.
Given the size of this watch, you’ll need to be prepared to wear it 24/7 to get the full effect of the health tracking, but it’s worth it. Each feature has a good level of detail – for instance, your sleep score gives a detailed breakdown of exactly how you slept, when you woke, how long you spent in each phase and gives you tips on how to improve.
Compare this to the Apple Watch, which basically just tells you how long you slept for, and it’s a gulf in difference.
We particularly liked the body battery feature, which monitors the variance in your heart rhythms over the course of the day and can tell you how much energy you’ve got left, giving you the confidence to go and work out while also telling you when it’s time to settle onto the sofa and recharge.
Once you spend a few weeks with these insights, the picture of how your sleep affects your resting heart rate, whether certain workouts tax you more, and how your body generally recovers becomes clear and allows you to set your own fitness agenda.
