Garmin’s New Smartwatches Blend the Boardroom and the Outdoors
Smartwatches and fitness trackers seem to be all the rage nowadays, so Garmin — the company you may remember from its days as a GPS maker — is marrying the two with three new smartwatches: the Vivoactive for active consumers, the rugged Epix for outdoor enthusiasts, and the stylish Fenix 3 for the active set.
Vivoactive
Let’s start with The Vivoactive. It’s designed for professionals who like to golf, run 5Ks, and participate in other sporty activities. It comes with a built-in GPS and an activity tracker that lets you know how far you’ve jogged or walked and how active you’ve been throughout the day.
Though its square face isn’t especially attractive, the Vivoactive is surprisingly lightweight. What’s more, its color touchscreen uses transflective technology, which means it’s easier to see in bright sunlight without requiring an energy-eating backlight. Of course, Vivoactive also has a backlight so you can use it in the dark.
The watch also comes loaded with Garmin’s Connect IQ software, which lets you download apps to the watch through the company’s Garmin Connect app on your smartphone.
So, if you want to, you can check the weather, get smartphone notifications for things like missed calls and text messages, and control your handset’s music player without having to take your phone out of your pocket.
Most impressive, however, is the Vivoactive’s three weeks of battery life even with its always-on display and activity tracker running. Switch on the watch’s GPS, however, and its battery life drops to 10 hours: a nightly charge.
Epix
Garmin’s Epix is the smartwatch built for the person who loves being outdoors but doesn’t want to carry a clunky GPS to track her hikes. Like the Vivoactive, the Epix comes with a color touchscreen display and access to the Garmin Connect app store.
But the Epix features a far more robust design that’s meant to stand up to the bumps and bruises doled out by serious outdoor enthusiasts. In addition to its GPS, the Epix includes an altimeter, barometer, and compass. It basically aims to be the Swiss Army knife of smartwatches.
Fenix 3
Of Garmin’s three new smartwatches, the Fenix 3 is easily the most attractive. Designed for hardcore outdoor types, the Fenix packs 15 hours of battery life with its GPS active. When in watch-only mode, the Fenix runs for a ridiculous six weeks on a single charge.
Like the Epix and the Vivoactive, the Fenix 3 supports Garmin’s Connect app store and comes with a built-in GPS, so you don’t have to bring your phone with you to track your location.
The Fenix 3 comes in three styles, two with silicon straps and a premium version with a metal strap that’s stylish but incredibly heavy. I mean, you need to be the Hulk to wear this thing comfortably.
Each of Garmin’s new watches will be hitting the market in the first quarter of 2015. The Vivoactive will cost $249, or $299 with Garmin’s optional heart-rate monitor. The pricier Epix will cost you a hefty $549, while the Fenix 3 will cost $499 with a silicon band and a staggering $599 with the metal band.
Those are some seriously high prices for smartwatches, but if you’re a dedicated outdoors type, they could be worth it. If you spend more time on the couch than on the trail, though, you’ll likely pass on Garmin’s offerings.
Email Daniel at dhowley@yahoo-inc.com; follow him on Twitter at @DanielHowley or on Google+ here.
