3 ms·
It's still going to run down the battery if you are using the sport tracking modes, where it enables satellite tracking and also increases the sampling and reco
by saltcured 3y ago
It's still going to run down the battery if you are using the sport tracking modes, where it enables satellite tracking and also increases the sampling and recording rates.
From what I've seen in written reviews and user forums, the solar can reduce the rate of discharge but isn't realistically going to charge up the watch. It could be enough to offset daily basic smartwatch use if you spend time with it exposed to bright conditions while you wear it.
Setting it out in bright sun is likely to just overheat it and then it won't charge. On your arm, you act as a heat sink compared to if it is left on a sunny surface.
- latchkey 3y agoThis is great feedback, especially the part about it over heating! Based on your comment, I'd error on the side of gimmick then. =)
- p_l 3y agoAs Fenix 7 usrry, I wouldn't call it a gimmick - in sunnier months it definitely reduced the battery drain. And the watch will report amount of solar energy gathered ... Somewhere. I'd say the main problem is that sometimes the watch stays on battery so long I forget it needs a charge at all ...
- Fnoord 3y agoFrom the review I just read, the Fenix 7 greatly increases the solar capacity compared to the Fenix 6. It looks like a great watch but compared to my Fossil HR Collider: far more expensive, color screen instead of e-ink.
- nottorp 3y agoToo bad Garmin only targets the sporty look. If they made something that looked well with a suit too, maybe I'd bite. Or have they and I'm just not up to date with options?
- p_l 3y agoHonestly, Fenix series looks great with suits too, especially if you go for silvery-looking variants. I have metal bracelet for the times we need to go all out formal. They are, however, pretty chunky. Consider for example https://res.garmin.com/transform/image/upload/c_limit,dpr_1.0,f_auto,h_1486,q_auto,w_2730/c_limit,h_1486,w_2730/v1/Product_Images/en/products/010-02778-30/v/cf-xl?pgw=1&pgwact=1 https://res.garmin.com/transform/image/upload/c_limit,dpr_1....
- nottorp 3y agoOh. That does look like a watch. Seems to be the only model though. Noted, thanks.
- p_l 3y agoWell, Fenix series all look like that, at least since 5 which was my first Garmin.
- nottorp 3y agoNot the ones with plastic bracelets, thank you very much. I've clicked around a bit and i could find just one metal bracelet. And zero leather (even fake). I know you can generally swap bracelets* - if they're standard - but there's enough plastic garbage in the world if you ask me. * easy with leather, but if you want a metal bracelet that matches the metal body of the watch exactly, hard.
- p_l 3y agoI have more than one because I do use mine for training, the more flexible cloth or rubber ones for training, metal one for outings.
- nottorp 3y agoI have a "just a watch" with solar charging from Citizen. Solar is enough for that (it has never stopped since i bought it) but it probably can't handle backlight, radios etc.