Reading Time: 6 minutes

Bad news for non-Garmin companies. The Fenix 5 has lots and lots and lots of stuff; lots of versions available cMarch 2017 upwards of US$600 – maxing out at US$850.

Pre-order HERE at our preferred partner Power Meter City.

It never used to have maps – it does now. A proper one!! At least at the top end of the F5 range, that is. It will work like your SATNAV and you can add your own maps to it.

It didn’t used to have many meaningful variants – it does now (check the exact features for the model you are interested in)

– it does now (check the exact features for the model you are interested in) The F3 screen wasn’t quite hi-res enough – it still isn’t BUT it has improved further over the Chronos/F3 (now 240×240 compared to 218×218; and the SPARTAN has 320×300). Although note that the smaller 5s is still 218×218 [Source: Garmin.com] – that is disappointing if correct.

BUT it has improved further over the Chronos/F3 (now 240×240 compared to 218×218; and the SPARTAN has 320×300). Although note that the smaller 5s is still 218×218 [Source: Garmin.com] – that is disappointing if correct. Battery life was always pretty good – now it’s better. Although the precise battery power over and above the 300mAh of the F3 is not stated. ULTRATRAC is officially cited as up to 100 hours otherwise you may well get the official 20 hours of GPS battery life…not bad at all!

It used to have 16 colours – now it has 64.

F5 comes in slightly smaller than the F3 (three) sapphire: 47x47x15.5mm compared to 51.5×51.5×16.0mm There are 3 case variants: 42mm, 47mm, 51mm (maps) – for small, medium and large wrists ! But the form factor does affect the hardware spec inside. F5s comes is NOTABLY SMALLER at 42.0×42.0x14.5 mm. This might appeal to smaller-wristed people.

F5 comes in with a slightly larger display than the F3 sapphire: F5-30.5mm vs F3-30.4mm (27.94mm on the F5s)

F5 Sapphire with silicon band is 87g whereas F3 Sapphire/titanium with silicon band was 78.2g. The F5s with silicon band is 67g

It used to have just enough memory – now, overall, it’s doubled (although no doubt to cope with greater demands)

wifi wasn’t on the chronos…now it’s back (Sapphire)

It has training effect 2.0 features (some of which look interesting), comes with a HRM-TRI (in the appropriate version) and all that that entails with regards to multi-sports and caching.

It supports footpods

It does SUP and other new profiles

It has music control (NOT on-board music)

It supports TEMPE

oHR – naturellement (option)

CIQ 2 – mais oui.

ANT+ – doh. But reports of Bluetooth sensor support are coming in (yes SERIOUSLY)

are coming in (yes SERIOUSLY) Higher prices than the F3 but nothing any more, or less, eye-watering for those who can afford the price tag.

Trackback, ultratrac, glonass, EXO, power…yes, yes, yessity, yes, yes.

Missing: With native support of some Bluetooth sensors and native support of BSX/Moxy’s muscle oxygen data it seems strange that RUNNING POWER is not there. More intriguing than strange.

