The spread of wearable electronics is a significant trend recent years. The market is simply flooded with many smart watch and bracelets in all price categories. But despite the apparent diversity, most gadgets do not satisfy the needs of users. Some people are completely unsatisfied with a trivial, undistinguished design, and they give their preference to classic watches, where you can always find a look to your liking. Another part of potential buyers is stopped by the short operating time: charging modern smart watches is often not enough even for a couple of days. Athletes are also not happy, because the opportunities provided by most modern devices they clearly don't have enough.
Fortunately, there are also pleasant exceptions to the rules: the American company Garmin, well known for its sports devices, has in its arsenal a multi sports watch Fenix ​​3, devoid of all the listed disadvantages. Well, the other day, a special version of this model appeared on Russian shelves, in which minor bugs were fixed, battery performance was optimized, sapphire glass and a built-in heart rate sensor appeared (previously, to measure the pulse, you had to wear special belts on the body). Meet the Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR – the new reincarnation of the best sports smartwatch. True, such a watch will not be cheap at all. Let's figure out why the manufacturer is offering us to pay as much as 52,000 rubles.
Appearance and design
When you first look at the Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR, you are delighted with their off-scale brutality: large, round, with screws and five large buttons. The watch looks great on a man’s hand, but for a thin girl’s wrist it will be too big and will not look organic.
The watch case is made of high-quality durable black plastic. At the top, secured with five bolts, rests a metallic gray bezel. The glass here, as already noted, is sapphire, so you need to find a diamond and rub it on the glass for a long time in order to somehow scratch it; in addition, it is located just below the edge of the bezel, which will take the main blows of fate. After a month of daily use, not a single scratch appeared on the watch.

On the left are three metal round buttons, on the right – two and sensor holes. The functions of the keys are stamped on the bezel: those on the left allow you to move up and down through the list and turn on the backlight (it also serves to turn the gadget on/off), the upper right key is slightly larger than the others and performs the selection function, and the lower one is used to return back. On the back of the watch, on a slight elevation, there is an optical sensor of our own production with three LEDs. Because of this protrusion, a round mark is left on the hand, but it measures the pulse more accurately than flat sensors. Next to the latter there is also a contact pad for charging and data exchange with a PC. To recharge the gadget, a very convenient docking station with a latch is used: the watch is securely held in it, and connection and disconnection is done with one hand.

The case is perfectly protected from mechanical shock, moisture and dust and can withstand pressure up to 10 atmospheres. In other words, you can safely dive into them to a depth of up to 100 m, without any fear for their performance. Fenix ​​3 are also indifferent to the effects of extreme temperatures; of course, it’s better not to throw them into an open flame, but they can easily withstand complete freezing in a glass of water. The strap in our sample is made of black hypoallergenic silicone, which does not irritate the skin even with heavy sweating and is not damaged in salt water. Bracelets made of steel, titanium and leather are also available in various colors. Unfortunately, standard straps will not fit this watch. Fenix ​​3 HR weighs 86 grams, which is ideal for feeling a pleasant weight on your hand, but not experiencing discomfort from constantly wearing them.

The gadget is equipped with a 1.2-inch round color display with a resolution of 218x218 pixels. The screen is always on and, in the presence of lighting, does not require the use of a backlight; by the way, the latter can be configured so that it turns on when the watch is raised to the eyes and only in the dark. It uses an interesting transflective MIP technology, akin to electronic ink, which allows you to maintain a static image with virtually no energy consumption. The colors are a little dull and the viewing angles are small, but the screen is perfectly readable even in direct sunlight, and the picture looks clear. Unlike most competitors, the screen here is not touch-sensitive, but this does not cause any difficulties; on the contrary, large buttons allow you to operate the watch even with gloves.

