Does anyone know if the Garmin Fenix 5 series is end of life? I have a Fenix 5X sapphire and there hasn’t been a software update for longer than I can remember. Garmin refuses to update it past 25.00.
Also there haven’t been any new features added that have come out for the Fenix 6 and 7 series lately either.
I still get 10 days of battery life out of mine and there isn’t anything wrong with it so I’m hoping Garmin will continue supporting the Fenix 5 series watches.
If it’s working I’d be grateful Garmin aren’t making software updates.
I got a 955 a few months back (after a few years using a Polar) and I’d forgotten what a clusterfuck Garmin software updates were. Talk about 2 steps forward, 1 step back… then another 3 steps sideways and rotate 97 degrees to end up somewhere else facing a different way (and with different faults to then repeat the process, so that maybe, just maybe, after 4 iterations your slightly further forward but still not really pointing the way you wanted).
I don’t have any special insight but I’m in the same boat. With Black Friday deals this time around I looked at replacements for my Fenix 5s Sapphire. Some great deals, but I still have great battery life and it does everything I want. Newer models don’t have enough bells and whistles to make me want to switch and I had to remind myself “If it ain’t broke…”
I am kind of in the same boat. I look at my 5x Sapphire and it does everything i need but are there new features on the newer watches I would like, absolutely! The thought of 30+ day battery life on the Enduro 2 and nearly the same on the 7x Solar is tempting. Also the grade adjusted pace while running would be nice.
But then I tell myself is it worth $1000 for a few new features…I just don’t know?!
What would it take you to upgrade (outside of your watch dying)?
I just don’t know why they couldn’t implement the new software features like grade adjusted pace on the older Fenix 5 series. I mean it’s just a few algorithms to calculate pace better on hills that they can implement through a software patch.
Woohoo, another Fenix 5X Sapphire owner here. My battery is still holding strong, although there’s been two occasions in the past 6 months where I’m certain I charged my battery to 100%, and it drained completely overnight while I was sleeping. I am not sure if while sleeping I pressed a button, or what happened but it’s done it twice. But other than that, it’s still working and it does everything I want.
I really want to get the new Apple Watch, but I am not willing to spend $1000 on a freaking watch. What ever happened to the days when watches were $300 and iPhones were $400?? Jesus, this is getting insane.
The new features would be nice to have, but don’t really justify the cost. The 7x Solar is nice, but pricey. My plan is to replace my watch when the battery goes. I wear the watch daily, and after 3 years the battery hasn’t showed any signs of fading so I think I’ll have it for a while yet.
On a somewhat related note, I worry about relying on my watch too much for running. In my tri club interval nights I’ll do it without a watch occasionally or I’ll purposely spin it 180 degrees so I can’t look at it and I run by feel. By relying on technology for running data I worry I’ll lose that innate feel for my pace/exertion/etc.
I know right?! Prices of watches are insane now. I picked up my 5x Sapphire for a steal of a deal used on FB marketplace 4 years ago for $180 so justifying paying $1000 for a new watch seems crazy for a few features that Garmin should implement on its watches that are already out!
I mean I think I would get more return for my money if I pick up a set of Wahoo Speedplay Power pedals rather than a new watch that has a flashlight.
Biggest thing I look at is my HR and cadence to make sure I stay in the right zone even when i start to tire and balance those against pace so I can see where the grade adjusted pace would super nice!
As far as digging into left and right balance and all of the other data I don’t pay too much attention to during the run but afterwards I really enjoy digging into the data…im a bit of a data need when it comes to analyzing my swim, bike, and runs.
I went from a 230 that couldn’t hold a charge to an Epix Gen 2 and am very happy. I feel very off without a watch on so it’s always on. I put it in automatic sleep mode, have the screen to come on in gesture mode, and don’t have the Pulse Ox on all the time, and I get 14 days on a single charge (which is pretty quick).
Setup is very intuitive, and the touch screen automatically is deactivated when you start an activity so you can’t accidentally turn it off/reset the lap while doing what you’re doing. The screen is bright and there are options for how much or how little info you want to see.
I was not expecting to spend that much on a Garmin watch, but I haven’t regretted the purchase at all. If you’re looking for a Garmin, I think this one is worthy of a look.
To answer your question directly first, yeah, the Fenix 5 is essentially end of life. But, EOL is all relative. Support-wise, you can call Garmin with an issue and they’ll happily work the issue with you. But it’s not getting new features. It might get the errant bug fix if something major happens (latest update as you noted was 25.00, which was Feb 2022).
For context, the Fenix 5 is basically 6 years old (announced first week of January 2017).
Fenix 5: Early January 2017
Fenix 5 Plus: June 2018
Fenix 6: Late August 2019
Fenix 6 Solar lineup: July 2020 (the Fenix 6X did have Solar at launch, but not the others, this added it to all units)
Fenix 7: January 2022
Roughly speaking, Fenix series has been on a 14-18 month refresh cycle, till COVID. That obviously dorked that up. I suspect Gamrin would prefer to get bak to that 14-18 month refresh cycle, because that simply means more money for them.
In terms of updates for previous gen units, the Outdoor team has pushed back a number of Fenix 7 (and some Forerunner 955 features) to the Fenix 6, at least initial launch ones. Then from summer it’s gotten slimmer, though it did get HRV updates. Unfortunately, in Garmin’s eyes, it’s largely a 'What have you done for me lately" type of mentaility for firmware updates. The Edge team is far better (and inversely, the Venu/Vivo team worse).
For context, while Apple pushes update back about 4ish years (Series 4 watches got updates this time around, 4 years older), others like Polar don’t push meaningful updates to previous gen units. Suunto generally has over the past year pushed to previous gen devices, which is great. COROS kinda splits the difference, in that some devices have gotten it while others haven’t. I think in their case that’s more tied to them growing up real fast, and their previous gen (which was 1st gen in many cases) lineup simply didn’t have the hardware potential/space they needed.
Thank you very much for the info! I’ve been a long-time reader of your website so it’s cool for you to chime in. I guess I will keep rocking the 5x until the Fenix 8x comes out in a year to a year and a half or so.
Any insight on any of the features that will be coming to the 8 series that the current 7 series and enduro 2 (basically a 7x sapphire pro will be) don’t have?
Thanks again!
I had a 5x pretty early, Christmas 2017 I think. I’ve worn it pretty much every day since. I know that it doesn’t last a full ironman now, four years into owning it (November 2021) so I guess I’ve used it a lot? Dunno. Or I’m slow, probably would have lasted me if I was a 14:30 IM finisher but I was a 15:26. So we’re probably approaching end of life soon, but I think I’ll get a new watch before the next IM, so for weekly training I think we’re ok. But now I need a fitness band that syncs with garmin connect so that I can wear a regular watch.
I still have a Fenix 5 sapphire. Though, I’m close to pulling the trigger on Epix2 or 7 solar. Not sure. 5 years of regular use is pretty damn good. I don’t have an issue paying $ if things last. I’ll go through 2-3 iPhones (depending on drops, etc) in the same time frame. All that said, Garmin should push updates to 5, but I suspect many are incompatible with battery life, chipset, etc.
Your thought process is the same as my wife’s. If its something that im going to use everyday for 4-5 straight years then its worth the money.
My guess is next year I’ll have to pull the trigger on a new watch as I’m planning to do a full IM and idk if the battery will last the entire time. On a 4 hour round of gold ill burn through 25-30% battery so it’ll definitely depend on how long it would take me to complete it.