Garmin explains why CIRQA uses an older heart rate sensor

Garmin has confirmed that CIRQA uses its previous-generation Elevate Gen 4 heart rate sensor because the newer module would have made the screenless tracker thicker. The company has also clarified that owners are expected to switch between CIRQA and a Garmin watch rather than wear both as competing trackers.

The explanations come from Garmin product manager Chrissy Wheeler, who answered several questions about the new band in an interview with Forbes. CIRQA recently went on sale for $199.99 and is the company’s answer to the likes of Whoop.

Thinness won over the newest sensor

When CIRQA launched many people found it strange that it packs the Elevate Gen 4 heart rate sensor rather than the newer Gen 5 hardware. Wheeler has now explained that this was a deliberate design decision rather than an attempt to reuse old components.

“The reason we didn’t go for the very latest one is the size of the module,” she said. Using Garmin’s newer sensor would have increased the thickness of a device designed to remain comfortable during sleep and continuous wear.

CIRQA measures 9mm thick and weighs just over 20 grams with its standard band. Which is pretty low-key. Having said that it is very wide, especially when compared to the recently launched Fitbit Air.

That does not automatically mean CIRQA will be less accurate during workouts than Garmin’s newer watches, as fit, placement and movement all affect optical readings. It is not exactly the same Gen 4 hardware used in older devices, either. Garmin has tweaked it to include skin-temperature tracking, which the earlier version did not offer.

CIRQA is meant to replace your watch between workouts

Beyond the sensor, Wheeler also addressed whether people should wear CIRQA and a Garmin watch simultaneously. Her answer was fairly direct, saying there is “no real benefit” to using both in that way.

The intended setup is to make CIRQA the Primary Wearable for sleep, steps and daily health tracking, while a Forerunner, Fenix or another Garmin watch remains the main Training Device. Owners can wear the band throughout the day, then switch to the watch when they need built-in GPS, maps or live workout data.

There is one useful exception. CIRQA can broadcast heart rate over Bluetooth, allowing someone to place it on the upper arm and use it as an external sensor with a watch, bike computer or compatible device from another brand. Which is something that we flag in our screenless fitness tracker buying guide.

A few smaller details are now clearer

Connected GPS works with automatically detected activities, so owners do not have to start every walk or run from Garmin Connect to receive a route map. The band can also vibrate once per hour during a manually started activity, reminding the wearer that recording is still active despite the lack of a screen.

Its vibration motor supports alarms but will not reproduce phone notifications or incoming-call alerts. That keeps CIRQA focused on passive health and activity tracking rather than turning it into a smartwatch without a display.

Garmin CIRQA

Screenless tracking with no required subscription

$199.99

View on Garmin

Garmin has also repeated that users will not be charged simply to access the data recorded by CIRQA. Connect+ will continue to offer optional extras, while the company has already said that CIRQA’s current heart rate reading will become available without Connect+ following criticism of the launch software.