Garmin Fenix3 features | DC Rainmaker

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The best outdoor multisport GPS watch just got better… Here is the first review by the man who knows best… (Full review soon).

SUMMARY OF NEW FEATURES

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As I noted above, this watch is really about a tribal merge between the functionality found on the FR920XT and the Fenix lineup.  Historically speaking the Fenix lineup has always been aligned more to the Outdoor/Hiking crowd than the runner/cyclist crowd.  While the Fenix2 changed that a fair bit in becoming a multisport watch, there were always little reminders that it wasn’t quite of the same bloodline as the Forerunner series.

That all goes disappears now with the Fenix3.  This watch shares more in common with the Forerunner series than the Fenix series, from the ground up.  However, it doesn’t do away with any of the Fenix family features – namely navigation related.

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To keep it straight forward and to the point, here’s the run-down of all the new functionality found in the Fenix3 that weren’t present in the Fenix2:

Added WiFi connectivity: This allows you to upload workouts the moment you walk through your door.
Added concurrent Bluetooth Smart/ANT+: While the Fenix2 had limitations on using one or the other at the same time, that limitation goes away here.
100m waterproofing: This is an increase from 50m waterproofing.
New GPS antenna: The Fenix3 includes a new EXO GPS antenna which includes GLONASS support.
New color screen: This screen and user interface looks virtually identical to the FR920XT, except in the body of the rounded Fenix watch face.  It’s not HD-color like some smart watches, but it’s better than the FR620 and inline with the FR920XT.
Connect IQ support: This will enable you to download apps, watch faces and other customizations for the Fenix3
starting today for watch faces and data fields, with apps coming shortly.
Daily Activity Tracking: This will track steps, sleep, and how much couch surfing you’re really doing during the day.
Virtual Racer: This adds in the capability to race against past performance and downloaded courses.
Metronome: This audible/vibration alert was added on the FR920XT to be used for running cadence drills.
Personal Records (PR’s): This will let you know when you’ve hit your best times against standard distances like 1-mile, 5K, and other common brag-able reference markers.
Cycling Dynamics & Di2 support: This won’t be available at launch, but are being looked at for a post-launch update.
Cycling VO2Max: In addition to already supporting running VO2Max, the Fenix3 adds in support for cycling VO2Max for those with a power meter.
Multiple bike sensors: The Fenix2 didn’t support multiple bike profiles, the Fenix3 mirrors the FR920XT and allows you to pair to as many sensors as you’d like to save for automatic recognition as you change bikes.
FirstBeat HRV/RR: This data will now be included in recorded files.

Addition of Activity Profiles: Now you can create highly customized activity profiles just like on the FR920XT and Edge 510/810/1000 devices.
Multisport mode supports pool mode: Unlike the Fenix2, the Fenix3 allows you to choose the pool within a multisport event.
Alpine Ski & Snowboard Mode: While this was technically on the Fenix2, I call it out simply because very few people realized it was there.
Auto Climb Feature: This mode will automatically change your display fields when climbing. For example, you can set to show elevation, ascent, and grade fields as you start to run uphill.

Of course, what you see above might be somewhat familiar for Garmin FR920XT users.  It is in effect almost every software feature on the FR920XT coming to the Fenix3 (yup, even that Ski mode recently hit the FR920XT).  The key software differences then between the Fenix3 and the FR920XT becomes the additional more detailed navigation related functions found on the Fenix lineup that aren’t on the FR920XT.