Garmin Fenix 6 Sapphire: A personal coach for serious athletes

The Fenix series is Garmin’s top of the line smartwatch. This super smartwatch appeals to the dedicated athletes and sports enthusiasts who want to get more out of their exercise and workouts. In the Philippine market, the Fenix series is sought after mostly by triathletes, cyclists, and trail runners.

Just recently, Garmin introduced the Fenix 6 Series, replacing the current Fenix 5 series. Like previous generations, the latest series comes in different tiers and sizes. Let’s see what the Fenix 6 line up has to offer this time around. This review will focus on the Fenix 6 Sapphire which is the mid-tier model of Fenix watch series.

Ready for training

Fenix watches are known for their rugged design. The case is built mostly of metal and the watch face is covered by sapphire glass which is scratch-resistant. Not only that. this watch looks tough but is designed to withstand the toughest outdoor conditions during your activities.

Fenix 5 (left) vs Fenix 6 (right)

The Fenix 6 Sapphire comes with a few design tweaks this year. The metal bezel around the screen is slightly polished and slimmer than the previous generation. This means the latest model now comes with a larger screen. The Fenix 6 Sapphire features a 1.3-inch screen — 17% larger from last year — and provides more screen estate for your workout data and metrics.

The information on the screen looks more crisp with few visible pixels. Unlike most smartwatches, the Fenix series uses an MIP (Memory-In-Pixel) screen and not AMOLED or LCD. This technology uses external lights to illuminate the display which results to clearer display even under harsh sunlight.

The Quickfit bands come standard to Fenix 6 Sapphire and it allows you to swap your strap easily without using screwdrivers.

Overall, the new Fenix looks more streamlined and polished. The watch is also slimmer and significantly weighs less than last year’s model.

A capable tracker

People choose Garmin watches because of its advanced activity tracking capabilities. If keeping tabs on workout data is your thing, then the Fenix has you covered as there are tons of sports-specific metrics that this watch can capture. Like previous Fenix generations, The Fenix 6 Sapphire offers activity tracking for swimming, cycling, running, trails, golf, rowing and more. The watch also connects to external sensors such as cycling power meters, bike speed and cadence sensors, and running foot pods to record more accurate activity data.

What’s new this year are built-in sensors and analytics that give you insights on how your body adapts to training and how much recovery you need after workout. The PulseOX sensor, which is only available to Fenix 5X last year, is now a standard feature in Fenix 6 Sapphire. This sensor measures your oxygen saturation during workouts and is paired to the altimeter data to measure acclimatization to high altitude. Fenix 6 Sapphire has its built-in analytics that measure heat and altitude acclimatization.

Right after a run or a cycling workout, if the watch detects significant improvements on how your heart rate and oxygen saturation reacts to the heat or altitude, it tells you how much you have adjusted to heat and altitude. It’s a pretty neat feature that most athletes who train outdoors will appreciate.

Fresh features you’d want to use

The Fenix 6 Sapphire now comes with Power Manager which basically allows you to control sensors and features to extend battery life. Just by disabling some features such as notifications and real-time sync to the phone can drastically extend your battery life by days.

This year, the Fenix 6 Sapphire now comes standard with PacePro which was only available to Fenix 5X last year. To those who are new with PacePro, this technology basically analyzes your chosen run course and suggests a pace that compensates for the elevation changes so that you can meet your target average pace or finish time. This is helpful for long-distance runners, triathletes and even trail runners who want to beat their personal course records.

Garmin also offers free access to its activity tracking app called Garmin Connect. It’s free when you purchase any Garmin watch and is available in the App Store and Play Store. All activities recorded in the Fenix 6 will be uploaded to Garmin Connect where you can view and analyze your workout data. Garmin Connect app also connects to other fitness tracking apps such as Strava, MyFitness Pall, and TrainingPeaks.

Garmin’s contactless payment feature, Garmin Pay, is now built-in in all Fenix 6 lineup. It allows you to pay for purchases using your watch. Unfortunately, you’d have to wait a bit longer to use it if you’re in the Philippines.

Is this your GadgetMatch?

The Fenix 6 Sapphire is a solid multisport watch that offers tons of advance performance tracking features. In the Philippines, the Fenix 6 Sapphire costs PhP 54,995. That’s a hefty price to pay for a smartwatch. Although personally, just the build quality and the performance-tracking feature it offers already justifies the cost.

Wearing a Fenix 6 watch is like having a coach monitor you 24/7. It checks how well you have improved after a few workouts and assists you in managing your recovery with the help of built-in Heart Rate and PulseOX sensors. The new battery management feature is also a selling point as it can extend the battery life by days. If you plan on going serious with running, cycling, or their combination in the form of triathlon, getting the Fenix 6 Sapphire is a no-brainer.