Among Google's mass of new Pixel mobile products revealed today, 12 August 2026, there's also an upgrade to its wearables.

The all-new Google Pixel Watch 5 is the key new reveal, which will bring blood pressure and insulin resistance reports as part of its health suite.

However, the Fitbit Air will gain the very same upgrade from next month, so from September owners of the fitness tracker will also benefit.

As part of Google's Health Guardian expansion, blood pressure monitoring will create reports based on data models to assess your readings – and identify potential vascular issues worth investigating.

The insulin resistance report works in the same way, using data models to assess your readings to determine recognisable signs of prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, or other issues to be further investigated by a health professional.

Pixel Watch 5

But let's focus on the Pixel Watch 5's other features – as this newly announced smartwatch is now even more proactive with your health, brings more advanced GPS, and a new Workout Builder.

Google is keenly promoting its Gemini AI voice control system in all its new products, including the Pixel Watch 5, which can present proactive suggestions based on the context of what you're doing. It even offers offline Gemini.

The Pixel Watch 5's display maintains the same super-bright 3000 nit output as its Pixel Watch 4 predecessor, adding At a Glance cards into this software build, plus new Generative Watch Faces for a more personalised finish.

Route mapping in urban environments is said to be twice as accurate as before, too, as Google has utilised map topographies to include building reflections and other oddities to guide GPS to be as accurate as possible with your routing – something runners will no doubt appreciate.

The new Workout Builder is a first for this generation, too, bringing weight and rep tracking to the Pixel Watch, complete with rest timers, audio cues and ability to programme your workouts as relevant.

Sleep tracking has been improved, too, bringing the most comprehensive tracking and recovery details to date. Health Guardian also brings a new Breathing Emergency feature.

The Pixel Watch 5 will go on sale from 20 August, with a price from £369 in the UK, $399 in the USA, and AUS649 in Australia.

Garmin is preparing another free software update for the Fenix 8, with fixes targeting some particularly frustrating problems encountered during workouts and everyday use.

Beta Version 23.22 is now being distributed to watches enrolled in Garmin’s Public Beta programme.

Despite the lengthy changelog, this is primarily a reliability update and not one packed with new training or navigation features.

The most noteworthy change for runners is a fix for an issue that could cause pace and speed data to drop out, especially during interval training.

Losing real-time pace information is inconvenient on any run, but it is particularly disruptive during a structured session when each interval may have a specific speed or intensity target.

Garmin is also addressing a problem that could cause its flagship outdoor watch to reboot sporadically.

Other fixes target resets while viewing the Morning Report or receiving an audio spectator message, as well as a crash that could occur when incident detection was activated.

Tuning up

The update also includes several smaller quality-of-life improvements.

Garmin says it has fixed a volume slider that could bounce around and become unresponsive in the music controls, as well as an issue that prevented audio spectator messages from playing while music was paused.

Voice output should also work more reliably after receiving a spectator message, while silent mode should now be correctly honoured when Activity Focus Mode is enabled.

Morning and Evening Reports have been adjusted to time out properly rather than remaining on screen indefinitely.

The software introduces a prompt explaining that watch face selections made during Boat Mode will only appear after Boat Mode has been disabled.

Quatix 8 users should also regain the ability to change and customise watch face styles.

Version 23.22 applies to Garmin’s current family of premium outdoor watches, including the Fenix 8, Fenix 8 Pro, Fenix 8 Pro MicroLED, Enduro 3 and Quatix 8.

At the time of Garmin’s announcement, the beta had reached around 20% of eligible Public Beta participants.

Enrolled users can check manually by opening the watch’s main menu and heading to System, Software Update, and Check for Updates.

[via NotebookCheck, Garmin]

It shouldn’t be too long before we see iOS 27 arrive in its final form. The upcoming software update for iPhone is currently available as a public beta, but it is expected to land around the same time as the next iPhone models. With previous patterns taken into account, that should be sometime in the first half of next month.

A number of new features will arrive with iOS 27, including a Liquid Glass slider so you can increase or decrease the transparency. There will also be new EQ settings for AirPods and photo editing features.

Now another new feature has appeared on the latest beta (via 9to5Mac) – iOS 27 is bringing GymKit to iPhone and AirPods Pro 3.

How does GymKit work with iPhone?

GymKit was first introduced for Apple Watch back in 2017, enabling compatible gym equipment to connect and securely share data with Apple’s smartwatch with a tap.

The Apple Watch provides the heart rate data, while the equipment fills in the other trackable details – such as incline on a treadmill, for example.

With iOS 27, GymKit is expanding to iPhone and AirPods Pro 3. This means that while anyone with an Apple Watch will still likely continue to use that, if you forget your watch at home or your battery is dead, you can still track your training. Compatible gym equipment can use heart rate data from AirPods Pro 3 while relying on your iPhone as the workout computer.

Having tried it out on the beta version, 9to5Mac said that while the exercise ring didn’t update when working out without an Apple Watch, it caught up when the smartwatch was put back on after. The Fitness app also updated with the right data.

Without AirPods Pro 3, the iPhone disconnected from the GymKit machine as there was no heart rate source. Also, when the site tried to start GymKit from iPhone with an Apple Watch on, it was pointed back to the Workout app on Apple Watch.

However, the setup of using an iPhone to connect to a GymKit machine was reportedly simple, with a quick tap like Apple Watch requires. That was followed by the selection of Indoor Run or Indoor Walk when connecting to a treadmill.

Apple notes during setup: “After the workout, data is stored privately and securely on iPhone and removed from the equipment.”

Remember, you will need a GymKit-compatible machine at the gym, a supporting iPhone and Apple AirPods Pro 3 with the heart rate permission turned on in settings. You’ll also need to be running iOS 27, which for now, is beta only.

However, this is all very promising for those who don't have an Apple Watch or have left theirs at home.

Casio’s wonderfully strange Ring Watch could be evolving into a fully fledged wearable, complete with health sensors and smartphone notifications.

The new CRW-H001 builds on Casio’s miniature digital watches that went viral at launch and adds biometric tracking and Bluetooth connectivity.

The reported feature list includes everything you'd expect from a modern health tracker, including heart-rate, blood-oxygen and body-temperature monitoring, alongside sleep, recovery, step and calorie tracking.

Walking, running and cycling activities are also said to be supported.

Unlike most of the best smart rings, the CRW-H001 retains its tiny digital display, allowing you to check the time without opening a companion app.

It might be an obvious feature, perhaps, but one missing from rivals such as the Oura Ring 5 and Ultrahuman Ring Air.

A miniature vibration motor is said to deliver notifications for incoming calls, messages and alarms.

The ring is also said to come in only three sizes (9, 10 and 11).

The Casio smart ring we’ve been waiting for?

Casio’s existing Ring Watch has become a cult gadget by shrinking a functional digital watch down to finger size, but it offers none of the health features associated with a modern smart ring.

Adding activity tracking and notifications would turn that novelty into a far more useful everyday wearable, albeit one considerably less discreet than the usual screenless ring.

That said, the quirky look of the Ring Watch is what made it popular in the first place, so it would make no sense to remove it now.

There is, however, a reason to temper your excitement: Designboom's article says the model is "available exclusively in China."

However, Casio China only lists the existing CRW-001 Ring Watch, not the health-tracking model. For now, anyway.

If and when the CRW-H001 finally arrives, it might become one of the most interesting smart rings of the year.

A health tracker that also looks like a tiny 1980s Casio watch? Yes, please.

RingConn first announced its third-generation smart ring at CES 2026, but the ring is finally available to buy. There’s a special partnership running over the summer, too.

In celebration of the 25th anniversary of The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring, as well as RingConn’s own fifth birthday, RingConn has partnered with Warner Bros Home Entertainment for a campaign based on being an “Everyday Hero”.

US customers who currently buy a RingConn Gen 3 will receive a Lord of the Rings-themed charging case pouch (you need to be one of the first 3,500 buyers). And if you don’t make it into those first few thousand, you’ll get a digital movie code to redeem any three films from the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit trilogies.

What features does the RingConn Gen 3 offer?

In terms of the smart ring itself, its headline feature is vascular health tracking, coupled with smart vibration alerts, next-generation sensing and up to 14 days of battery life.

For vascular health tracking, you’ll see a sliding scale between Stable, Slight and Noticeable, determined by the ring monitoring nighttime patterns, daily habits, and manual inputs.

In terms of the vibration alerts, the RingConn Gen 3 directly vibrates on your finger to flag health alerts, sedentary reminders and low battery in a bid to reduce reliance on phone notifications.

With vibrations turned off, the battery life is claimed to be two weeks, which would be the latest Oura Ring 5, though with them turned on, you’re looking at between 10 and 12 days.

Elsewhere, the titanium ring offers sleep apnea pattern insights, women's cycle predictions and continuous tracking of SpO2, respiratory rate, skin temperature and stress, all without a subscription. It ships in five finishes, spans sizes 6 to 15, and comes with a new universal wireless charging case.

If you want to be in with a chance of getting one of those LOTR pouches though, you had better get a wriggle on. Prices start at $349 on the RingConn website.

Samsung Galaxy Watch users will soon be able to access Strava Routes on their wrist through Samsung Health, thanks to a significant expansion of the two companies’ partnership.