Inside the Fenix ​​3 HR there is a whole storehouse of sensors: Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, GPS/GLONASS, accelerometer, thermometer, barometer, compass and, of course, a proprietary heart rate sensor. By the way, the latter, after comparative tests with other devices capable of reading the pulse, showed the result closest to reality. The same can be said about the accelerometer: its error was less than 3%, it does not react to traffic movement or typing on the keyboard. The watch uses the ANT+ protocol, through which you can connect to it various devices, such as a bicycle speed sensor or an action camera. Data from sensors can be superimposed on the image obtained from the latter.

The battery capacity of the Fenix ​​3 HR has not changed compared to its predecessor, and is still the same 300 mAh, but energy consumption has been optimized in such a way that even with the heart rate monitor always on, the watch lives on average 10% longer. The operating time greatly depends on the mode in which the gadget operates. The charge will last the longest (about 2 months) when the Fenix ​​operates in watch mode without backlighting, without synchronizing with a smartphone and with sensors turned off. They will last about 2 weeks if you enable synchronization, notifications, accelerometer and heart rate sensor. The battery will last for 10 days in smartwatch mode, with all sensors turned on, automatic backlighting and synchronization. The watch will work for about 50 hours in training mode, recording all parameters and sometimes synchronizing with satellites. Finally, if you enable constant synchronization with the GPS signal in the same training mode, the charge will last for 24 hours. As you can see, in all modes the Fenix ​​3 HR outperforms its competitors in terms of autonomy. Full charging is carried out in less than an hour.

Functionality
Fenix's interface is quite simple, but at least, if you figure it out, you won’t get lost. To begin with, let's say that the watch supports work in several languages, including the great and mighty. As you might guess, the home screen is a clock face. By default, more than a dozen watch faces with different design settings are already available. If that's not enough, there are plenty of additional fan-created clocks you can easily download from the web, many with widgets that display steps, weather, or battery power.

Pressing the up and down buttons scrolls through screens with various information. Graphs of pressure, pulse, altitude (based on the pressure difference), temperature (for an accurate assessment you need to remove the watch for a couple of minutes) are displayed for the last few hours. Another part of the screens begins to function when paired with a phone: music player, calendar, weather, alerts, there is a section for managing action cameras. Statistics on daily activity are collected on a separate screen: steps taken, kilometers and calories burned (heart rate data is taken into account when calculating calories), you can also view your latest workouts. Holding down the center key gives you access to settings, where you can change the display order, customize, disable, and add new widgets. There you can also configure the appearance of the watch, pair it with your phone, and system updates. Fenix ​​can not only automatically receive data on time, date and satellite coordinates, but also leave a mark on the map so that they can then plot a route back.
In addition to widgets, another “Training” section is available, which appears when you press the “Start” key. The list of available workouts has expanded significantly with the update of the watch, and now both trivial running, walking, swimming or cycling, as well as more exotic standing and sitting rowing, various exercise equipment, skiing, snowboarding, rock climbing, triathlon and even golf are available. Moreover, for most, you can choose to train both indoors and outdoors, which means whether your path and speed will be tracked using satellites or an accelerometer.

After pressing “Start” again, the corresponding application will launch. As soon as the GPS/GLONASS connection is established, you can press “Start” again and begin training, for each of which its own data is written to the screen and to a file. For example, for rock climbing, the distance traveled, altitude, time, pulse are written (if it is much higher than normal, the watch will vibrate), and even the routes traveled and return routes (the navigation arrow leads you to the starting point). The watch can even distinguish between stroke types when swimming and then count the number of strokes or start a metronome to maintain rhythm while rowing. Fenix ​​can determine both the distance traveled and the straight line distance between two points. In general, if you love a variety of sports, you won’t exchange these hours for anything else. Files with recorded data can then be thoroughly studied on a computer and, based on the results of the analysis, you can adjust your training.
Even without switching to “training” mode, the watch will be able to record all your daily activity, temperature, speed, barometric pressure, altitude, heart rate and movement track on the map. Fenix ​​3 HR does an excellent job of analyzing sleep phases and can wake you up at the most appropriate moment. True, sleeping in such a “powerful” watch, admittedly, is not very comfortable. If you cannot find your smartphone, then the watch will help here too: when the function is activated, the smartphone will ring at full volume. The gadget can notify you about sunset and sunrise in advance certain time before an event or warn about natural disasters that have begun near you. Fenix ​​also has less exotic functions, such as a stopwatch or timer.