Fenix 5 Fenix 5s Fenix 3 Sapphire Fenix Chronos $599.99 USD and Up $599.99 USD and Up $549.99 USD and Up $899.99 USD and Up Physical & Performance Physical dimensions 1.9” x 1.9” x 0.6” (47.0 x 47.0 x 15.5 mm) 1.7” x 1.7” x 0.6” (42.0 x 42.0 x 14.5 mm) 2.0” x 2.0” x 0.6” (51.5 x 51.5 x 16.0 mm) 1.9″ x 1.9″ x 0.6″ (49 x 49 x 15 mm) Display size, WxH 1.2” (30.5 mm) diameter 1.1” (27.94 mm) diameter 1.2” (30.4 mm) diameter 1.2” x 1.2″ (30.4 x 30.4 mm) Display resolution, WxH 240 x 240 pixels; sunlight-visible, always-on, low power, colorful display 218 x 218 pixels; sunlight-visible, always-on, low power, colorful display 218 x 218 pixels; transflective MIP color; sapphire lens 218 x 218 pixels; transflective MIP color; sapphire lens Color display Yes Yes Yes Yes Negative mode display Yes Yes Yes Yes Weight With silicone band: 3.0 oz (85.0 g); Sapphire version: 3.1 oz (87.0 g) With silicone band: 2.4 oz (67.0 g) Titanium, titanium band: 4.8 oz (134.8 g); Titanium, silicone band: 2.8 oz (78.2 g) Steel with leather band: 3.31 oz (94 g) Gray, leather strap: 3.0 oz (84.9 g) Steel with steel band: 6.56 oz (186 g) Black, nylon strap: 2.8 oz (79.6 g) Titanium with titanium hybrid band: 3.95 oz (112 g) Others: with all links, 6.56 oz (186 g); With rubber bands: 3.0 oz (85 g) Battery Rechargeable lithium-ion Rechargeable lithium-ion Rechargeable 300mAh lithium-ion Rechargeable 180mAh lithium-ion Battery life Up to 2 weeks in smartwatch mode (depending on settings), up to 24 hours in GPS mode, and up to 100 hours in UltraTrac battery saver mode Up to 8 days in smartwatch mode (depending on settings), up to 13 hours in GPS mode, and up to 50 hours in UltraTrac™ battery saver mode Up to 50 hours in UltraTrac mode; up to 20 hours in GPS training mode; up to 6 weeks in watch mode Up to 25 hours in UltraTrac mode; up to 13 hours in GPS training mode; up to 1 week in watch mode Water Rating 10 ATM 10 ATM 10 ATM 10 ATM GPS-enabled Yes Yes Yes Yes GLONASS Yes Yes Yes Yes High-sensitivity receiver Yes Yes Yes Yes Barometric altimeter Yes Yes Yes Yes Electronic compass Yes Yes Yes Yes Smart notifications Yes Yes Yes Yes Vibration alert Yes Yes Yes Yes Music control Yes Yes Yes Yes Find my phone Yes Yes Yes Yes VIRB® control Yes Yes Yes Yes Maps & Memory Built-in memory 64 MB; available 54 MB 64 MB; available 54 MB 32 MB; available 23 MB 32 MB; available 23 MB Custom POIs Yes Yes Yes Yes Waypoints/favorites/locations 1,000 1,000 1,000 1,000 Routes 30 30 30 30 Track log 200 hours 200 hours 100 hours of activity data 100 hours of activity data Running Features Virtual Pacer™ Yes Yes Yes Yes V02 max estimate Yes Yes Yes Yes Recovery advisor Yes Yes Yes Yes Race predictor Yes Yes Yes Yes Running dynamics Yes Yes Yes Yes Accelerometer Yes Yes Yes Yes Personal records Yes Yes Yes Yes Cycling Features Compatible with Vector™ Yes Yes Yes Yes Multiple bike profiles Yes Yes Yes Yes Bike speed/cadence sensor Yes (optional) Yes (optional) Yes (optional) Yes (optional) Performance Features Heart rate monitor Yes (wrist-based) Yes (wrist-based) Yes (Some versions) Yes (wrist-based) Virtual Partner® (train against a digital person) Yes Yes Yes Yes Virtual Racer™ (compete against other activities) Yes Yes Yes Yes Courses (compete against previous activities) Yes Yes Yes Yes Auto Pause® (pauses and resumes timer based on speed) Yes Yes Yes Yes Auto Lap® (automatically starts a new lap) Yes Yes Yes Yes Auto Scroll (cycles through data pages during workout) Yes Yes Yes Yes Multi-sport Yes Yes Yes Yes Auto multisport (switch sport modes with 1 button press) Yes Yes Yes Yes Advanced workouts (create custom, goal-oriented workouts) Yes Yes Yes Yes Pace alert (triggers alarm if you vary from preset pace) Yes Yes Yes Yes Time/distance alert (triggers alarm when you reach goal) Yes Yes Yes Yes Interval training (set up exercise and rest intervals) Yes Yes Yes Yes Heart rate-based calorie computation Yes Yes Yes Yes Calculates calories burned Yes Yes Yes Yes Training Effect Yes Yes Yes Yes Customizable screen(s) Yes Yes Yes Yes Power meter compatible Yes Yes Yes Yes Swimming Features Pool swim metrics Yes Yes Yes Yes Stroke type identification Yes Yes Yes Yes Open water swim metrics Yes Yes Yes Yes Swim workouts Yes Yes Yes Yes Outdoor Features Hunt/fish calendar Yes Yes Yes Yes Sun and moon information Yes Yes Yes Yes Area calculation Yes Yes Yes Yes Activity Tracking Features Step counter Yes Yes Yes Yes Auto goal Yes Yes Yes Yes Move bar Yes Yes Yes Yes Sleep monitoring Yes Yes Yes Yes Additional Additional Connect IQ™ app support: Yes (watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps) Connect IQ™ app support: Yes (watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps) Connect IQ™ app support: Yes (watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps) Connect IQ™ app support: Yes (watch faces, data fields, widgets and apps) EXO™ antenna (GPS/GLONASS): Yes EXO™ antenna (GPS/GLONASS): Yes EXO™ antenna (GPS/GLONASS): Yes EXO™ antenna (GPS/GLONASS): Yes Wi-Fi®: Yes (Sapphire versions only) Wi-Fi®: Yes (Sapphire versions only) Wi-Fi®: Yes ANT+®: Yes (all versions) ANT+®: Yes (all versions) ANT+®: Yes ANT+®: Yes Bluetooth®: Low Energy (all versions) Bluetooth®: Low Energy (all versions) Bluetooth® 4.0 LE: Yes Bluetooth® 4.0 LE: Yes Training Effect 2.0 (measures impact of an activity on your aerobic & anaerobic fitness): Yes Training Effect 2.0 (measures impact of an activity on your aerobic & anaerobic fitness): Yes Weather Alerts: Yes Weather Alerts: Yes Training Load: Yes Training Load: Yes Training Status: Yes Training Status: Yes Lactate Threshold: Yes Lactate Threshold: Yes Weather Alerts: Yes Weather Alerts: Yes UltraTrac: Yes UltraTrac: Yes UltraTrac: Yes UltraTrac: Yes tempe™ sensor support: Yes tempe™ sensor support: Yes TracBack: Yes TracBack: Yes TracBack: Yes TracBack: Yes Ski features: Yes Ski features: Yes Ski features: Yes Ski features: Yes Physiological measurements: Yes Physiological measurements: Yes Physiological measurements: Yes Physiological measurements: Yes SUP/Rowing: Yes SUP/Rowing: Yes SUP/Rowing: Yes SUP/Rowing: Yes Foot pod: yes (optional) Foot pod: yes (optional) Foot pod: yes (optional) Foot pod: yes (optional)