Strava will be pre-installed on new Galaxy Watches sold globally, beginning with the latest Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

Buyers of either smartwatch will also receive a 60-day trial of Strava’s subscription service, which unlocks a complete selection of premium training and route-planning features.

More importantly, Strava Routes will be integrated natively into Samsung Health later this year, giving you on-wrist access to routes created through Strava without relying solely on the separate Strava watch app.

Strava and Samsung haven’t fully explained how the integration will work, including whether routes will synchronise automatically or which older Galaxy Watch models, such as the Galaxy Watch 8 Classic, will be supported.

However, the companies say the Samsung Health integration will begin rolling out globally to Galaxy Watch users in the coming months.

Finding a better way around

Strava Routes uses activity data from the company’s enormous user community to generate courses suited to different sports, distances and preferences.

Strava Premium subscribers can also create their own routes and download them for navigation in areas without a reliable data connection.

The feature could make Galaxy Watch more competitive with outdoor watches from brands such as Garmin, Suunto and Coros, where route creation, synchronisation and on-wrist navigation are already important parts of the experience.

Its arrival is particularly timely after Strava expanded its hiking tools in June.

The recent update introduced improved route planning, navigation and trail-discovery features, reflecting the company’s efforts to become more useful beyond running and cycling.

Samsung is also placing greater emphasis on personalised fitness services across its wearable ecosystem.

Alongside the Strava announcement, the company revealed that iFIT’s Tailor personal trainer will use sleep, heart-rate and recovery information recorded by Galaxy Watch to generate adaptive workouts through Samsung Health.

The two integrations arrive with the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The Watch9 is Samsung’s everyday health-focused model, while the Ultra2 adds an 800mAh battery, trail-running metrics, hydration guidance and support for recreational diving.

Strava says the Routes integration is the first of several improvements planned for Samsung users, although it hasn’t revealed what will follow.

Strava Routes requires a paid subscription once the complimentary 60-day trial has ended.

Read more about the integration at Strava.

Samsung is adding an AI-powered personal trainer to Samsung Health that can turn data collected by a Galaxy Watch into personalised workouts and weekly training plans.

Created through a partnership with connected-fitness company iFIT, the new feature combines Samsung’s health and recovery insights with iFIT Tailor, the brand's AI fitness coach.

Tailor builds training plans around your goals, current fitness, workout history, available time and location.

According to the company, it can recommend anything from strength and HIIT sessions to cycling, yoga, Pilates and mindfulness, drawing on workouts created by iFIT’s team of 180 trainers.

The feature can also continually adjust its recommendations as you complete workouts, recover or change your routines.

Samsung says information already captured by Galaxy Watch, including sleep, heart rate and recovery data, will feed into its Fitness Index and help the coach decide what the user should do next.

That could make the partnership considerably more useful than a conventional library of follow-along workout videos.

A coach that travels with you

The feature can also account for where you are training and how much time you have available.

iFIT says Tailor can generate an appropriate workout for home, travelling or when you're heading out onto a trail.

Progress milestones, activity streaks and achievement recognition will of course be included to encourage consistency, while the plans will remain available through Samsung Health on compatible Galaxy devices.

Samsung and iFIT unveiled the expanded integration alongside the new Galaxy Watch 9 and Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The Watch 9 is positioned as Samsung’s everyday health and fitness smartwatch, while the more rugged Ultra 2 introduces an 800mAh battery, specialised trail-running metrics, hydration guidance and support for recreational diving.

There are, however, two catches. iFIT Personal Trainer will require a paid iFIT membership and is not included as a free Samsung Health feature, although monthly and annual subscriptions will be available directly through the app.

The initial rollout will also be limited to India, South Korea and the US later this year.

Samsung and iFIT say other markets covered by their partnership will receive the feature during 2027, meaning Galaxy Watch owners in the UK will have to wait a little longer to try it.

For more information, visit iFIT.

Ultrahuman has pushed what it calls its "biggest platform update ever" – which includes a number of new features and a redesigned app for owners of its smart rings.

Available from today, 23 July, the update introduces the "UltraSphere" a new centrepiece for the app and decision engine that helps you make fitness choices without needing to plough through your own data first.

It will generate options for you as "Next Best Actions", which you can then choose to enact. These will be based on the numerous readings from an Ultrahuman ring, including sleep, recovery, HRV, skin temperature and more.

Actions will also take into account your location and even the weather outside. So you might be advised to "get light" – ie. step outside for a few minutes – or "cut caffeine" in order to get better sleep.

Ultrahuman claims this is a more intuitive way to interact with its app, rather than having to wade through your own data and make your own plans. That's possible still, of course, but the 60-plus suggestions might cut down time and effort.

What else is added with the Ultrahuman Emerald platform update?

The update also brings a "fundamental change" to the way your Ultrahuman ring works. All processing is performed on the ring itself, so insights and Next Best Actions will be available to you when offline – such as on a plane.

There is also better workout tracking for both the Ultrahuman Ring Pro and Ring Air. It is now more accurate so should better detect your workout automatically. There are are new heart rate algorithms too.

Finally, the brand's VO₂ Max fitness marker has also been improved. The algorithm now takes into account a study by Ultrahuman of over 100 athletes.

There are a wide array of other tweaks and user experience improvements that will be found right across the updated app, but those are the headline additions and improvements.

The Emerald update is free to all Ultrahuman users.

With the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2, Samsung is putting forward a compelling reason for tech companies not to rush a new version of their gadgets every year.

If the brand’s new smartwatch is anything to go by, skipping a year does mean the next iteration of the wearable can be significantly different, so much so that it might even entice people who own the previous version.

So what’s the fuss about? The new Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 received some big updates, including a thinner case, lighter strap, and larger battery, and it also has a much brighter screen than before – in fact, it’s probably the brightest of all smartwatch displays out there. The watch now uses a Qualcomm Snapdragon Wear Elite processor for buttery-smooth performance.

Features have also been upgraded. The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 can do turn-by-turn navigation like Garmin watches, track elevation, and provide hydration guidance based on estimated sweat loss. Plus, it now has dedicated diving support, courtesy of Mares. Best of all, the watch still looks pretty cool and performs even better.

Best smartwatch of 2026? Well, it’s not all sunshine and lollipops, but Samsung is certainly trying to better its hardware and software. Should you upgrade if you have an older Samsung watch, and is it worth jumping ecosystems if you have – let’s say – an Apple Watch Ultra 3? Let’s find out.

Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 review

Price and availability

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 was announced on 22 July 2026, the same day pre-orders for the watch opened. The wearables will go on sale on 7 August for the recommended price of £649. EU, US and AU prices and availability TBC. The watch comes in two colours, Titanium Silver and Titanium Grey.

For comparison, the Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra retailed for £599/ $649.99/ AU$1,299 at launch, but can now be bought for as little as £400. The Apple Watch Ultra 3’s recommended retail price is $799 / £749 / AU$1,399 / €899, a fair amount higher than the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2.

The 44 mm version of the also brand new Galaxy Watch 9, which comes in either Graphite or Silver colour, sells for £349, while the smaller 40 mm version (colour options: Graphite and Cream) retails for £319.

Design and build quality

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 follows the original Ultra’s blueprint, retaining Samsung’s distinctive “cushion” design, which I like quite a lot. This combines an angular, rounded-square titanium case with a conventional circular display, allowing the screen to look like a traditional watch face while also giving the wearable a unique look.

Case

The 47 mm titanium case is said to be 12% thinner than before, despite the much larger 800mAh battery it houses. For context, the original Galaxy Watch Ultra measured 47.4 x 47.1 x 12.1mm and weighed 60.5g without its strap.

My Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 sample registered 61g on the scales, suggesting Samsung has reduced thickness without making the watch body itself significantly lighter.

I should add that my kitchen scales can’t measure 0.5 grams, so it’s entirely possible that the new watch is exactly the same weight.

(For the record, Samsung didn’t provide a spec sheet or feature list for the review. I will update it once I get hold of them.)

Strap

The new strap makes a more noticeable difference: it weighs 24g on my scales and is claimed to be 25% lighter than its predecessor. The material also feels genuinely softer and more pliable, helping the large watch sit more comfortably against the wrist.

Numerous perforations provide ample adjustment and should improve airflow during exercise, while Samsung’s Dynamic Lug System allows the strap sections to be released using buttons on the underside of the case.

Controls

The three-button layout is back, located at the right edge. It includes the circular Quick Button, distinguished by an orange surround, which provides immediate access to frequently used outdoor and exercise functions. The two flatter buttons above and below handle the usual Home and Back duties.

There is no mechanically rotating bezel, although the fixed bezel gives the display a useful degree of protection and supports Samsung’s touch-bezel navigation.

The numbered markings and orange index add to the watch’s technical, outdoorsy appearance. The bezel itself is touch-sensitive and can be used to navigate menus.

Display

The circular AMOLED display is protected by a sapphire crystal lens, but peak brightness has risen to a whopping 5,000 nits, which exceeds the original Ultra’s and the Apple Watch Ultra 3’s already impressive 3,000-nit maximum.

Other design details

Samsung positioned the original model as its toughest watch, equipping it with 10ATM and IP68 water resistance, MIL-STD-810H certification and an operating range of -20°C to 55°C.

The Ultra 2 is clearly cut from the same rugged cloth, although its final durability ratings will need to be confirmed once Samsung publishes the complete specification sheet.