Software
Another important advantage of the Fenix ​​3 HR is that it does all this completely autonomously from your smartphone. A phone and a PC are needed only to analyze the data collected over hours. When connected to a computer, the watch is detected by the system as a flash drive. The total memory capacity is 32 MB, and from them you can download recorded data or upload new firmware(this can also be done automatically via the phone's wireless interface). Another option is to use the Garmin Express utility, which will configure wireless connection via Wi-Fi, and in the future the watch will synchronize itself with the online service. You will first need to register on the Garmin Connect resource, but after that it will become available detailed information about your activity in Russian with user-friendly interface, including statistics on various parameters, information about the duration and locations of training with a track map, earned rewards and recommendations for training. There is also its own Connect IQ store, through which you can download the Fenix ​​3 HR third party applications, watch faces and widgets. By the way, he calls the store only nominally: all the content offered is free.

Similar functionality is available from the mobile application for Android and iOS, only with additional features on setting up collaboration. Pairing Garmin devices with your phone is not a trivial matter: first you need to register in the system on the website, then launch mobile app with the Internet turned on and enter the username and password you received earlier (it may not work the first time - then you will have to wait a couple of hours), then click “connect a new device”, turn on Bluetooth on the watch and smartphone (if that doesn’t work, then restart both devices ), enter the code from the watch into a special field on the screen, wait about five minutes while the watch adjusts the time using satellites. Hurray, we're connected! Fortunately, next time such “dances” with tambourines will not be required, and the connection will occur automatically. In the application, you can configure what notifications are sent to the watch (calls, mail, SMS, social networks, etc.) and which player to use by default, while in the phone settings you must allow the application to communicate with external devices. Unfortunately, you cannot answer or reject calls from your watch, but you can turn off the sound. Otherwise, there are no complaints: all notifications arrive properly, and everything works quickly and clearly.

Conclusion
With the release of Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR, an already great gadget has only gotten better. He still has great design, only now there is a sapphire crystal, a long operating time that has become even longer and rich functionality expanded by a heart rate sensor and additional training. But it must be remembered that due to its high price Fenix ​​is ​​a device for the elite. Agree, it’s stupid to pay over 50 thousand rubles and not take advantage of the rich functionality for playing sports, because you can receive notifications from a smartphone on devices at several times cheaper. But if you lead an active lifestyle, love to travel, engage in various sports, adore brutal things and modern technologies, then the Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR is created especially for you and will be an excellent investment.

What are the best smartwatches? It is basically impossible to answer this question. Some people like glamorous ones Apple Watch, others – elegant Asus Zenwatch, others – imitating Swiss chronometers Samsung Gear. But to be more precise and ask which model to choose for an athlete, the answer is clear - it is best to buy a Garmin Fenix ​​3 watch.

What are their main features and advantages?

1. Appearance and materials.

In the watches of the Garmin Fenix ​​series you will not find any visual frills - their design is emphasized brutal and practical. This is not a toy or a stylish accessory, but a multifunctional device capable of working in the harshest conditions. This is why the price of the Garmin Fenix ​​3 will be higher compared to many more “sophisticated” models. However, for this money you will get:

• waterproof stainless steel case;
• large color screen, which is protected by high-strength, scratch-resistant glass.

2. Functionality.

We can safely recommend buying a Garmin Phoenix 3 watch to athletes of any profile - runners, cyclists, weightlifters, etc. In a matter of seconds, the device can be turned into a GPS navigator, compass, virtual trainer or training partner. Using built-in sensors, the watch measures and displays:

• speed;
• number of steps taken;
• heartbeat;
• oxygen consumption level (VO 2 max) and much more.

