The Garmin Fenix 6 line features some of the most advanced fitness tracker models on the market. The manufacturer is already well committed to delivering watches and bracelets with plenty of features for monitoring health and physical activities, and the Fenix 6 Pro Solar is one of the brand’s most advanced models.
With an oxygenation monitor, heart rate and numerous physical activity tracking options, the watch becomes one of the most suitable for athletes or people who exercise a lot, especially outdoors. Additionally, its solar charging helps to further extend battery life.
But is it worth paying so much for a watch like this? In this analysis I highlight the main positive and negative points of the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar and help you better understand whether it is a device for you.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar: Design and Build
The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar has a circular case design in two size options: 42 and 47 mm.
The watch has a very premium finish, with a titanium case with a diamond-like carbon coating. This results in a very heavy wearable, weighing 72 grams if added to the silicone strap that comes with the kit. There is also a stainless steel version, which is even heavier, at 85 grams.
All this finishing can cause a little discomfort during use, as you feel the watch on your wrist a lot. So, if you want a more comfortable device for exercising, it may not be a good idea to opt for the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar.
As it does not have touch controls on the screen, all navigation is done using physical buttons. For this, the wearable has a total of five keys and there are three on the left side and two on the right side. On the back are the sensors for physical monitoring and the charging connector.
Finally, the bracelets are replaceable, but you need to pay attention to the specific shape of the model to purchase an accessory compatible with the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar.
Garmin 6 Pro Solar: About the Display
The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar has a 1.3-inch color display with a resolution of 260 x 260 pixels. Unfortunately, the display is not very advanced and does not have touch controls, but it delivers a good image and allows you to customize the watchfaces, which are the displays on the main screen, a lot.
In the application, the user can choose between several options, both for analog and digital models, with many free options available in the catalog.
The lighting, however, is a little different from what we see on regular smartwatches. That’s because the screen doesn’t automatically light up when you raise your wrist. You must always press the light button. During the day it shouldn’t be a problem, as the panel captures ambient light to display information clearly, but if you want to see the time at night, it will be difficult.
A positive point is the panel with Power Glass 1.4 lens, which allows charging with solar energy and hence the name of the device.
Garmin fenix Solar: Setup and Performance
Like other Garmin watches and bracelets, the Fenix 6 Pro Solar does not have touch controls on the screen, so all navigation on the device is done using physical buttons spread around the case. At first, it can be a little difficult to understand and adapt to this, especially if you are already used to common smartwatches.
Apart from this negative part, the watch has several interesting functions. In it, the user can set alarm clocks, timers, alerts and even respond to messages received on the cell phone with pre-programmed texts.
The Fenix 6 Pro Solar also supports music playback on Spotify or other streaming services. This way, you can go for a walk without taking your smartphone, as it also has integrated GPS. To do this, you need to connect a Bluetooth headset to the watch, as it does not have a speaker.
Although navigation is a little complicated, as it is not a touchscreen, switching between screens is very quick, and apps and widgets open almost instantly, with no lag between the moment the button is pressed and the function is executed.
Its biggest positive point is solar charging. With the Power Glass 1.4 lens, Garmin promises that the watch can have a much longer battery life. However, you need to be exposed to the sun for a long time for it to start charging a little, so it is only really advantageous for those who do a lot of outdoor activity.
Garmin Watch: Battery Life
As for durability, a full charge made it last me about 5 days. But I need to highlight that I left all functions activated, such as a 24-hour oxygen and heart rate monitor and cell phone notification alerts. Furthermore, it had Wi-Fi and Bluetooth turned on most of the time.
As for common charging, the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar has its own charger, which is exclusive to the brand’s watches. The accessory is not magnetic, as we see in common smartwatch models. Instead, it is plugged into the bottom of the box, using standardized connect ors.
Therefore, be warned: if you lose the charger, you will need to purchase a new one, as you cannot use wireless charging or common USB cables.
The battery of the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar surprised me well and it is capable of spending many days away from the socket. With solar charging, this duration becomes even better, as it slightly extends the life of the component.
Conclusion
A complete and excellent premium watch for athletes.
The Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar is one of the most advanced fitness trackers on the market and is well ahead of the competition in terms of health and activity monitoring features. Its sensors can capture each exercise very accurately and make it the perfect companion for athletes looking for something more advanced in tracking.
Like Apple Watch, Garmin battery is another positive aspect of the accessory and, with solar charging, it gets even better, with a charge that lasts longer if you exercise a lot outdoors, such as walking, running or cycling.
One negative point, however, is the absence of a touchscreen. This is a bit annoying if you are used to models with touch controls on the display. But it’s not a big problem if you’re already used to fitness trackers in this style.
But it is important to make your target audience very clear: it is not a watch for those who exercise occasionally and are looking for more communication resources. Instead, it is more suitable for athletes or people who do a lot of trails, runs and walks, that is, those who really spend many hours of the day in these scenarios.