Health tracking

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 carries over the extensive health toolkit of its predecessor, including continuous heart-rate monitoring, blood oxygen saturation, sleep and stress tracking, ECG readings, blood-pressure monitoring, and BIA-based body-composition analysis.

That is not necessarily a problem. Samsung Health is exceptionally polished, and both the phone app and watch interface present a considerable amount of information without becoming difficult to navigate. I particularly enjoyed the on-watch body-composition measurements, but sleep tracking was arguably the most impressive part of my testing.

Sleep tracking

I wore the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 alongside the Oura Ring 5, my current benchmark for consumer sleep tracking. Neither can be considered as accurate as a clinical sleep study, but comparing their results provides a useful indication of consistency.

The two devices produced remarkably similar results. The sleep window difference was only 7 minutes, and the total sleep time difference was only 10 minutes (over nearly 9 hours).

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 detected 32 minutes of awake time, while Oura reported 33 minutes. Deep sleep differed by only five minutes, with Samsung recording one hour and 17 minutes and Oura measuring one hour and 22 minutes.

REM and light sleep showed larger differences, but since sleep stages are all guesswork across wearables, it certainly isn’t a deal-breaker. Sleep latency was 17 minutes according to Samsung and 10 minutes according to Oura.

Both measured an average sleeping heart rate of 48 bpm, while average blood oxygen saturation differed by a single percentage point: 96% on the Galaxy Watch and 97% on the Oura Ring.

That degree of agreement is excellent for two consumer wearables using different form factors and algorithms. It does not prove that either device correctly identified every sleep stage, but it gives me confidence in the Galaxy Watch’s estimates.

Samsung also provides plenty of depth. Alongside sleep duration and stages, the app shows movement, overnight blood oxygen saturation, skin temperature deviation, average heart rate, and respiratory rate.

It offers bedtime guidance, seven-day trends and sleep-consistency analysis, although its presentation is more clinical and less interpretive than Oura’s. The Ring does a better job of connecting sleep to concepts such as efficiency, restfulness, sleep debt, body-clock alignment and readiness.

Snore detection is available, but it relies on the paired phone being positioned near the bed and connected to a charger. That makes it considerably less seamless than the watch’s other overnight measurements.

Body composition tracking

The on-watch body-composition feature uses bioelectrical impedance analysis to estimate skeletal muscle mass, fat mass, body water, body fat percentage, BMI, and basal metabolic rate. To take a reading, you enter your weight and place two fingers against the watch’s buttons while keeping your arms away from your torso.

I compared its results with my Withings Body Comp smart scales. The measurements were taken two days apart, so changes in hydration, food intake and other variables prevent this from being a controlled comparison. Nevertheless, the directly comparable results were impressively close.

The Galaxy Watch estimated my body fat at 17.5%, compared with 18.1% from the Withings scales. Samsung calculated 14.2kg of fat mass (vs 14.6kg on the Withings) with a recorded weight of 80.8kg. A difference of 0.6% is reassuringly small.

Muscle figures cannot be compared directly because Samsung reports skeletal muscle mass, whereas Withings reports it as a percentage. Both devices are also consumer BIA products – not clinical body-composition scanners – so individual readings should be treated as estimates.

Sound exposure tracking

Sound Exposure is one of the genuinely new health additions. It uses the watch’s microphone to estimate cumulative exposure to environmental noise and shows how much of the recommended daily allowance has been consumed.

Samsung Health divides the result into OK, Caution, and Unsafe categories. It also displays the average sound level, periods above 80dB, and exposure trends over the previous seven days.

On one day, the watch recorded an average of 77dB and a cumulative exposure of 101%, which it says was “unsafe”. This was caused by the window of my car being down for approx 4 hours while driving on the motorways – the wind clearly made quite a racket in the car.

Samsung stresses that the figures are estimates affected by device use and fit, and that they are intended for general wellness rather than professional hearing assessment.

Other health features

Elsewhere, the Ultra 2 records heart rate variability, respiratory rate, skin temperature deviation, blood oxygen levels, and other overnight signals to establish a personal Vitals baseline.

Samsung Health also provides Heart Health and Vascular Load scores, the latter of which compares overnight cardiovascular strain against the user’s baseline.

ECG, blood pressure, irregular heart rhythm notifications, sleep apnoea detection, stress monitoring, AGEs Index, and menstrual cycle predictions complete one of the most extensive health suites available on a smartwatch.

Health feature gripes

There are some familiar frustrations. As mentioned above, snore detection only works when the paired phone is positioned near the bed and connected to its charger. Certain regulated health functions also require a SIM card so Samsung Health Monitor can establish which country the device is being used in.

Samsung also talks extensively about AI, but its broader health ecosystem still lacks some tools found in other apps. Food logging from a photograph, for example, would make nutrition tracking much less of a hassle.

Also, while the software is polished, there is bloatware everywhere on the phone that’s required for all the watch functions to operate properly, which I could live without.

Fitness tracking

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 supports more than 100 exercise types, ranging from everyday walking and strength sessions to multisport events, open-water swimming and trail running. Outdoor tracking is backed by dual-frequency L1 and L5 GPS, with support for GPS, Galileo, Glonass and BeiDou satellite systems, plus onboard elevation and compass sensors.

Samsung says the new Snapdragon Wear Elite processor improves positioning accuracy and efficiency, particularly in challenging environments such as cities, forests and mountains. The watch also offers personalised heart-rate zones, VO₂ max estimates, cardio-load analysis and automatic exercise recognition.

It is a comprehensive package, although the depth of its training analysis remains closer to a premium general-purpose smartwatch than a dedicated Garmin or Coros sports watch.

Automatic exercise recognition

Automatic exercise recognition also works impressively well. The watch can detect walks and less conventional activities after approximately 10 minutes. (It even recorded half an hour of morning housework as exercise, estimating that I had burned around 200 calories.) Running detection is faster, taking roughly four minutes to recognise that a session has begun.

It’s worth noting that auto-logged outdoor workouts, such as walks, don’t trigger the GPS, so if you want to record your route, you’d best start the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 manually.

Samsung’s algorithms can nevertheless be demanding. Despite completing 16,000 steps on one particularly active day, the watch informed me that my cardio load was insufficient. General movement contributes to daily activity, but the system still expects vigorous exercise before awarding a favourable cardio-load score. Is the watch trying to kill me?

I appreciate that the WHO recommends daily moderate-to-vigorous exercise, but surely the algorithm could just determine that multiple walks and 10k+ steps a day are fine? Oh, well.

Trail running

The new trail-running profile records duration, distance, calories, speed, pace, elevation, gradient and heart rate. It covers the fundamentals, but it is not nearly as detailed as the trail-running tools found on comparable Garmin watches.

Samsung is positioning the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 as a serious adventure watch, yet its data and analysis still align more closely with those of a mainstream smartwatch.

Sweat-loss estimation is interesting, although “estimation” is the operative word. The figure is not generated in real time, either, and you have to run for at least 20 minutes and burn 90 calories before the watch produces a result.

Following a hot 45-minute trail run, it estimated that I had lost almost one litre of fluid and recommended drinking 1.5 litres to replenish it. That is potentially useful guidance, but it feels almost too hardcore for the relatively basic analysis surrounding it.

GPX and turn-by-turn navigation

I have not yet tested GPX imports or turn-by-turn navigation, although completed routes can be exported from Samsung Health as GPX files. It is also worth remembering that GPX route guidance and elevation information were already available on the original Galaxy Watch Ultra.

Diving

I was unable to test the Galaxy Watch Ultra 2’s new diving functionality, but it represents one of the watch’s most significant adventure-focused upgrades. Samsung says the dedicated diving app launches automatically when the watch enters the water and records real-time depth, dive duration and water temperature.

A separate app developed with diving-equipment specialist Mares is due later this year, adding more advanced guidance such as descent speed, recommended time at a given depth and safe-ascent information intended to reduce the risk of decompression sickness.

Battery life and charging

The Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 has an 800mAh battery, representing a substantial 35% capacity increase over the original Ultra’s 590mAh cell. In my testing, however, the larger battery did not produce an equally dramatic increase in real-world endurance.

Starting from 100%, the watch reached 11% after 57 hours and 10 minutes. This period included a 45-minute trail run, a 42-minute GPS-tracked walk, a manually tracked 20-minute circuit workout and almost two hours of automatically detected walking, housework and other activity.

Based on these results, I estimate a total battery life of approximately 64 hours, or just over two and a half days, with the always-on display enabled. That just about exceeds Samsung’s 60-hour claim for the original Galaxy Watch Ultra under the same display setting.

My testing also included more than three and a half hours of recorded activity, including two GPS workouts, making the result particularly encouraging. The improvement is nowhere near the 35% increase in battery capacity, but the Ultra 2 appears capable of lasting longer than its predecessor under demanding mixed use.

Charging

Charging performance is adequate rather than particularly fast. Starting at 12%, the watch reached 62% after 35 minutes and 100% after 70 minutes. It was initially estimated that the process would take 1 hour and 21 minutes, with an average charging input of around 5W.

More testing is required to see how the watch fares without the always-on screen, and without GPS workouts logged during the discharge period. Also, Samsung hasn’t provided me with specifications, so I don’t know how my results compare with the official numbers.

Verdict

The Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra 2 is a superb flagship smartwatch and a meaningful hardware upgrade over its predecessor.

