Unveiled: hot hardware releases
A premium ultraportable, a gaming smartphone from Asus and a range of “multisport watches”.
GPS veteran Garmin has revealed an updated series of Fenix smartwatches, including the new top-of-the-range Fenix 5X Plus.
Branded as “multisport watches”, the devices add features that allow them to be worn and used without a smartphone close at hand.
Some – such as the 5X Plus’s ability to measure blood oxygen saturation levels – might be niche, but independent music playback could be a boon for runners that find a linked phone an irritating encumbrance.
Tracks can be downloaded from online services – such as iHeartRadio and Deezer – or transferred from a computer, with space for 500 tracks played via Bluetooth headphones.
Another new arrival to the Fenix range is built-in programmable topographical maps, which the company says have been popular in cycling computers and can be used with the round-trip course creator.
The 5X Plus in particular is designed with altitude activities in mind and the company says that the addition of the Galileo satellite connectivity offers an improvement on basic GPS, allowing tracking in places without a clear view of the sky.
The Fenix 5X Plus has a claimed battery life of 20 days in Smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS and Music mode, although models lower down the range boast a mere four hours in GPS and Music modes.
KEY DIGITS AND DETAILS Price Up to £1,000 Availability Now Compatibility iPhone, Android Dimensions 51 x 17.5 x 51mm (WDH) Storage 16GB Connectivity Bluetooth