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Home / News / Garmin’s new Fenix 5 watches will track all day, whatever your wrist size

Garmin’s new Fenix 5 watches will track all day, whatever your wrist size

Smart multi-sport tracking, big and small

What happened to the Fenix 4?

A valid question, given how much we liked the Fenix 3 – and one for which we don’t have the answer. Still, at least there are three Fenix 5 watches to ogle as you ponder the question.

Ah, so it’s a triplet of tracking tech.

Gosh, someone’s been at the alliterative dictionary again. But, yes, you’re right: each of the new Fenix watches is well-equipped for all-day tracking, with each offering a heart rate monitor and on-board GPS – not to mention smartphone support, for notifications and the like.

How can I spot the difference?

It might seem strange for such feature-packed tickers, but the biggest tell between the three is their size. Designed with smaller wrists in mind, the 5S is 42mm across – significantly dinkier than the 47mm Fenix 5 and the 51mm Fenix 5X.

This should be welcome news for those of smaller build, given the somewhat mammoth size of previous Garmin multi-sport machines.

So they’re just three sizes of the same watch? This smells like marketing trickery…

Hold your accusatory horses for just one second. Whilst each wrist-wrapper does offer similar features, there are some substantive differences, too. Battery life varies across the devices, with the Fenix 5 offering 14 days in smartwatch mode – versus 12 days on the 5X and eight on the 5S – whilst the 5X offers pre-loaded mapping, too.

If I manage to choose which one I want, when can I get it?

Well, you should probably pick the one that fits. Once you have, you should be able to buy one by March, with prices starting at £499.99.

Profile image of Chris Rowlands Chris Rowlands Freelance contributor

About

For more than a decade, Chris has been finding and featuring the best kit you can carry. When he's not writing about his favourite things for Stuff, you'll find Chris field-testing the latest gear for TechRadar. From cameras to classic cars, he appreciates anything that gets better with age.

Areas of expertise

Cameras, gear and travel tech