Its dazzling 5,000-nit display, smoother performance, more comfortable strap and larger battery all improve the everyday experience, while sleep and body-composition tracking performed impressively against my Oura Ring 5 and Withings scales.

Samsung Health remains one of the most comprehensive and polished wearable platforms available. New additions such as Sound Exposure, trail running and automatic diving support broaden its appeal, although its training analysis and navigation tools still lack the depth offered by comparable Garmin and Coros watches.

The £649 price is also hard to ignore, especially since the original Galaxy Watch Ultra can now be found for considerably less. If you have one and it’s still functional, you might not need to rush the upgrade unless the brighter display, improved battery life, or diving features are especially appealing.

For anyone with an older Galaxy Watch who wants Samsung’s best wearable, however, the Ultra 2 is the obvious choice. It is not quite the ultimate outdoor watch Samsung wants it to be, but it may be the most complete Android smartwatch of its generation.

After months of leaks and speculation, Garmin has officially unveiled the Cirqa Smart Band, its first screen-free fitness and health tracker.

The new wearable combines Garmin’s familiar health, sleep and training tools with a low-profile fabric band designed to be worn around the clock.

There is no display, with all recorded data presented through the Garmin Connect app.

It is an increasingly popular formula already used by the Whoop MG, Polar Loop and Amazfit Helio Strap, but unlike some of its rivals, Garmin has opted for a non-subscription model.

(I should add that it's an increasingly unusual model even from Garmin not to attach at least some ongoing cost to its wearable.)

Familiar intelligence

Despite its relatively discreet appearance, Cirqa supports many of the advanced metrics usually associated with Garmin watches.

It continuously monitors heart rate, stress, Body Battery, Pulse Ox and skin temperature, while its sleep tools cover sleep stages, naps, respiration, HRV and personalised guidance on how much rest you need.

Training readiness, training status, VO2 max, workout benefit and recovery time are also included, making Cirqa much more than a basic fitness tracker.

More than 80 activity profiles are available on the band, and you can start your favourite activity by using the single button on the side.

Garmin says the Cirqa band can also automatically detect and classify various activities without any input.

The brand also added that the Cirqa will learn from the activities you confirm or correct inside Garmin Connect, allowing its automatic classification to become more accurate over time.

Made for the Garmin ecosystem

There is no built-in GPS, although Cirqa can use a connected phone to map outdoor runs, walks and rides.

LiveTrack location sharing is supported through the Garmin Connect app, too.

Cyclists can pair the band with a compatible Garmin Edge computer to display live heart-rate data during a ride.

Garmin will also sell a separate armband, providing an alternative fit beneath a cycling jersey or during sleep.

Perhaps most importantly for existing Garmin users, health and training data can be synchronised across devices.

That means you could wear a Garmin watch for workouts and navigation before switching to the less conspicuous Cirqa for sleep or everyday tracking.

The band costs £180 / $200 / €200 / AU$300, comes in two strap sizes and promises up to 10 days of battery life.

The Cirqa is hardly inexpensive, especially when several screen-free rivals are now available.

However, access to Garmin’s extensive training ecosystem without a mandatory monthly or annual fee could make it one of the strongest Whoop alternatives yet.

It will be available directly from Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU from 24 July in seven colours, including Citron Grey, Mauve, French Grey, Dark Olive, Captain Blue, French Blue and Black.

Most outdoor watch manufacturers are currently competing to offer brighter AMOLED displays, more detailed maps and increasingly sophisticated health insights.

Even though the brand has launched several modern smartwatches, including the Suunto Race 2 and Suunto Run, Suunto’s latest release takes a decidedly different approach.

The Core 2 is an old-school outdoor watch built around a monochrome LED display, physical buttons and a replaceable coin-cell battery.

There is no GPS, heart-rate sensor, or app-packed smartwatch interface, but it can run continuously for up to 15 months without needing a charge.

It is the successor to the original Suunto Core, launched in 2007 and subsequently adopted by hikers, outdoor professionals and tactical users.

The new model preserves its predecessor’s chunky tool-watch aesthetic while introducing several practical hardware upgrades.

Its essential outdoor functions come from an updated altimeter, barometer and compass (ABC) sensor suite.

The watch can track altitude, ascent and descent, monitor atmospheric pressure and provide offline directional guidance using a magnetic compass with bearing lock.

Suunto has also added automatic pressure filtering, designed to reduce false storm warnings, along with an alarm that alerts the wearer to a rapid drop in barometric pressure.

Back to (outdoor) basics

The 1.3-inch dot-matrix LED display is said to be 40% brighter than the original Core's and is now protected by Corning Gorilla Glass.

You can switch between red and green backlighting, while a raise-to-wake function illuminates the screen without requiring a button press.

Water resistance has risen substantially from 3 ATM to 10 ATM, meaning the Core 2 is rated to withstand pressure equivalent to a depth of 100 metres.

Its reinforced composite case measures 49mm across and 14.8mm thick, while the watch weighs 56.5g before the 22mm silicone strap is added.

Other functions include sunrise and sunset times, moon phase information, cumulative elevation, daily step tracking, dual time zones, a stopwatch, a countdown timer, and alarms.

Bluetooth connectivity is included, although its role is deliberately limited.

Pairing the watch with the Suunto app enables automatic time synchronisation, step data transfers, and over-the-air firmware updates.

The Suunto Core 2 will be available globally from 21 July 2026, followed by a US launch on 20 August.

It is priced at $199 in the US, €199 in Europe and $155 in the UK, with AU pricing yet to be confirmed.

Head over to Suunto for more information.

Fitness trackers have come a long way, but they're all limited by one simple problem: they only measure what they can reach. Whether it's a smartwatch or a chest strap, sensors can shift during exercise, lose contact with your skin and struggle to collect consistently accurate readings. Researchers at Penn State think they have a much better solution – one you paint directly onto your body.

The team has developed a conductive ink that works like face paint, allowing custom electronic tattoos to be applied almost anywhere on the skin. Once dry, the paint forms highly sensitive electrodes capable of monitoring the electrical activity produced by your heart, muscles and brain, all while being more breathable and comfortable than traditional adhesive sensor pads.

Unlike conventional medical electrodes, the paint can be mixed with different pigments to create colourful designs, making the technology feel more like wearable art than medical equipment.

The researchers also say the material bonds closely with the skin, helping it maintain accurate readings even during movement and perspiration – exactly where today's wearables often struggle.

That opens up some fascinating possibilities. For fitness enthusiasts, these temporary tattoos could provide more accurate ECG heart monitoring or detailed muscle activity tracking during training. They could also help athletes fine-tune performance without having to wear multiple straps, patches or bulky sensors.

The medical applications are even more exciting. The same paint-on electrodes can capture EEG brain signals, EMG muscle activity and detailed ECG readings that could help doctors identify irregular heart rhythms or even detect the warning signs of a heart attack earlier than consumer wearables can today.

The researchers also believe the technology could improve the control of robotic prosthetic limbs by reading muscle signals more precisely.

Plus, the tattoos aren't permanent. They can be washed away and reapplied whenever needed, making them far less intimidating than implanted devices while remaining far more versatile than today's disposable electrode patches.

There's no word yet on when – or if – this technology will make its way into consumer products. But as fitness trackers continue to evolve beyond the wrist, a colourful electronic tattoo that looks more like body art than medical equipment suddenly doesn't seem so far-fetched.

Garmin has released another beta software update for its newest running watches, continuing the rapid pace of improvements following the launch of the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

The previous Beta 18.12 release introduced features such as "OK, Garmin" voice activation and several new software additions.

The new Beta 18.14 version is almost entirely focused on bug fixes and overall stability.

There are 18 changes in total, including fixes for several music playback quirks.

Garmin has addressed issues that could cause music to continue playing over spectator messages, an unexpected increase in volume after an alarm, incorrect playback information, or a brief switch to the watch's speaker after Bluetooth headphones disconnect.

The company has also changed the default behaviour so button tones are automatically disabled when fitness headphones are connected.

The update also improves Garmin Coach reliability by eliminating a bug that could cause the training days displayed on the watch to differ from those in a Garmin Coach plan.

Another resolves problems when selecting rest days for Garmin Coach and Daily Suggested Workouts.

Garmin says it has also fixed crashes that could occur during Indoor Climb activities, as well as resets that could occur when saving Indoor Rowing workouts.

There are additional fixes for alarm behaviour, touch controls during water sports, headphone volume, Touch Lock false unlocks and a handful of translation updates.

It's not the most exciting update of the year, but it's another sign that the company is keen on refining its wearables years after their release (well, in this case, a year).

For anyone using Garmin Coach, training indoors or listening to music directly from the watch, Beta 18.14 should make the overall experience noticeably smoother.

Public Beta Version 18.14 is now rolling out to members of Garmin's Beta Program, although the company says only around 20% of eligible users will receive it initially as part of a phased deployment.

If you're enrolled in the programme, you can also trigger the download manually by heading to Settings > System > Software Update > Check For Updates.

[via NotebookCheck, Garmin Forums]

There are numerous Garmin watches in circulation at this point, but one of the strangest ones I've tried is certainly the Instinct Crossover Solar, which adds a pair of luminous hands to the digital display that are fully visible in the dark and move around when you interact with the display.