Comprehensive monitoring of loads is also carried out with the development of effective training and rest programs.

In the specialized online store “Watchsport” the entire range of Garmin Phoenix 3 smart watch models is available with various colors of the case and bracelet at affordable prices.

I won’t keep the intrigue, I think everyone knows that I’ve been dreaming about the Garmin Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition (hereinafter I’ll just call it Fenix ​​3) for more than six months, and so, I finally took the plunge and ordered myself a model on Ebay.com.

It will be interesting material, especially if you are also looking for the perfect watch for everyday use, as well as for tourism and sports.

Video review of Garmin Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition

So, let's start with the main thing, why did I start wanting a Garmin watch? It all started with the first Pebble. Before them, logically, I could not even imagine that smart watches were so convenient. Unfortunately, after Pebble, I was never able to get myself something else, because everything else was meaningless.

More precisely, it’s all good to one degree or another, but it doesn’t suit my needs specifically. But I need: music control that doesn’t turn off on its own, battery life for more than three days, an always-on display, control of mechanical keys, the ability to customize training screens and, of course, GPS.

Oddly enough, much of this is even in original watch Pebble, that's why I ran with them. In them, information is always displayed on the display, the music application does not minimize after a while, so you can stop playback or switch the track at any time, battery life lasts for several days, while jogging with it running on your smartphone Runkeeper app The Pebble screen displays the information you need, although it cannot be customized.

But they don’t have GPS, the design is extremely terrible, they get scratched quickly, and over time the display matrices begin to crumble. This happened to me with two watches, the last time was quite recently and I was not upset.

If you're just starting to want the Fenix ​​3, I'll give you a helpful hint on this generation's versions because I was initially confused. A total of 4 versions are available: the regular Fenix ​​3, Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition (differing in the presence of a more durable case, sapphire glass, a higher quality main strap and a removable silicone strap included), Fenix ​​3 HR and HR Sapphire Edition (the same, but also with a built-in heart rate sensor), and tactix Bravo, which are simply a copy of the Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition, but with a different strap, slightly modified case design and pre-installed military applications. But the latter can be installed on Fenix ​​3 as well.

I didn’t consider the regular Fenix ​​3, I wanted a sapphire crystal, so I bought the Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition. Why not HR? The reasons are simple: I found a good deal on Ebay specifically for SE, the sensor still discharges the battery a little faster (but this is a small thing, not significant), but I don’t really need the sensor itself.

It is good for use in rest mode, but during sports there is nothing better than a chest strap, which can be purchased in addition to any phoenixes. Therefore, if the difference in price was smaller, I would have bought HR, but I decided not to spend money.

Display

Actually, I only learned about the technology used to make the screen in Fenix ​​3 at MWC this year, where I used them live. And there I finally understood - this is exactly what I need. The display is made using Transflective MIP technology, a kind of colored electronic ink that does not consume energy while nothing is happening on the screen. Thanks to this, we get two huge advantages: excellent autonomy, as well as constant display of information.

Whatever watch I have not used before, turning on the screen by movement is nonsense. It doesn’t always work, but the main thing is that sometimes it works when it’s not needed, and sometimes you’re already looking at the clock in the right position, but you don’t see anything, because it doesn’t know that you’re looking at it.

For example, I’m driving, I look at the screen that’s looking at me, but it’s turned off because I didn’t raise my hand, it’s already on the steering wheel. And for information to appear, you need to move your hands. Therefore, in any case, I wanted just such a screen, even if it was monochrome. Although here it is in color and even the resolution is good – 218 x 218 pixels per 1.2″.

