Garmin adds solar charging to other popular sports watches
Garmin has announced today it has added solar charging to other popular sports-watch models in its range. This includes Fenix 6 and 6s, Instinct and Tactix Delta.
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To remind, the technology has already been successfully implemented in the Fenix 6x Pro Solar model. Unveiled late last year, it comes with Power Glass which is a transparent solar charging lens that sits on top of the watch face. This converts the sun’s rays into energy which adds an additional 10-15% battery life.
Garmin followed this up with Quatix 6X a couple of months ago. It upgrades the original Quatix 6 by adding a solar charging display.
From today, a few more watches are getting the treatment.
Fenix Series 6 Pro Solar
The Fenix Series 6 Pro Solar model (and 6s) runs an extra $150 over the original. For that you get the solar charging technology, music storage for 2,000 songs, PacePro Pacing Strategies, the ability to show on-screen workout animations, some extra outdoor recreation profiles and preloaded maps, and a few golf extras. The new sports profiles include surfing, indoor wall climbing, bouldering and surfing.
The battery life of the 6 Pro Solar in battery saver smart watch mode is 48 days which goes up to 80 days with solar. In normal mode the 6 Pro Solar models will last 14 days indoors and 16 days outdoors (assuming sufficient sunlight). GPS life is 36 hours or 40 hours with solar.
The Fenix Series 6 Pro Solar (and 6s) is available on Garmin starting at $850.
Instinct Solar
The Instinct Solar edition will set you back an extra $100 over the non-solar version. It starts at $400.
The pricier model lasts up to 24 days in smart watch mode when used indoors, and if you spend at least 3 hours daily in sunny conditions, this will be extended up to 50 days. The fact that it has a monochrome display means the watch benefits much more from the solar charging. In fact, Garmin says that in Battery Saver Watch mode, the timepiece can run unlimited with solar. In GPS mode Instinct Solar runs for 30 hours, which extends to 38 hours with solar.
Instinct Solar also adds a Pulse Ox optical heart rate monitor, which can measure blood oxygen levels, and the popular Body Battery function for monitoring your body’s energy reserves. For those into surfing there’s a special Surf Edition that has tidal tables pre-installed.
Tactix Delta Solar Edition
The fourth generation of Tactical watches comes with the same military standard MIL-STD-810 certification. Its solar charging ability increases battery life to 24 days in smartwatch mode (up from 21 days) and 66 hours with fully active GPS (up from 60 hours).
Starting at $1,099 on garmin.com, this one runs an extra $200 over the original. There’s also a pricier version with an Applied Ballistics Calculator for precise long-range elevation and windage solutions.
“Garmin’s multi-sport GPS watches are popular with athletes and adventurers who want to push their boundaries,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin’s vice president and general manager of global sales.
“The new solar models will allow them to push those boundaries even further.”
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