Shop all deals in Garmin's clearance sale

Back in the day, when I reviewed it, I wasn't sure why we needed such a smartwatch, but since then I've come to appreciate the wearable's quirkiness. It is a unique watch with a long battery life and access to Garmin's outdoor features and ecosystem – and now it's a whole lot cheaper than when it came out!

Interestingly, the deal is at Garmin, of all places, and not just that, but it undercuts even Amazon, which is pretty much unheard of. The Instinct Crossover Solar is currently listed as £340.85 at the online retail giant, which, according to my elementary maths skills, is a gazillion pounds more than £230.

As for the tech, thanks to Garmin's RevoDrive technology, the luminescent hands automatically recalibrate after impacts and move out of the way whenever you interact with the display.

It's built to MIL-STD-810 standards for thermal and shock resistance, offers 10 ATM water resistance, and uses a sunlight-readable monochrome MIP display with Power Glass solar charging. Under ideal conditions, battery life stretches to up to 70 days in smartwatch mode, with virtually unlimited runtime in Battery Saver mode.

Despite its retro styling, the watch packs Garmin's full suite of outdoor and fitness tools, including multi-GNSS positioning, an altimeter, barometer and compass, plus heart rate, Pulse Ox, sleep tracking, Body Battery, stress monitoring and VO2 Max.

There are built-in profiles for running, hiking, cycling, swimming, strength training and more, alongside Garmin Pay, smartphone notifications, TracBack navigation and Training Status.

Garmin has rolled out a small but potentially important software update for the Fenix 8 Pro, addressing one of the biggest complaints reported by some owners in recent weeks.

While System Software 22.39 isn't packed with new features, it fixes a possible battery drain issue that could make a noticeable difference for affected users.

According to Garmin's official release notes, the update includes just two changes: a fix for "possible battery drain" and another for "possible issues when doing voice calls."

It's a brief changelog, but one that follows reports from some Garmin watch owners who experienced unusually high battery consumption after previous firmware releases.

The company hasn't revealed what caused the issue or how widespread it was, so it's worth noting that not every user was affected.

More than a maintenance release

The timing is also good news for anyone thinking about buying Garmin's flagship outdoor smartwatch.

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro AMOLED (47mm) is currently available at Very for £869, £160 below its £1,029 RRP.

It's not quite the lowest price we've seen, but it's still one of the strongest deals available on Garmin's premium multisport watch.

The Fenix 8 Pro sits at the top of Garmin's adventure watch range and packs just about every feature an outdoor enthusiast could want.

Alongside comprehensive fitness and health tracking, it offers full-colour offline mapping, multi-band GNSS, advanced navigation tools, training readiness, endurance and hill scores, and Garmin's extensive suite of recovery and performance metrics.

The 47mm model also features a bright AMOLED display protected by a sapphire crystal lens, a titanium bezel for added durability, built-in LED flashlight, speaker and microphone for calls and voice commands, and LTE connectivity for additional safety and communication features.

Combined with Garmin's excellent battery life (now improved) and regular software support, it remains one of the most capable outdoor smartwatches you can buy.

[via NotebookCheck, Garmin Forums]

It's no secret that smart rings are quickly becoming the en vogue choice for those looking to track their health and wellbeing. Gone are the days when smartwatches were the popular choice, as droves of users flock to something more discrete and unobtrusive.

By and large, these companies also have a subscription element, which can drastically alter the overall cost of using one. Enter the Leep Ring – a British designed smart ring with the key difference of no monthly fee.

I've been putting the device through its paces over the last couple of months to see what it's all about.

Leep Ring app

On the face of it, there's really not much which can't be tracked on this device. You'll get detailed access to sleep insights, step tracking and other activity metrics, heart rate and blood oxygen and stress tracking.

That's all accessible with the brand's app, which has been the biggest upgrade in my time using the device. When I first kitted up, it was a little lacklustre, and didn't seem to be as well-designed as it could be.

Since then, the app has updated and it now feels a lot more premium and intuitive. The layout includes buttons at the bottom for sleep, stress and activity, as well as a tab for articles and insights from the brand.

There's also a home button in the centre, which gives an overview of the sleep and activity sections, and a heart section which doesn't appear anywhere else. Personally, I'd prefer that to be on the base menu level, rather than the articles, which could be hidden elsewhere for those really searching.

I'd also like to see more consistency in how the widgets in the app work. Clicking some of them takes you to graphs and deeper insight, while others aren't clickable. It takes some memory to recall what sends you where.

Leep Ring design

As for the ring itself, there's not too much to write home about. It's crafted from titanium to ensure a lightweight wearing experience, and is just 2.22mm thick. That's impressive, and ensures it sits nicely on the finger without weighing you down.

The only mark of design flair is a diagonal cut-out section, which has a practical application, too. That sits on the inside of your finger, to ensure the sensors are correctly placed, but adds a touch of minimalist design in the process.

The brushed finish follows a similar theme – smart, but not overly eccentric.

Leep Ring battery life

One thing which all screen-free wearables need is a good battery, and this model is present and correct there. The ring itself is said to be good for eight days, with the case offering a further 60 hours.

In my testing, I've found that to be broadly right. The ring lasts around a week before I get range anxiety and pop it into the charging case, but the case has proven to be a significant gamechanger. I've only charged the case once, and it's still going strong, which is a significant achievement.

My one gripe here is that the notifications around battery life simply aren't that good. In fact, I only ever seem to get them when I open the app, which is really rather pointless. I'd much prefer for the app to push a notification properly when I hit, say, 10% battery.

Leep Ring verdict

If you've been reading my reviews for a while, you'll know I'm hardly the most sporting member of the T3 team. But that doesn't mean I don't want to be able to keep track of my health and fitness, which is exactly why a device like this makes sense.

Would I continually pay a monthly fee for more features? Not a chance! But I'll buy this once and enjoy a little extra peace of mind when it comes to my wellbeing. That's enough for me, and it may well be enough for you too.

It’s been a couple of years since Samsung launched the Galaxy Ring, and now the company has confirmed it is working on a follow-up.

The current version was made available back in July 2024, competing with the likes of Oura and Ultrahuman by offering a lightweight, concave design made from titanium and no monthly subscription. It’s Android-only, meaning it isn’t compatible with iPhone. And while it will work with Google phones or other Android phones, it plays nicest with Samsung smartphones and smartwatches – understandably so.

The Galaxy Ring 2 might work with iPhone

However, in an interview with Forbes, Samsung’s senior vice president and head of the digital health team, Dr Hon Pak, confirmed the second generation of the smart ring was in development. He told David Phelan: "We are working on the next generation. I can tell you that."

Unfortunately, Pak didn’t reveal timings or any specifications for what we are presuming will be called the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2, though he did hint that iPhone compatibility might be on the cards this time around.

When Phelan asked about iOS compatibility, Pak’s response was: "I’m smiling, but I can’t say anything.

"I think you’ll be very pleased with some of the releases and the upcoming news,” he added.

Hon also told Phelan that he believed the biggest current differentiator in smart rings wasn’t necessarily the hardware, suggesting that most of the sensors are the same.

"If you look at the comparison of other rings, regardless of the competitor, the sensors are not that different right now," he said.

"It’s really about what services you create on the top layer. It’s really the software differentiation that you see."

He added: "One device doesn’t cover all things. Our approach is connected ecosystem, connected devices, that give people choices."

While we will have to wait a little longer to find out when the Samsung Galaxy Ring 2 will officially appear, it’s good news to hear the company is at least working on one.

The Galaxy Ring was great when it launched two years ago, but Oura’s recently announced Ring 5 is significantly smaller and lighter, giving it the title of world’s smallest smart ring – so things are moving in this field.

Samsung is set to hold it’s next Galaxy Unpacked event on 22 July, so we’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for more information on the Galaxy Ring 2 at that. Maybe it'll just be teased for now.

I’m way overdue with this Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review. I tested the MicroLED version of Garmin’s flagship wearable when it came out and have worn the AMOLED version a lot since then, but somehow I never found the time to put my thoughts into words. Turns out, you can’t forever put off doing things!

Not like writing what’s admittedly the best Garmin watch (well, the most feature-rich, anyway) is a huge burden. I’ve always loved using Garmin products, and the Fenix line has always held a special place in my heart, thanks to its rugged build and excellent mapping functionality.

That said, it almost feels like the Fenix 8 Pro came a bit too soon after the Garmin Fenix 8. Don’t get me wrong, it was an important launch – the world’s first microLED smartwatch! – but from a features perspective, it offers little that is tangibly different from its predecessor.

Sure, inReach Messenger is nice, and so is the MicroLED panel, but otherwise, you’re getting the same sensors and, most importantly, almost the carbon copy of the Fenix 8 user experience, especially if you opt for the AMOLED model.

I certainly wouldn’t throw away my Fenix 8 to get a Fenix 8 Pro, but even with that, it’s hard to deny that the Fenix 8 Pro is the best outdoor watch right now, all things considered. If you have an older Fenix and are keen on staying in the Garmin ecosystem, you’ll love the Fenix 8 Pro. Should you get one? Let’s find out.

Garmin Fenix 8 Pro review

Price and availability

The Fenix 8 Pro was launched in September 2025 and is available to buy now at Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU.

The AMOLED version is available in 47mm and 51mm sizes, and starts at £1,030 / $1,200 / AU$2,100 / €1,300. The MicroLED option comes in one case size only (51mm) and costs a whopping £1,500 / $1,700 / AU$3,400 / €1,800.