Button control

The Garmin Fenix ​​3 has a non-touch screen and I'm glad about that. The watch doesn't need it at all. However, even if there was one, it’s okay, the main thing is that full control of the mechanical buttons is preserved. While running, you cannot control touch elements - it’s simply unrealistic, but you can press a button; in winter wearing sports gloves at the stadium, let alone triathletes or swimmers, only mechanical controls are suitable for them.

After Pebble, using Apple Watch, Gear Fit 2 and some others is not so convenient for sports. Everything is great in Fenix ​​3, you have as many as 5 keys for control and navigation.

I remembered an interesting incident from recently. I was given a TomTom Runner 2 sports watch for testing, which, as it turned out, was created by hand-assed people. For example, the screen backlight in them turns on when you cover the display with your palm. Moreover, you need to touch it with a warm hand so that the backlight does not work when covering it with clothes, for example.

During my first run, I realized how bad this decision was, because it was cool and my hands became cold, the screen did not react to them. And in winter, wearing gloves, you can completely forget about the backlight. In Fenix ​​3, the backlight can be turned on according to different scenarios: by raising your hand, by raising your hand only after sunset, by pressing a separate key. Everyone is happy!

Autonomy

Most smartwatches have one huge drawback - they do not last long on a single charge. Most often - a day or two, and if they have GPS, then the charge is enough for an hour or two of training. And this is a huge problem, especially when training in the cold season.

My Gear Fit 2 bracelet in the summer dropped from 100% to 25-30% during one 10 km run. Therefore, even if you have GPS in your smart watch or bracelet, then most likely there will not be enough charge for a half marathon. Just like a two-hour bike workout.

Fenix ​​3 lasts a very long time: up to 6 weeks in watch mode, about 12 days in smart watch mode with a constantly connected smartphone, and up to 20 (!!!) hours in active GPS tracking mode. Over my standard running distance of 10 km they only lose 4% charge. Four!!! This is space. I've never had a watch last that long and it's very cool.

Setting everything up

As I said, customizing displays while playing sports is extremely important to me. I don’t want to look at the data that the manufacturer decided to post, because, judging by experience, developers do not consult with athletes. Some watches can only display one type of information on one screen while you're running, like the Gear Fit 2. The Fenix ​​3 is designed with detail in mind.

For any sport, you can create several custom screens, each of which will display from 1 to 4 fields, and they can be configured in size. For running, I need one screen with three fields: pace, distance and training time.

And that’s exactly how I set everything up for myself. But I told you this very superficially, since only for the pace there are several parameters, such as the average for the entire run, the current one, the average per km. And so for each parameter there are sub-items.

Adequate application with synchronization of everything

Garmin Connect is available on both smartphones and the browser. There is also a desktop application for synchronization if for some reason you do not use a smartphone. But I only use mobile version and it suits me completely.

What I like is the huge amount of information you get about your activities and the slowness of the application. The fact is that it is not a tracker on its own, like Runkeeper or Strava; GC cannot track activities itself. This is only a hub that collects information from Garmin devices. For example, I have a cycling computer and a watch - the service will contain information from them.

And the cool thing here is that there are no paid versions, the calculation is that you have already spent money on the device and now you should have access to all the features. This is cool, before I only saw limited information available in free versions services.

Applications

Directly from Garmin Connect, you can access the watch app store. And not only Fenix ​​3, but also other models that support Garmin IQ. Surprisingly, I did not expect to see such a large number of applications for Garmin, high-quality, very diverse and updated regularly.

There are functional “watch faces” that can be configured and customized for yourself, there are full-featured applications, and there are widgets. The difference between them is as follows: dials - everything is clear with them; applications are installed in the same menu where the main ones are: running, cycling, and so on, that is, these can be applications that record training data; and widgets are weather, compass, and so on.

Full smart features

When I purchased the watch, I knew I would get an uncompromising experience while working out, but I was worried about the smart features. I thought that the watch would show completely standard actions, like a call, SMS and, possibly, mail. But everything turned out to be simply gorgeous - the smart capabilities are second to none. Notifications come from all applications on my iPhone, which makes me happy. You can view them even after collapsing them in a special menu.

