After debuting its solar charging technology with the release of the fēnix 6X Pro Solar, the smart wearable manufacturer Garmin has added three new devices to its two flagship series – the Instinct Solar, fēnix 6 Pro Solar, and fēnix 6S Pro Solar.
The solar charging watches, unlike traditional solar-powered watches, are not limited to only operating single functions. Instead they can power through heart rate monitoring, GPS, and other data calculations while maintaining the user-selected sports activity mode.
Since the new additions are part of outdoor-oriented wearable gears, Garmin aims for the solar-powered watches to appeal to health buffs or the adventurous outdoorsman.
“In 2019, Garmin pioneered a breakthrough in solar charging technology, introducing the Power Glass to launch the world’s first solar-powered multisport GPS smartwatch, fēnix 6X Pro Solar. This year, we extend this proprietary technology into our well-loved Instinct and the complete fēnix 6 series, catering to the needs of outdoor adventurers and athletes, accompanying them to truly do what they love, longer,” said Scoppen Lin, director of Garmin Asia.
The Instinct Solar weighs 52 grams and has a case made of fiber-reinforced polymer while the Power Glass solar charging technology is embedded on the lens.
The display is a monochrome panel that is advertised as visible even in direct sunlight, and is equipped with a transflective memory-in-pixel (MIP) which translates to better readability and a display that is always turned on.
The removable silicon watch bands have a vented design to support the brand’s separate QuickFit 22 accessory, a range of interchangeable and easy-to-apply leather, metal, or silicone material straps with a variety of colors.
The watch comes with a water rating of 100 meters and has five battery modes that depend on the wearer’s usage preferences – Smartwatch mode, GPS mode, Max Battery GPS mode, Expedition mode, and Battery saver mode.
Other features include military-grade thermal, shock and water resistance, Bluetooth and ANT connectivity, a GPS sensor, GLONASS, Galileo, and a set of other sensors for navigation and outdoor data analysis. For its health features, the Instinct Solar is equipped with the Elevate wrist heart rate monitor, and the Pulse Ox Sensor that measures the oxygen saturation of the wearer.
Meanwhile, the two fēnix devices feature the same Power Glass solar charging technology as seen on the Instinct, a Power Manager mode, and even music streaming. It comes with military-grade stainless steel bezels around the 1.2” display, and comes with onboard mapping, training features, and stress level score tracking.
Aside from the heart and oxygen saturation sensors, the two feature ABC sensors – altimeter, barometer, and a three-axis electronic compass, to capture elevation data and monitor the weather. To help the user with course guidance that is grade adjusted at the same time, the watches come with the PacePro technology.
Users can also store up to 2,000 songs or stream music with supported platforms like Spotify and Deezer, or simply connect the watch with a Bluetooth-enabled earphone. It supports access to emails, texts, and the Connect IQ Store of Garmin, a service that provides customized watch faces and data fields, or application widgets.
All three offerings are already available in Garmin Brand stores and authorized resellers, as well as online platforms like Lazada, Shopee, and Kinetic. The Instinct Solar will come in three colorways – Graphite, Flame Red, and a Graphite Camo edition, with a tag price of P24,995 while its 27,995 for the camo version.
The fēnix 6 Pro Solar that is available in Black with Slate Gray Band and Mineral Blue with Whitestone Band, and the fēnix 6S Pro Solar that comes in either Light Gold with Shale Gray Band or Amethyst Steel with Shale Gray Band, are both priced at P52,995.
