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Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin Fenix 5X Review}} The Garmin Fenix 5X is the top of the range of Garmin's running/outdoor watches. It has an impressive array of features, and it uses hi..."
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Garmin Fenix 5X Review}}
The Garmin Fenix 5X is the top of the range of Garmin's running/outdoor watches. It has an impressive array of features, and it uses high quality materials to achieve a high-end look. It's only real weakness is its rather mediocre GPS accuracy, though this can be easily remediated by combining it with the [[Stryd]]. Of course, all this comes at a fairly hefty price, as the Fenix 5X retails for $700 (plus $200 for the Stryd.) '''Note: I'm still writing this review, so please consider it early access to my initial testing results.'''
=Support This Site=
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B01MQX3306|AZN=Garmin Fenix 5X}}
=Which Version?=
There are four versions of the Fenix 5, one of which is branded as the Forerunner 935. (The 935 is a plastic bodied Fenix 5 for $100 less.)
{| class="wikitable"
!
! Fenix 5X
! Fenix 5
! Fenix 5S
! Forerunner 935
|-
| Size
| 51mm/2.0"
| 47mm/1.9"
| 42mm/1.7"
| 47mm/1.9"
|-
| Resolution
| 240pixels
| 240pixels
| 218pixels
| 240pixels
|-
| Display
| 30mm/1.2
| 30mm/1.2"
| 28mm/1.1"
| 30mm/1.2"
|-
| Maps
| Yes
| No
| No
| No
|-
| MSRP
| $700-850
| $600-850
| $600-850
| $500
|-
| Battery
| 20 Hours (35 UltraTrac)
| 24 Hours (60 UltraTrac)
| 14 Hours (35 UltraTrac)
| 24 Hours (60 UltraTrac)
|-
| Lens
| Sapphire Only
| Glass or sapphire
| Glass or sapphire
| Glass
|-
| WiFi
| Yes
| With Sapphire
| With Sapphire
| Yes
|-
| Price
| <jfs id="B01MQX3306" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01N7J9APR" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01NBL9XGP" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01N7J9APR" nonl="true"/>
|}
Within each model, there are choices of wristband type, with a metal wristband adding $150 and sapphire glass adding $100. There are also a number of color choices, though the 5X is only available in gray. So, which to buy? I'd recommend getting the 935 as it's cheapest. The only reasons to buy the Fenix version are if you need maps (5X), WiFi (any with Sapphire glass), you want the Fenix look, or you want the smaller size of the 5S. Of course, with the release of the Fenix 5, you can get the Fenix 3 at a lower cost. The Garmin Epix is also worth considering as it has the maps of the 5X, but Garmin has stopped releasing firmware updates and it's nowhere near as attractive.
=The Big Questions=
For a [[Best Running Watch| simple evaluation of a GPS watch]], I look at how well it can answer some basic questions. There are many things a runner might look for in a running watch, but I feel these four questions are critical.
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the Fenix 5X has rather mediocre [[GPS Accuracy]]. For me, this amount of error in the distance would be unacceptable. For instance, on a 20-mile [[Long Run]] you could see an error of nearly a mile, which is enough to really mess up your training. The good news is that the Fenix 5X has great support for the [[Stryd]] footpod that gives awesome accuracy.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. The poor GPS accuracy of Fenix 5X tends to exacerbate this, with readings fluctuating by over a minute/mile regularly and up to two minutes/mile occasionally. So, if you want pace information you need to get a [[Stryd]] footpod.
* '''Where am I? '''The Fenix 5X has about the best navigation options available. The headline feature is the full color, preloaded maps. On top of this, there is a breadcrumb display of where you've been, the ability to load predefined courses, navigation to waypoints, backtracking your course, a magnetic compass, and an altimeter. A larger display would be nice, and I'd love to have this functionality with the [[Suunto Spartan Ultra]]'s high resolution display and touchscreen, or the [[Leikr1]]'s huge display, but the Fenix 5X does pretty well.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. The Fenix 5X will get [[Cadence]] from its internal accelerometer, as well as from a Footpod, or the [[Running Dynamics]] heart rate strap/pod. There are alerts for Cadence, which is great, and even a metronome feature. I don't think it comes any better than this.