Music control

This is an important point for me, especially in winter, when wireless headphones are hidden under a hat and hood, and a smartphone is in your pocket and it’s uncomfortable to reach for them to change the track or turn off the music.

Probably all smartwatches have music controls, but the problem is that the control screen is minimized (switches to home page), if you don't touch it. And I'm not happy with that, I want to be able to stop the music or change the track at any time without having to go back to the music app. And this is exactly how it is implemented here. The only frustrating thing is that, unlike Pebble, the time and track names are not visible on the music control screen.

Beautiful

I admit, design is not as important to me as quality and functionality. I could wear any watch or bracelet, but I wore the Pebble because it suited me best. But if the watch is functional and completely suits me, and is also beautiful, it’s a jackpot! And Fenix ​​3 is exactly like that. Without exaggeration, they look gorgeous, although they will be too big for people of small build, and even more so for girls. And even the presence of the Rose Gold color will not help!

Flaws

There are also disadvantages, as with any other product. And I don’t call cost a disadvantage; nevertheless, we have the most technologically advanced Digital Watch. But with so many sensors and sensors, the manufacturer stupidly neglected the internal space, only 23 MB is available. MEGABYTE!!! This sounds funny. Memory would be needed for maps, music, etc.

There is also no option to download tracks to the watch, but that would be very cool. With Fenix ​​3, I don’t even take my smartphone to workouts, but after a run I still want to listen to music. Therefore, it would be cool to have at least 4-8 GB of space and connectivity wireless headphones. The Gear Fit 2 does just that.

I won't say that the Garmin Fenix ​​3 is a watch for everyone. No, this is simply the most advanced device on the market, this is a real multisport watch, but this fact does not mean that everyone should buy it, because for many people the capabilities of a Pebble or a tracker like the Xiaomi Mi Band 2 will be enough.

Fenix ​​3 is a combine harvester for people with an active lifestyle, of which I count myself, who need everything at once: the most accurate measurements, autonomy, convenience and a lot of data obtained after each activity.

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Garmin Phoenix 3- The coolest sports tracker watch I've ever seen. On top of that, they are “smart.”

A week ago, Roman Yuriev reviewed the “junior” ones, calling the latter a “Swiss knife” among sports trackers. Alas, Roma, vivoactive is an alpine dagger.

A real Swiss knife is Phoenix 3.

Phoenixes can do so much that a lifetime would not be enough to experience all their functionality. Yes, this is not necessary. The watch is designed for a single solution in sports and outdoors. It's easier to make a list sports programs, which are not supported by the watch, than to list the main types in which Garmin can act as an activity tracker. I have never seen such a rich selection of disciplines in any other watch:

• Snowboarding
• Rock climbing
• Mountaineering
• Paddleboarding (a type of surfing)
• Power training
• Cardio
• Multisport
• Walking
• Walking over rough terrain
• Indoor running
• Bike
• Exercise bike
• Swimming in the pool
• Open water
• Triathlon

Owners of the previous version may reasonably argue that Phoenix 2 could do the same. There are differences and they relate not only to appearance.

– Fenix ​​3 has a 218x218 pixel color display with constant display. During the day, the readability of the display reaches 170°, and at dusk the active backlight helps.

– Fenix ​​3 has become 2 mm thinner (15 vs 17 mm for Fenix ​​2);

– Phoenix 3 9 g lighter than the second model (82 vs 91 for Fenix ​​2);
– The Fenix ​​3 antenna catches GLONASS and GPS (Fenix ​​2 - GPS only).

– Water resistance has doubled – to 100 m. In the pool and open water, the clock counts pace, number of strokes, calories burned, speed;
– On the climber's or hiker's hand, Fenix ​​3 detects that climbing has begun and automatically switches to climbing/cross-country mode. The built-in altimeter shows the altitude, and the barometer can be used to determine what kind of weather awaits us.