The MicroLED retailed for more at launch, but Garmin has since permanently dropped the price to entice more people to get the watch. It’s still a huge investment, but there are often deals on the AMOLED version. Recently, Amazon knocked the price down to £726 in the UK.

Design

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is available in 47mm and 51mm case sizes, pairing them with a fibre-reinforced polymer case with a titanium rear cover, while the sapphire edition adds a lightweight titanium bezel and scratch-resistant sapphire crystal lens.

You can opt for Garmin's familiar AMOLED screen or the brand's first-ever MicroLED display. Both offer the same resolution and user interface, but the MicroLED panel delivers significantly higher brightness – up to 4,500 nits – making it exceptionally easy to read in harsh sunlight.

In direct sunlight, the MicroLED looks almost as if the graphics have been printed onto the glass, with outstanding visibility from virtually any angle.

The AMOLED model, meanwhile, peaks at around 2,000 nits, which is commendable but not necessarily on par with some rivals, including the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and the much more affordable Amazfit T-Rex Ultra 2. That said, the Fenix 8 Pro is still among the brightest displays you'll find on a sports watch.

The Fenix 8 Pro is rated to 10 ATM, making it suitable for swimming, freediving and recreational scuba diving, while redesigned leak-proof buttons improve reliability during underwater activities. Unlike other brands (e.g., Huawei Watch Ultimate 2), Garmin doesn’t advertise the Fenix line as a dive-first smartwatch, likely because it has its own dive watch line (the Descent line).

An integrated LED flashlight, complete with white and red light modes, returns for everything from pre-dawn runs to campsite chores. The watch itself can also shift to red mode (the screen), which is handy for after-hours watch staring. You can also set the watch to automatically switch to red shift mode after sunset.

Like the standard Fenix 8, the Pro includes a built-in microphone and speaker for Bluetooth phone calls, voice assistant support and offline voice commands, while Garmin's QuickFit strap system makes it easy to swap bands without tools. It all adds up to one of the most capable and best-built adventure watches currently available.

Features

If you've used a recent Fenix 8 or Enduro 3, very little about the Fenix 8 Pro will surprise you. That's not a criticism; Garmin has spent years building arguably the most comprehensive fitness and outdoor ecosystem on the market, and this generation is more about refinement than reinvention.

The only genuinely headline-grabbing addition is support for Garmin inReach messaging over LTE, allowing users to send and receive messages via the satellite communicator without carrying a phone, provided they have a compatible inReach subscription.

Prices start at £7.99 / $7.99 / AU$11.99 / €9.99, which is way more than the Oura subscription, for example, and it ‘only’ lets you message people when there is no reception. As such, this feature is only really useful for people who spend a lot of time off grid and require the ability to communicate with others who aren’t (unless the whole team have Fenix 8 Pro watches).

Health tracking is handled by Garmin's latest Elevate Gen 5 optical heart rate sensor, which debuted in May 2023 on the Garmin Fenix 7 Pro and the now discontinued (and very cheap) Garmin Epix Pro (Gen 2). It supports 24/7 heart rate monitoring alongside Pulse Ox, skin temperature tracking, ECG, respiration, stress tracking, Body Battery, HRV Status and advanced sleep analysis with Sleep Coach and nap detection.

Training features are equally extensive, with Training Readiness, Training Status, Daily Suggested Workouts, Endurance Score, Hill Score, Race Predictor and Garmin Coach all returning. The Fenix is the brand’s top outdoor watch, and as such, the UI prioritises mapping and navigation, but you can find all other training, health and smart features in the menus.

Strength training has also continued to improve, with automatic rep counting, muscle maps and guided workouts making it genuinely useful in the gym, while support for dozens of activity profiles means everything from trail running and ski touring to paddleboarding and open-water swimming is catered for.

The built-in microphone and speaker enable Bluetooth phone calls when paired with a smartphone, while voice assistant support lets you interact with Siri or Google Assistant if that’s what your heart desires.

I’ve never been too keen on chatting with my watch (or phone or smart speaker, the latter of which I don’t have), but given the price and the flagship nature of the Fenix 8 Pro, this is a feature Garmin must include.

The company also includes offline voice commands, allowing you to start activities, set timers or control certain watch functions even when you're away from mobile reception. Music storage, contactless payments via Garmin Pay, smartphone notifications and access to the Connect IQ store round out the experience.

Mapping, navigation and accuracy

Navigation has long been one of the Fenix series' biggest strengths, and the Fenix 8 Pro continues to set the benchmark. It comes preloaded with TopoActive maps, detailed road and trail mapping, ski resort maps and golf course data, while downloadable regional maps ensure you can plan routes and navigate without needing a phone signal.

There aren’t many watches I would trust for offline maps and route planning in uncharted areas, but Garmin watches have never let me down. Maps can be downloaded via the Connect app, and the map options are clearly labelled (e.g., United Kingdom and Northern Ireland). It’s a system that works and has been working for a long time.

Features such as ClimbPro break down upcoming ascents, NextFork shows the distance to the next trail junction, and Up Ahead lets you see upcoming aid stations, summits or points of interest. None of these is new, but they are part of the ever-so-extensive Garmin training ecosystem.

Dynamic round-trip routing remains one of my favourite features, generating surprisingly sensible running and cycling routes directly on the watch, while turn-by-turn navigation makes it easy to stay on course without constantly referring to your wrist.

The Fenix 8 Pro supports multi-band GNSS across GPS, GLONASS, Galileo, QZSS and BeiDou. It features SatIQ (now called Auto Select), which automatically switches to the most sensible GNSS method to conserve battery life. For example, it might switch to single-band in open areas and to maximum-accuracy mode in the forest. The brand doesn’t disclose how this feature works, despite my efforts to find out over the years.

Across months of testing, I found GPS tracks to be consistently clean, with little evidence of corner-cutting or wandering, even on heavily tree-lined trails and urban routes between tall buildings.

As for the Elevate Gen 5, Garmin’s wrist-based heart rate monitoring has improved significantly over the past few years, and during steady-state runs, long hikes and strength workouts, the Fenix 8 Pro tracked closely with a chest strap.

As with almost every optical sensor, short, high-intensity intervals can still produce the occasional lag, but for the vast majority of users, the onboard sensor is accurate enough that a chest strap becomes optional rather than essential.

Battery life and charging

Battery life has always been one of the Fenix range's defining strengths, and while the Fenix 8 Pro continues that tradition, there's now a much clearer distinction between the AMOLED and MicroLED models. If endurance is your top priority, the AMOLED version remains the one to buy.

Garmin rates the 47mm AMOLED model for up to 15 days in smartwatch mode (or eight days with the always-on display enabled), while the larger 51mm AMOLED stretches that to 27 days (or 15 days always-on).

Even in the most demanding multi-band GNSS mode, you're looking at up to 30 hours on the 47mm and 53 hours on the 51mm, giving you more than enough endurance for everything from marathon training to multi-day hiking trips.

Despite using what many expected to be a more efficient display technology, the first-generation MicroLED panel is considerably more power-hungry than Garmin's AMOLED screen.

Officially, the 51mm MicroLED model lasts up to 10 days in smartwatch mode (or just four days with the display always on), dropping to 34 hours in multi-band GNSS mode. That's still respectable by smartwatch standards, but it's a noticeable step backwards for a Fenix, especially one carrying such a significant price premium.

In practice, I found Garmin's estimates to be realistic. As with every Fenix before it, battery life varies widely depending on how you use the watch. Daily GPS workouts, frequent GNSS / map use, pulse oximetry (which I always turn off first thing), music playback (very bad for battery life) and LTE LiveTrack all have a measurable impact.

On the other hand, you have SatIQ, which does an excellent job of balancing accuracy and efficiency by engaging multi-band GPS only when conditions require it. Unless you're intentionally trying to drain it, the AMOLED model is still a watch you'll measure in weeks rather than days, which remains a rarity among flagship smartwatches.

Charging is unchanged (pun intended). The Fenix 8 Pro uses Garmin's familiar proprietary four-pin charging cable rather than adopting USB-C or wireless charging. While I'd still like to see Garmin modernise its charging solution, the cable is secure and reliable, and thanks to the watch's excellent endurance you'll rarely need to reach for it.

Verdict

The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is, without question, the best outdoor smartwatch money can buy.

It combines class-leading navigation, outstanding training tools, reliable health tracking and exceptional build quality into a package that's as comfortable pacing a marathon as it is guiding you across a mountain range. The new MicroLED display is genuinely impressive, too, delivering brightness that no other sports watch can currently match.

The problem is that most of those strengths were already present on the Fenix 8. Unless you specifically want the dazzling MicroLED display or the ability to use inReach Messenger directly from your wrist, the day-to-day experience is remarkably similar. In short, the AMOLED Fenix 8 Pro is a refined version of an already excellent watch.

That's made more complicated by timing. With the Fenix 9 likely on the horizon, potentially bringing a new optical heart rate sensor and perhaps even combining AMOLED with Power Glass charging, the Fenix 8 Pro doesn't feel like the obvious long-term investment it might have six months ago.

Fortunately, it's now available well below its original launch price, making it considerably easier to recommend than it was at launch.