=The Fenix 5X for Ultrarunning=
The Fenix 5X claims 20 hours of battery life, and I tested it under optimal conditions and managed to get 23 hours. That's tough to achieve in the real world, as you have to avoid using the map display, backlight, or changing the display too often. With the map display in constant use, I was still able to achieve the rated 20 hours, which is pretty good. This makes the Fenix 5X a great candidate for shorter races (50 miles/100k). But if you hope to be still moving during the [[Second Dawn]], then there are probably better options. You can charge the Fenix 5X on the run, but the position of the charging cable means you can't wear the watch while you're doing so (unlike the [[Garmin Fenix 3]].) See [[Best Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
=Physical Characteristics=
The Fenix 5X is a big watch, and it's larger than I'm comfortable with as a 24 hour/day activity tracker. However, on the run it fells okay even on my diminutive wrists. The watch straps rotate where they connect to the watch body, unlike the Polar V800 where they extend from the watch body and therefore don't conform as well. The materials are excellent quality, and while it doesn't have the simplistic elegance of the [[Suunto Spartan Ultra]] it's still very nice. The exposed bolt heads make the Fenix 5 look rugged and sporty, though it's a bit fussy visually. The only thing that feels a little cheap and tacky is the watch strap itself on the cheapest version. It's nothing like the silky smooth and soft watch material that Suunto use.
=Optical Heart Rate Monitoring=
I've not found any Optical Heart Rate Monitoring (OHRM) implementation that's good enough to be useful, and the Fenix 5X is no exception. I believe that you're better off having no heart rate data than bad heart rate data. While a chest strap based heart rate monitor can have accuracy issues, these are generally dramatic and obvious, whereas OHRM can be quite misleading. (The issues with a chest strap heart rate monitor are also usually fairly easy to remediate, either with some electrode gel or a new battery.) The accuracy of [[Optical Heart Rate Monitoring]] (OHRM) will depend on a number of factors:
* The watch needs to fit just right. Because of the sensor is measuring the expansion of the capillaries with each heartbeat, too much pressure will prevent this expansion. However, to lose and the watch won't get a good reading due to lack of contact. Getting this tension just right can be tricky, especially if you're wrist expands or contracts over time.
* Movement seems to confuse OHRM systems, possibly because it changes the papillary filling. Some users have noted that their OHRM systems seem to lock on to their Cadence rather than their heart rate.
* Temperature seems to be a huge factor, and most systems work better in warmer conditions. If you're a little chilled, your body will restrict blood flow to your capillaries to retain body heat, making it much harder for the optical HRM. Of course, because the system needs to be against the skin, it can be tricky to use them in cold conditions. I've cut a hole in a arm warmer so that I can see the watch face while preventing frostbite to the surrounding skin.
* It's possible that bright sunlight might also influence the accuracy, though I've not noticed any obvious correlation.
While it's possible to compare the graph of heart rate data from the Fenix 5X with a chest strap, such an approach doesn't provide very much data. Instead, I've gathered over 10,000 data points and an analyzed them. The two graphs below are taken during my runs with the Fenix 5X. The graph on the left plots the heart rate from the optical HRM of the Fenix 5X against a chest strap based reading. All of the points should lie along the pale green line, which represents the optical HRM reading the same as the chest strap. The two red lines represent an error of 25 bpm, and the blue line represents the regression line. The graph on the right is a distribution map of the errors. As you can see, the Fenix 5X optical HRM is a fairly close for a good portion of the time, but overall there are a lot of bad readings.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
I thought that perhaps the Fenix 5X would do better when I'm not running. After all, it's able to read my heart rate continuously, so even if the optical HRM is useless for running, I wondered if it might be valuable for evaluating my activity the rest of the day. I was rather surprised, and more than a little disappointed, to learn that the Fenix 5X seems to do even worse when I'm sedentary than it does when I'm running.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Day-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Day-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
I had rather limited hope that the Fenix 5X would be of any use overnight, but it actually did surprisingly well. I suspect that the darkness and the lack of movement made things a little easier for it. It's also possible that a much lower heart rate is easier to lock on.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Overnight-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Overnight-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}
The Garmin Fenix 5X is the top of the range of Garmin's running/outdoor watches. It has an impressive array of features, and it uses high quality materials to achieve a high-end look. It's only real weakness is its rather mediocre GPS accuracy, though this can be easily remediated by combining it with the [[Stryd]]. Of course, all this comes at a fairly hefty price, as the Fenix 5X retails for $700 (plus $200 for the Stryd.) '''Note: I'm still writing this review, so please consider it early access to my initial testing results.'''