– The battery capacity of Fenix ​​3 is 300 mAh versus 500 for Fenix ​​2. Don’t rush to conclusions.

The operating times of both watches are almost the same: 50 hours in UltraTrac mode (1 GPS scan per minute), 20 hours of continuous training with constantly working GPS.

But in simple-clock mode 40 days of work Fenix ​​3 will have a steeper 25 days than Fenix ​​2. Charging occurs according to USB cable via a proprietary connector.

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Let's move on. Phoenixes can count steps And monitor sleep. Moreover, they do not need to be switched to sleep mode from a button, like other trackers: latest firmware 2.5 feature appeared automatic detection owner’s activity (went to bed - the clock went into sleeping mode). It's super convenient.

There are several versions Garmin Phoenix 3, differing in color and straps. The filling is identical.

Some kits come with a wireless ANT chest heart rate monitor, as in my case.

The box also contained a clip-shaped watch charger and a USB cable. The clip can be used with the watch without removing it from your hand when you need to charge on the go.

The weight of the watch on a silicone strap is 82 g, on a metal one - 175.

Fenix ​​3 tracks a variety of activities with a built-in pedometer, GPS/Glonass sensors, altimeter and heart rate monitor (optional). First, you need to register with the Connect IQ sports network and fill out your profile, indicating your age, height and weight.

If you select an activity with GPS tracking, then before the start of the workout, the watch searches for a satellite, which is indicated by a red stripe around the perimeter of the screen. When a satellite is found, it turns green. Satellite search can be disabled in the settings.

This feature will be useful for hikers and climbers TrackBack– navigator for returning to the starting point by built-in compass.

Phoenix 3 supports installation third party programs And dials, like Pebble. This was not the case in Fenix ​​2.

In addition, from the watch you can control music, save location checkpoints, and at the end of the day, watch your progress step by step.

Cardio zones are set in the profile. At the end of the workout, the watch is synchronized via Bluetooth with a smartphone with Connect IQ or via Wi-Fi (!!!) if there is no phone.

The watch displays all notifications on the screen via vibration alerts coming to the phone, like Pebble. Unlike them, you can also receive a call by continuing the conversation from your smartphone.

Garmin Fenix ​​3 Sapphire Edition is one of the most successful versions of smart watches. Even the improved model contains the functionality of the third generation of Garmin, a review of which is presented in the article. Let's talk about why the Garmin Fenix ​​3 smartwatch is worth purchasing.

Why you should buy a Garmin Fenix ​​3 smartwatch

The Garmin Fenix ​​3 smart watch is a godsend for professional athletes and amateurs. The first advantage is the design. The entire design of the device is thought out by the developers down to the smallest detail. The comfortable silicone bracelet sits gently on the hand, while the steel version is suitable for a formal setting. Let's look at the advantages of the Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR smartwatch.

Phoenix 3 benefits overview:

1. Compact body and light weight - the watch does not interfere with your hand in everyday life and in competitions;
2. EXO antenna, made of steel, provides a high-precision, powerful signal for the navigation system;
3. Chroma display with oleophobic coating – guarantees the brightness of the image on the screen even in bright sunlight, without glare;
4. Training functionality – the functions were selected by the developers specifically for athletes, they are all necessary, there is nothing superfluous in the interface;
5. Connect IQ compatible - useful for downloading additional applications, expanding functionality, dials, etc.

The main focus of the watch is sports. The functions are designed for various forms of training - running, swimming, skiing, snowboarding, etc.

The third version of Phoenix supports GPS and GLONASS. The steel EXO antenna enhances the signal accuracy, allowing the navigator to send highly accurate data. This allows you to use the watch while traveling and hiking. This application is also facilitated by the durable, protected housing of the product. Let's look at the description of the device in more detail.

