A Comprehensive Review of the Garmin Fenix 5

Need a feature-rich Smartwatch? The Garmin Fenix 5 allows to track every element of your fitness – read our review of this exciting watch to make up your mind.

But is this offering from Garmin great for those who love to track their fitness journey in close detail? Well the short answer is yes.

Consequently, it’s loaded with more tracking capabilities than you’ll know what to do with. In fact, this is a wearable that’s great for both gym bunnies and gadget enthusiasts. Notably, the Fenix 5 builds on the previous Garmin model, the Forerunner 935, delivering a product that monitors everything from heart rate to stride length.

Now, the watch element shouldn’t be overlooked either: the Fenix 5 features a slick design that looks and feels great on the wrist and contains everything you could want from a smartwatch.

With so many features, it’s not entirely surprising that the Fenix 5 has a hefty price tag. At the time of release, it cost around £500. Since then it has fallen to below £300, but for some people, this is still a lot to pay for a fitness tracker; though less if you consider the exciting features and stylish design.

Want to know more about the Fenix 5? Check out our full review to make up your own mind about this innovative fitness watch.

Key Features

The Fenix 5 is packed with features that make it stand out from the crowd, including:

• Durable & robust build with steel fronting
• Premium and stylish design to complement any wardrobe and personal style
• Fitted strap that sits at a comfortable place on the wrist
• Fully GPS equipped for planning and tracking your route and activities
• Easily customise your fitness experience to include your favourite exercises and more
• Strong & consistent satellite signal
• Loaded with great tips & pro advice on exercise & recovery
• Fully waterproof for swimming and watersports
• Reliable battery life of up to 2 weeks
• Group Track feature for activities with friends
• Tracks every element of your life, including steps, heart rate, distance sleep and active minutes
• Dynamic, intuitive operative switches
• Bluetooth-equipped to connect to smartphone (Sapphire edition is WiFi-equipped)
• Integrate your communications and calendar direct from your phone
• Receive notifications when you’re on the go
• Reliable responses, whatever activity you’re doing
• Provides a comprehensive list of all your stats
• 1.2 inch display with easy-to-read graphics
• Various case sizes available – 42mm, 47mm & 51mm
• Crisp and clear 240 x 240 pixel resolution

After considering the Fenix 5’s extensive list of features, you might better be able to see what you’re paying for. Is it worth it? To help you make the decision, we’ve created a shortlist of the pros and cons for the Fenix 5.

Pros

• Stylish yet rugged design
• Fully customisable – from the app display to the type of workout you want to do
• Track every single element of your fitness journey
• Particularly well-suited to working alongside serious training
• Intuitive buttons that make for easy use
• Excellent battery life – up to 2 weeks on smartwatch setting
• Can be used for running, cycling, swimming and all your other favourite activities
• Durable and waterproof build
• Phone connectivity
• Available with a range of customisable straps and features – get the look and feel you want from your device
• Powerful Bluetooth signal so you don’t need to have your phone right next to you
• Performs essential smartwatch functions as well as being a reliable fitness tracker

Cons

• No touch feature – need to use buttons, which for some people may feel like a big compromise
• Cost – the Fenix 5 has a high price tag, and isn’t ideal for those on a budget
• In GPS mode battery only lasts for 24 hours
• Not a huge amount of noteworthy difference between the Fenix 5 and previous Fenis models

Similar Product Comparison

When judging the Garmin Fenix 5, it’s best to compare it with similar models offered by Garmin. Check out the table below to easily compare products and make your decision.

Device	Standard Price (Amazon)	Standard Size	Display	Battery Life	Heart-rate Tracker	Built-in GPS	Waterproof	Music Player
Fenix 2	$144.5 US £299 UK	4.9 x 4.9 x 1.7 cm	LCD with red backlight	Up to 50 hrs GPS mode/ up to 5 weeks as smartwatch	Yes	Yes	Yes	No
Fenix 3	$79.99 US £432.68	5.1 x 1.7 x 5.1 cm	High res colour chroma	Up to 20 hrs GPS mode (50 with power saver option), up to 3 weeks	Yes	Yes	Yes – Up to 20 metres	No
Fenix 5	$479.99 or £284.99	4.8 x 1.5 x 4.8 cm	High res full colour chroma	Up to 24 hrs GPS mode (60 with power saver option), up to 2 weeks	Yes	Yes	Yes – up to 100 metres	No
Fenix 5S Plus	$700 Us or £459 UK	4.2 x 1.5 x 4.2 cm	Full colour chroma	4-11 hrs GPS mode (up to 25 with power saver option), up to 7d	Yes	Yes	Yes	Yes
Fenix 5X Plus	$740 US or £467 UK	5.1×1.8 x5.1cm	Full colour chroma	13-33 hrs GPS mode (up to 70 hrs with power saver option), up to 20d	Yes	Yes	Yes	No

The Bottom Line

As you can probably tell from this table, Garmin provide a solid offering in every model of their Fenix range. There are numerous factors to consider of course, but in our opinion, if you’re looking for a mid-range smartwatch with exceptional tracking capabilities and durability, the standard Garmin Fenix 5 is a fantastic option to go for.

Not only is it highly dependable but you get a bunch of features that will make your fitness journey easier than ever, and make achieving your goals a breeze.

If you’re willing to invest a decent amount of cash into a stylish watch, and you’re serious about monitoring your performance and having a great battery life, why not choose a fitness-tracking smartwatch like the Garmin Fenix 5? It could transform your life.

Last Updated on July 23, 2021