Even so, I'd still point most people towards the cheaper Fenix 8, which delivers almost the same experience for less money. But if you simply want Garmin's most capable adventure watch and don't mind paying for the privilege, the Fenix 8 Pro wears the crown. At least until its successor arrives.

I must confess, the Oura Ring 5 launch caught me by surprise. I’m used to the company tweaking its software and features for a while before moving on to launch new hardware. After all, there was a nearly three-year gap between the release of the Oura Ring Gen 3 and Oura Ring 4.

The new smart ring arrived less than two years after its predecessor (a year and eight months, to be precise), marking a much faster release cycle than we're used to from Oura. As a result, this is more of an evolutionary update than a revolutionary one, with a handful of notable hardware refinements rather than a wholesale redesign.

All of this makes reviewing the Oura Ring 5 something of a balancing act. With relatively few new features, I didn't need months to get familiar with the hardware or software. The harder part was deciding whether those refinements are enough to justify a new generation, especially in a smart ring market that's become far more competitive since the Ring 4 launched.

The good news is that the Oura Ring 5 is still the best smart ring on the market, but if you have the Oura Ring 4 (or the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic) and don’t mind its ‘heft’, there is no need to rush and order the new ring. What are the new features and how do they affect the user experience? Let’s find out.

Oura Ring 5 review

Price and availability

The Oura Ring 5 was announced in May 2026 and is now available to buy at Oura, starting at £399 / $399 / €429 / AU$649 for Silver and Black finishes, and rising to £499 / $499 / €529 / AU$799 for premium colours, including Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver, and Deep Rose.

This makes the new wearable more expensive than its predecessor, which retailed for £349 / $349 / €399 / AU$569 at launch. These days, you can find plenty of deals on both the Oura Ring 4 and the Oura Ring 4 Ceramic, making them a lot more affordable.

Even though Oura’s products can be used without a subscription, you’ll need Oura Membership to enjoy the full benefits of the system. It costs £5.99 / $5.99 / €5.99 / AU$9.99 a month or £69.99 / $69.99 / €69.99 / AU$109.99 annually. Oura remains the only major smart ring brand to require a membership from its users.

Design and build quality

In the intro, I mentioned a “handful of notable hardware refinements,” which might have undersold the Oura Ring 5. The new ring is 40% smaller than the Oura Ring 4 and looks and feels very much like a standard jewellery ring when worn.

The Oura Ring 5 is 6.09mm wide and 2.28mm thick across its full size range, which makes especially larger models, including my size 12, look rather dainty. The ring comes in six colours, including two basic colours (Silver and Black), and four premium finishes (Brushed Silver, Stealth, Gold and Deep Rose).

The last two are either new (Deep Rose) or redesigned (Gold). I opted for the Deep Rose model to see how it looks in real life, and, more specifically, how it compares to the Rose Gold colourway it replaces. I’d say it looks more like a deep gold, slightly darker than your average gold jewellery but without the pink undertone of the Rose Gold version.

The Oura Ring 5 is not only slimmer but also a lot lighter than the Oura Ring 4. The weight range is 2.0–2.7g – compare it with the Oura Ring 4’s 3.3–5.2g. It’s worth noting that the new model comes in fewer sizes (6–13 vs 4–15). I’m sure a few Oura Ring users with larger / petite hands will be disappointed to hear this. The majority of Oura users will probably be fine, though.

The company redesigned the sensor paths, reducing the number from 18 to 12. Despite the fewer optical paths, the new ring is said to provide more accurate readings, thanks to the brighter LEDs and – I assume – a refined algorithm that analyses the data.

One thing I forgot to mention (and glad to see and feel the return of) are the notches inside the ring. The Oura Ring 4 was slimmer than the Oura Ring 3 and reduced the bumps to almost nothing.

Now that the Oura Ring 5 is even slimmer, the notches are back, making it much easier to rotate the ring into the correct position without looking. The bumps are nowhere near as pronounced as on the Oura Ring 3, but detectable enough to help you find how the ring should sit on your finger.

The brand says the Oura Ring 5's revised PVD coating is more durable than before, and my experience backs that up. Despite wearing it during kettlebell workouts, the ring emerged without any visible scuffs or scratches.

Features

Oura announced a few new features with the launch of the Oura Ring 5, but most aren’t available in all markets yet due to regulatory hurdles in certain countries. Chiefly among these is Health Radar, which continuously analyses multiple biometric signals to spot changes in your physiology before you notice symptoms yourself.

Health Radar builds on the older Symptom Radar feature but is much broader in scope. At launch, it offers Blood Pressure Signals, which examine long-term patterns that may indicate elevated cardiovascular strain, and Nighttime Breathing, which provides a rolling 30-day view of breathing disturbances during sleep.

It’s somewhat risky for Oura to offer blood pressure-related health features, given that Whoop got in trouble with the FDA for rolling out a similar feature in the US, but brand representatives were confident that Oura's approach is different. Living in the UK, I haven’t been able to test Health Radar yet.

Oura Advisor, the company’s AI chatbot, is now said to be more helpful. Admittedly, the brand focuses on women’s health improvements, but the bot can also give you more usable answers about other health metrics. I asked it why the app said I fell asleep too quickly (3-minute latency), given that I have a steady sleep schedule and excellent sleep scores, and it said there is nothing wrong with me. Thanks!

One area where Oura’s ecosystem has some serious catching up to do is activity tracking. Passive tracking is excellent, and the algorithm will recognise a bunch of popular sports, but historically, Oura Ring hasn’t been anyone’s first choice to track runs with. Now, the app can provide real-time heart rate and pacing feedback on runs via a smartphone widget.

This is commendable, but more of a first step rather than a replacement for Garmin watches. Of course, Oura never claimed it was coming after running watches, but the fact that the company now offers live tracking shows it’s aware of its system's shortcomings.

I imagine most Oura users run with their phones, so having access to live workout data is handy. However, the ring + smartphone setup won’t replace a watch for ‘proper’ training, not to mention the lack of training data, something the Oura ecosystem can’t provide.

As for passive health tracking such as sleep, the Oura Ring 5 is still my top choice. Stress tracking could be better (I ranted about this before), but even that issue won’t push the ring off my finger. There is also the community element; my wife always wants to know how our sleep compares and how many calories we burned during the same walk, for example, which makes me want to wear the ring.

As for accuracy, which Oura claims has improved with the fifth-generation ring, I found it difficult to notice any meaningful difference, purely because the Oura Ring 4 is pretty accurate for sleep tracking as is. Workout tracking is accurate enough, but as I mentioned above, only basic fitness data is being collected, which isn’t much to go on. The ring feels accurate for what it’s worth.

Battery life and charging

The company claims the Oura Ring 5 can last up to nine days on a single charge, depending on ring size and usage, and my experience suggests that's a realistic estimate.

Starting from a full battery, the ring still had 15% charge remaining after almost nine days of continuous wear, including 24/7 health tracking, sleep monitoring and workout logging.

While I didn't let it run completely flat (the app would prompt you to charge when the battery hits 15%), the results indicate the Ring 5 is more than capable of matching Oura's official figures under typical day-to-day use.

Better still, charging is remarkably quick. During testing, the battery climbed from 15% to around 50% in just 25 minutes, making it easy to top up while showering or getting ready in the morning rather than leaving it on the charger overnight.

Verdict

The Oura Ring 5 is an easy product to recommend, but perhaps not for the reasons Oura would like. It isn't a dramatic leap over the Ring 4, nor does it fundamentally change what the Oura ecosystem offers.

Instead, it refines an already excellent formula with a noticeably smaller and lighter design, a more durable finish and slightly longer battery life, all while retaining the outstanding sleep and recovery tracking that has made Oura the benchmark for smart rings.

Most of the headline software features are also rolling out to older rings, meaning existing Ring 4 owners aren't missing out on much. If you're happy with your current ring, there's little reason to upgrade, especially given the higher asking price and ongoing membership fee.

However, if you're buying your first smart ring, or upgrading from an older generation, the Oura Ring 5 is the one to get. No rival combines comfort, polished hardware, insightful health tracking and a mature app ecosystem quite as well.

Activity tracking still lags behind dedicated sports wearables, and the subscription remains a sticking point, but neither detracts from the fact that this is currently the most complete smart ring on the market.

Google just recently unveiled the Fitbit Air, the brand's first screenless wearable, trying to compete with the likes of Whoop and Polar.

Now, Amazfit has announced its take on the screenless wearable concept.

The new Helio Strap Pro aims to measure how your body moves during exercise, giving hybrid athletes and gym-goers a more complete picture of their performance.

Building on last year's Helio Strap, the Helio Strap Pro adds a second sensor that sits at your waist to capture core-body movement and stability.

Amazfit says this allows the system to monitor movement quality, efficiency and muscle load alongside more traditional metrics such as heart rate.

The Helio Strap Pro isn't a single device, but rather a system that combines the Helio Core Motion HR sensor, worn on the upper arm, with the Helio Core Motion Waist sensor, which attaches around your midsection.

Together, they work with compatible Amazfit smartwatches to create what the company calls a "body-worn training system".

Built with HYROX athletes in mind

Amazfit evidently takes its global partnership with HYROX seriously.

The fitness racing series, which blends running with functional workout stations and has attracted a sizeable CrossFit audience, is now said to be one of the fastest-growing participation sports in the world.

At launch, the Helio Strap Pro is designed to work alongside the new Amazfit Balance 3 and Balance Ultra, using the watches' HYROX Race and HYROX Simulation modes.