=Support This Site=
{{BuyAmazon|AZID=B01MQX3306|AZN=Garmin Fenix 5X}}
=Which Version?=
There are four versions of the Fenix 5, one of which is branded as the Forerunner 935. (The 935 is a plastic bodied Fenix 5 for $100 less.)
{| class="wikitable"
!
! Fenix 5X
! Fenix 5
! Fenix 5S
! Forerunner 935
|-
| Size
| 51mm/2.0"
| 47mm/1.9"
| 42mm/1.7"
| 47mm/1.9"
|-
| Resolution
| 240pixels
| 240pixels
| 218pixels
| 240pixels
|-
| Display
| 30mm/1.2
| 30mm/1.2"
| 28mm/1.1"
| 30mm/1.2"
|-
| Maps
| Yes
| No
| No
| No
|-
| MSRP
| $700-850
| $600-850
| $600-850
| $500
|-
| Battery
| 20 Hours (35 UltraTrac)
| 24 Hours (60 UltraTrac)
| 14 Hours (35 UltraTrac)
| 24 Hours (60 UltraTrac)
|-
| Lens
| Sapphire Only
| Glass or sapphire
| Glass or sapphire
| Glass
|-
| WiFi
| Yes
| With Sapphire
| With Sapphire
| Yes
|-
| Price
| <jfs id="B01MQX3306" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01N7J9APR" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01NBL9XGP" nonl="true"/>
| <jfs id="B01N7J9APR" nonl="true"/>
|}
Within each model, there are choices of wristband type, with a metal wristband adding $150 and sapphire glass adding $100. There are also a number of color choices, though the 5X is only available in gray. So, which to buy? I'd recommend getting the 935 as it's cheapest. The only reasons to buy the Fenix version are if you need maps (5X), WiFi (any with Sapphire glass), you want the Fenix look, or you want the smaller size of the 5S. Of course, with the release of the Fenix 5, you can get the Fenix 3 at a lower cost. The Garmin Epix is also worth considering as it has the maps of the 5X, but Garmin has stopped releasing firmware updates and it's nowhere near as attractive.
=The Big Questions=
For a [[Best Running Watch| simple evaluation of a GPS watch]], I look at how well it can answer some basic questions. There are many things a runner might look for in a running watch, but I feel these four questions are critical.
* '''How far did I run?''' This is the most basic question, and the Fenix 5X has rather mediocre [[GPS Accuracy]]. For me, this amount of error in the distance would be unacceptable. For instance, on a 20-mile [[Long Run]] you could see an error of nearly a mile, which is enough to really mess up your training. The good news is that the Fenix 5X has great support for the [[Stryd]] footpod that gives awesome accuracy.
* '''How fast am I running?''' Knowing how fast you're running can be a nice to know, or it can be vital for your training or race performance. Because of the nature of GPS, watches that rely on GPS signal alone tend to have serious problems with current pace. The poor GPS accuracy of Fenix 5X tends to exacerbate this, with readings fluctuating by over a minute/mile regularly and up to two minutes/mile occasionally. So, if you want pace information you need to get a [[Stryd]] footpod.
* '''Where am I? '''The Fenix 5X has about the best navigation options available. The headline feature is the full color, preloaded maps. On top of this, there is a breadcrumb display of where you've been, the ability to load predefined courses, navigation to waypoints, backtracking your course, a magnetic compass, and an altimeter. A larger display would be nice, and I'd love to have this functionality with the [[Suunto Spartan Ultra]]'s high resolution display and touchscreen, or the [[Leikr1]]'s huge display, but the Fenix 5X does pretty well.
* '''What's my cadence? '''[[Cadence]]''' '''is one of the most critical and often overlooked aspects of running. If you get your Cadence right, many other things naturally fall into place. The Fenix 5X will get [[Cadence]] from its internal accelerometer, as well as from a Footpod, or the [[Running Dynamics]] heart rate strap/pod. There are alerts for Cadence, which is great, and even a metronome feature. I don't think it comes any better than this.