Read also:

Review smart Pebble watch SmartWatch

Description of smart watch

Garmin Fenix ​​3 HR went on sale in three versions:

• Black silicone bracelet with gray body and scratch-resistant glass
• Red silicone bracelet with silver case and scratch-resistant glass
• Steel bracelet and case with sapphire crystal (Sapphire Premium model)

The new Fenix ​​5 model is improved in this regard. More variants of models have been developed, but they all have their own peculiarities in terms of protection. Fenix ​​5 is presented in samples with regular glass and sapphire.

Fenix ​​5 with regular glass does not have Wi-Fi. Their price is 100 dollars less. The sapphire Fenix ​​5 has the same features + Wi-Fi. The third generation differs only in the design difference between the models. The functions and capabilities of the samples are the same.

Specifications

Review of Garmin smart watch model Fenix ​​3 HR:

• Wide screen 1.2 inches diagonal
• Chroma color LCD display with oleophobic coating
• EXO steel antenna
• Built-in sensors altimeter, barometer (+TracBack, Sight"n Go)
• Navigational GPS system, GLONASS
• There is a 3-axis compass
• Built-in VO2 Max function
• Compatible with Connect IQ
• Water protection up to 100 meters deep

Battery life is impressive. The battery capacity is designed for 3 months if the device is used as a regular watch. Navigation drains the battery faster. With active GPS module The device will be discharged in 16 hours. UltraTrack mode extends the life of the device up to 50 hours. The modes in the settings change.

Sensor operation

Garmin Phoenix 3 has three built-in sensors:

• Altimeter – tracks altitude, helps calculate ascent and descent
• Barometer – determines pressure for a short time, helps predict the weather
• 3-axis compass – shows azimuth in a static position and in motion

Gamine also measures temperature, but this requires an additional attribute. Connect a tempe sensor and get highly accurate readings. The device sets the time automatically. Thanks to the operation of the navigation system, the watch determines the time zone, adjusting the time indicators.

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Features of the Garmin Fenix ​​3 smartwatch

Unlike Garmin Fenix ​​2, the functionality of the third model is expanded. The main feature is full tracking of training indicators and control of the user’s form. The device has a built-in VO2 Max function. Checking your oxygen levels helps you track your fitness improvements. The function works based on heart rate monitor indicators.

The device also combines other useful commands:

• Timer recovery
• Verified recovery
• Competition time forecast

Using listed functions, the user monitors the body’s recovery and checks the results.

Running Dynamics

The running dynamics indicator includes three parameters:

• Step frequency
• Vertical oscillation
• Ground contact

The device measures them with high accuracy. Thanks to this, the user monitors the progress of running sessions and adjusts the training to improve the quality of the result.

Swimming, skiing and snowboarding

The watch belongs to the “Multi-sport” class due to its broad focus. The device also measures swimming performance.

During swimming training Phoenix 3 measures:

• Distance traveled
• Travel speed
• Number of strokes, etc.

Use the ski-snowboard mode. The device will accurately measure the speed and distance of movement, and the vertical drop in height. There is also a trip counter here.

Navigation system

Let us note the uniqueness of the technology of the Phoenix 3 watch. The device combines the ultra-modern operation of the navigation system in combination with high-precision sensors. There is no such thing anywhere!

The navigation system is characterized by the following capabilities:

• Recording a track with GPS points
• Determining the starting line
• Arrival point mark
• Fixing an interesting object
• Marking caches, etc.

The maximum number of places that can be marked is 1000. The number of points is limited to 10,000.

Connection

Phoenix's screen displays:

• Emails
• SMS messages
• Alerts
• Warnings, etc.

Garmin Phoenix 3 pairs with iPhone and Android devices. The user controls the events of the smartphone during training. Pairing occurs via the Bluetooth module. This is more profitable than Wi-Fi because it saves battery power. The device works longer.