Garmin unveiled its revamped flagship smartwatch on Tuesday, with the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro models with a host of updates over its predecessor and features that make a compelling case for its premium pricing that starts at $1,000.
Ahead of the announcement, a series of leaks suggested that the refreshed Fenix could arrive alongside other models or accessories, but the company focused its entire “Play Harder” event on just the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro, which come in three case sizes and offer a significant slate of refinements.
The Fenix 9 comes two years after the previous iteration and announces its presence with an AMOLED screen at 460×460 resolution, with the Fenix 9 Pro reaching 3,000 nits of brightness. A solar version will use a transflective memory-in-pixel display.
All versions of the new Fenix boast impressive battery life, with the Fenix 9’s 29 days of smartwatch mode resting just under the 31 days for the Fenix 9 Pro and up to 57 days for the solar version depending on the conditions and how the device is used.
A scratch-resistant sapphire lens adds to durability with leakproof buttons keeping the case secure and all models are dive-rated up to 40 meters as 43mm, 47mm and 51mm sizes are a sign that Garmin is intent on Fenix users finding the right fit for each variation of the watch.
“Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro are purpose-built for those who want to perform better and venture farther, Garmin vice president of consumer sales and marketing Susan Lyman said. “Athletes can better understand endurance gains and train smarter with advanced stamina metrics, while superior navigation tools help adventurers stay confidently on course.”
The top trim Fenix 9 Pro with the 51mm version has Garmin’s first 1.5-inch AMOLED display with a 15 percent larger display over the Fenix 8 but with no increase in case size.
Meanwhile, all models are built with titanium, a first for the Fenix stable have a thickness between 13.8mm and 15.8mm depending on the device and under the hoods, the watches will have 64GB of memory, which is double the capacity in the Fenix 8.
Functionality is one of the main priorities for the new Fenix, with the built-in mapping engine getting a 30 percent boost in panning and 40 percent quicker route calculation and smoother zoom transitions. Garmin opted to stick with its Elevate Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, the same iteration as the Fenix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro.
During the announcement, Garmin introduced its Epic Groups compile multiple activities into one a single story to chronicle an event over days or weeks and months up to 92 days that tracks a range of metrics like distance, sleep, calories and more and ultimately shuttle the experience into Garmin Connect.
Enhanced stamina tracking dials in what is learned from user metrics to determine training habits, nuances, changes over time and compile personal stamina zones that are more than just a prediction for each workout or activity.
A push for seamless connectivity was part of Garmin’s mission to have the new Fenix lead the way for integrations that give the watches greater functionality beyond pairing and syncing with a smartphone. The Fenix 9 and Pro models inherit the LTE and inReach modules from the past Fenix devices but gain near instantaneous LiveTrack status positioning that displays map location, elevation, pace, splits and other data that can be shared during an activity.
The deeper use of LTE or satellite also ensures that messaging is readily available if needed, along with weather monitoring and SOS messaging to Garmin Response in the event of an incident.
Garmin’s website offers an even deeper dive of the new Fenix 9 models, with case sizes, colorways, bands and accessory options listed in time for orders on Friday with no indicator of when the watches will ship as prices start at $999.99 for the base Fenix 9 and topping out at $1,349.99 for the Fenix 9 Pro with 51mm case equipped with inReach.