=The Fenix 5X for Ultrarunning=
The Fenix 5X claims 20 hours of battery life, and I tested it under optimal conditions and managed to get 23 hours. That's tough to achieve in the real world, as you have to avoid using the map display, backlight, or changing the display too often. With the map display in constant use, I was still able to achieve the rated 20 hours, which is pretty good. This makes the Fenix 5X a great candidate for shorter races (50 miles/100k). But if you hope to be still moving during the [[Second Dawn]], then there are probably better options. You can charge the Fenix 5X on the run, but the position of the charging cable means you can't wear the watch while you're doing so (unlike the [[Garmin Fenix 3]].) See [[Best Running Watch#Watches for Ultrarunning| Watches for Ultrarunning]] for more details.
=Physical Characteristics=
The Fenix 5X is a big watch, and it's larger than I'm comfortable with as a 24 hour/day activity tracker. However, on the run it fells okay even on my diminutive wrists. The watch straps rotate where they connect to the watch body, unlike the Polar V800 where they extend from the watch body and therefore don't conform as well. The materials are excellent quality, and while it doesn't have the simplistic elegance of the [[Suunto Spartan Ultra]] it's still very nice. The exposed bolt heads make the Fenix 5 look rugged and sporty, though it's a bit fussy visually. The only thing that feels a little cheap and tacky is the watch strap itself on the cheapest version. It's nothing like the silky smooth and soft watch material that Suunto use.
=Optical Heart Rate Monitoring=
I've not found any Optical Heart Rate Monitoring (OHRM) implementation that's good enough to be useful, and the Fenix 5X is no exception. I believe that you're better off having no heart rate data than bad heart rate data. While a chest strap based heart rate monitor can have accuracy issues, these are generally dramatic and obvious, whereas OHRM can be quite misleading. (The issues with a chest strap heart rate monitor are also usually fairly easy to remediate, either with some electrode gel or a new battery.) The accuracy of [[Optical Heart Rate Monitoring]] (OHRM) will depend on a number of factors:
* The watch needs to fit just right. Because of the sensor is measuring the expansion of the capillaries with each heartbeat, too much pressure will prevent this expansion. However, to lose and the watch won't get a good reading due to lack of contact. Getting this tension just right can be tricky, especially if you're wrist expands or contracts over time.
* Movement seems to confuse OHRM systems, possibly because it changes the papillary filling. Some users have noted that their OHRM systems seem to lock on to their Cadence rather than their heart rate.
* Temperature seems to be a huge factor, and most systems work better in warmer conditions. If you're a little chilled, your body will restrict blood flow to your capillaries to retain body heat, making it much harder for the optical HRM. Of course, because the system needs to be against the skin, it can be tricky to use them in cold conditions. I've cut a hole in a arm warmer so that I can see the watch face while preventing frostbite to the surrounding skin.
* It's possible that bright sunlight might also influence the accuracy, though I've not noticed any obvious correlation.
While it's possible to compare the graph of heart rate data from the Fenix 5X with a chest strap, such an approach doesn't provide very much data. Instead, I've gathered over 10,000 data points and an analyzed them. The two graphs below are taken during my runs with the Fenix 5X. The graph on the left plots the heart rate from the optical HRM of the Fenix 5X against a chest strap based reading. All of the points should lie along the pale green line, which represents the optical HRM reading the same as the chest strap. The two red lines represent an error of 25 bpm, and the blue line represents the regression line. The graph on the right is a distribution map of the errors. As you can see, the Fenix 5X optical HRM is a fairly close for a good portion of the time, but overall there are a lot of bad readings.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
I thought that perhaps the Fenix 5X would do better when I'm not running. After all, it's able to read my heart rate continuously, so even if the optical HRM is useless for running, I wondered if it might be valuable for evaluating my activity the rest of the day. I was rather surprised, and more than a little disappointed, to learn that the Fenix 5X seems to do even worse when I'm sedentary than it does when I'm running.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Day-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Day-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
I had rather limited hope that the Fenix 5X would be of any use overnight, but it actually did surprisingly well. I suspect that the darkness and the lack of movement made things a little easier for it. It's also possible that a much lower heart rate is easier to lock on.
{| class="wikitable" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; border: none;"
|- valign="top"
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Overnight-Scatter.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|[[File:OHRM-Fenix 5X-Overnight-Distribution.png|none|thumb|300px|]]
|}
=Comparison Table=
{{:Best Running Watch-table}}