Garmin unveils Fenix 9 smartwatches with brighter screens and faster maps
Garmin has officially launched its rugged Fenix 9 smartwatch lineup, featuring brighter displays, quicker map panning and several new tracking features. The devices go up for order on August 28th.
Garmin has introduced its new generation of rugged smartwatches, the Fenix 9, bringing a range of hardware and software upgrades over the previous model.
The base 43mm version starts at $999.99 and comes with an OLED display reaching up to 3,000 nits of brightness, twice as bright as its predecessor. The watch also gets 50 percent more RAM and an upgraded map engine that allows for smoother, faster panning. It includes a scratch-resistant sapphire lens and 64GB of built-in storage.
New features
The Fenix 9 introduces several software features, including Garmin Epic, which compiles workouts completed over several days, weeks or months into a single summary of health and performance data for that period. The lineup also adds new stamina-tracking metrics and expanded rucking features that let users adjust their pack weight mid-workout. The largest 51mm model offers up to 29 days of battery life in smartwatch mode.
Fenix 9 Pro
The pricier Fenix 9 Pro starts at $1,099.99 and adds a titanium case. All three sizes — 43mm, 47mm and 51mm — can be equipped with InReach satellite or LTE connectivity for an additional $100 plus a $7.99 monthly subscription. The largest Fenix 9 Pro model gets a 1.5-inch OLED display for the first time, slightly bigger than the 1.3-inch and 1.4-inch screens on the smaller sizes.
The 47mm and 51mm Fenix 9 Pro models also offer a solar-charging display option, promising up to 57 days of battery life provided the wearer spends about three hours a day outdoors in strong sunlight.
The Fenix 9 lineup will be offered in a variety of case and band color combinations, with orders opening on August 28th.