During workouts, the watch and sensors collect data from different parts of the body, allowing Amazfit to analyse how movement patterns change as fatigue builds.

It's an interesting evolution of the screenless wearable concept. Devices such as the Fitbit Air, Whoop MG and the original Helio Strap focus heavily on recovery, readiness and health metrics.

The Helio Strap Pro still does that, but also attempts to understand how efficiently you're moving during training sessions.

The new system includes the Helio Core Motion HR sensor, Helio Core Motion Waist sensor, wristband, armband, clip and magnetic charger in the box.

The Helio Strap Pro is available for pre-order now at Amazfit US for $200 (~£152 / €175 / AU$286).

UK, EU and AU pricing and availability have yet to be confirmed.

As someone who earns a living reviewing smartwatches, I appreciate a wearable that looks nothing like an Apple Watch or Garmin. Don't get me wrong; I like the look of modern smartwatches, but admittedly, they can start to feel a bit samey after a while.

Not just that, but they can also be quite distracting due to their ability to connect to your phone. Most smartwatches act as extension screens for your smartphone, which I think we can all agree is the single most distracting thing many of us own.

If only there were a way to track your health stats without notifications, app alerts and glowing displays constantly demanding attention. Of course, there is: hybrid smartwatches. Somehow, the category has remained relatively niche since its inception, despite efforts from brands such as Withings to bring it into the mainstream.

Nowatch is a relatively young company based in Amsterdam. It first gained attention with screenless wearables before moving into what I'll be talking about here: a traditional-looking watch equipped with health sensors. Its latest models are undeniably handsome and promise real-time health tracking without the distractions of a conventional smartwatch.

The Nowatch B, the model I've been testing, comes in two sizes (36mm and 42mm), three finishes and four strap options. At 10.9mm thick, it's comparatively slim and sits elegantly on the wrist. I opted for the gold finish paired with the black woven strap, a combination that looks classy without appearing overly flashy.

The strap felt a little stiff out of the box, but it has softened during the couple of weeks I've spent with the watch. I generally prefer nylon or fabric straps for round-the-clock wear, though in this case the woven option felt like the best match for the watch's aesthetic.

A smartwatch that doesn't look or feel like one

Speaking of all-day wear, it feels somewhat strange to wear a watch like the Nowatch B to bed. It looks like a dress watch rather than something designed for sleep tracking or exercise. Yet, for the best results, that's exactly what you should be doing.

And arguably, that's the entire appeal. The Nowatch B looks like a traditional watch while quietly monitoring your health in the background. The idea behind the product is simple: give users the benefits of a smartwatch without the distractions.

Through the Nowatch app, you can track sleep, exercise, heart rate and general activity. There is also a feature called Reactivity, which is essentially the company's interpretation of stress tracking. During setup, you'll regularly check in with the app and log how you're feeling so the algorithm can learn how your body's physiological responses relate to your mood and stress levels.

It took around five days for the app to calibrate and begin tracking Reactivity continuously. Once it does, you'll generally find yourself categorised as either low reactivity, homeostasis or high reactivity. I typically hit low reactivity while sleeping and spent most of my day in homeostasis.

High reactivity appeared during workouts and periods of stress. To the app's credit, it seemed capable of distinguishing between exercise-induced strain and everyday stress, something not every recovery-focused wearable manages particularly well. The results broadly aligned with how I felt throughout the testing period.

Syncing can occasionally be slow if the app has been closed in the background. I'm used to seeing data appear almost instantly on competing platforms, whereas the Nowatch B sometimes requires a little patience before everything updates.

Sleep tracking is where things fall apart

That's all well and good, as long as the data is accurate.

Stress tracking is notoriously difficult to verify, but activity detection seemed reasonably reliable. Walks and general movement were picked up without issue. Where the watch struggled, surprisingly, was sleep tracking.

Across two weeks of testing, the Nowatch B repeatedly missed large portions of my sleep. This wasn't a one-off anomaly. Night after night, it struggled to recognise when I had actually fallen asleep.

One example showed the watch recording my sleep between 3:18 am and 7:02 am, even though I was asleep for significantly longer. The latter timestamp also coincided with my opening of the app that morning.

The watch even recognised that I had been awake before opening the app and suggested I take a nap, yet still failed to log the majority of my overnight sleep.

Because those hours weren't detected, the watch couldn't provide meaningful sleep-stage information either. If the device doesn't know you're asleep, it can't tell you how much time you spent in deep, light or REM sleep.

Of all the things a health-focused wearable needs to get right, sleep tracking sits near the top of the list. Throughout the testing period, both the Oura Ring 5 and Xiaomi Watch S5 produced results that aligned much more closely with my actual sleep patterns.

Battery life raises questions too

Battery life is another area where I came away slightly underwhelmed.

Five days would be perfectly respectable for a smartwatch with a bright AMOLED display constantly lighting up notifications and workout metrics. For a wearable with no display at all, however, it feels less impressive.

Competing hybrid watches such as the Withings ScanWatch 2 can last for weeks between charges while still offering health-tracking features and a small display. Five days isn't bad, but it does leave you wondering where all that battery power is going.

So where does that leave the Nowatch B?

I'm conflicted about the Nowatch B.

On one hand, it's one of the nicest-looking health wearables I've worn in a long time. The no-distraction philosophy is refreshing, the hardware feels premium, and the Reactivity feature appears genuinely interesting.

On the other hand, the fundamentals still need work. Sleep tracking is inconsistent, syncing can be slow, and battery life falls short of what I'd expect from a screenless wearable.

For a wearable that costs more than the standard Apple Watch, I don't think it's unreasonable to expect accurate sleep tracking.

That doesn't mean the Nowatch B is without merit. There will undoubtedly be people who value its traditional watch styling and distraction-free approach above absolute tracking accuracy. For those users, it offers something genuinely different from the sea of smartwatches currently on the market.

But based on my experience so far, the sensors and algorithms need further refinement before the Nowatch B can fully deliver on its promise.

The Nowatch B is available now from Nowatch, with prices starting at £356 / €399 / $499 (~AU$651).

Coros has announced a new partnership with AllTrails, aiming to make discovering, navigating and recording outdoor adventures a little more seamless.

The integration connects the brand's running and outdoor watches with the popular hiking and trail discovery platform, allowing you to send saved routes directly from AllTrails to your watch for turn-by-turn navigation.

Activities recorded on a Coros smartwatch can also be automatically synced to AllTrails to help you build a complete record of your adventures without excessive button pressing.

While it might not be as flashy as a new product launch, the update removes one of the common friction points for hikers, trail runners and fastpackers who use multiple platforms to plan and track their activities.

Coros says users with an AllTrails Plus or Peak subscription can save routes within the AllTrails app and send them directly to a compatible wearable.

Once on the trail, navigation runs on the watch, freeing users from constantly checking their phones.

Following the breadcrumbs

The partnership also allows users to upload photos, leave trail reviews and contribute route information back to the AllTrails community after completing an activity on a Coros watch.

According to the company, the goal is to create a smoother experience from route discovery through to navigation and activity logging.

The announcement arrives during what appears to be a busy period for hiking-focused software updates.

Just last week, Strava introduced a major package of hiking features, including enhanced route planning, navigation tools and social features designed specifically for outdoor adventures.

Unlike Strava's update, which focuses on expanding the platform's own hiking capabilities, Coros has opted to partner with an established trail discovery service.

It's a relatively small change in the grand scheme of things, but one that could make a noticeable difference for anyone who spends their weekends exploring new trails.

While Coros has yet to confirm exactly which devices are supported, the integration is expected to be available on the brand's navigation-capable watches, including recent models in the Pace, Apex and Vertix families.

Read more about the update at Coros.

The next ultra-endurance Garmin watch may have just made an early appearance.

According to recent reports, references to the Enduro 4 have been spotted in code associated with the Garmin Connect app, suggesting the company is already preparing software support for an upcoming device.

While Garmin has (understandably) yet to confirm the watch's existence, the leak immediately raises a bigger question than the watch itself: what happens to the Enduro lineup in an increasingly AMOLED-focused Garmin ecosystem?

While many of the brand's flagship watches, including the Garmin Fenix 8 Pro, have moved towards brighter AMOLED and MicroLED displays, the Enduro remains firmly focused on battery life above all else.

Historically, the ultra-runner favourite wearable used a memory-in-pixel (MIP) display combined with Garmin's solar charging technology to deliver some of the longest runtimes available on any performance smartwatch (see also Leon's Garmin Enduro 3 review).

That's become the defining characteristic of the Enduro series, especially among long-distance runners, hikers and expedition athletes who value longevity over screen quality.

So, where does this all leave the Enduro 4? I can see three possibilities, one of which is the most likely, even though it also feels somewhat interesting coming from a brand that's been pushing new technologies for decades.

The watch that could keep MIP alive

Garmin's recent launches suggest the company is steadily moving towards premium display technologies.

AMOLED screens are now common across much of its range, while MicroLED appears to be the brand's long-term flagship display solution, making the upcoming Enduro a fascinating product from a strategic perspective.

If Garmin replaces the MIP display with AMOLED, it risks losing the very feature that makes the Enduro stand out from watches such as the Fenix, as well as alienating the model's core audience.

Even with improvements in battery efficiency, AMOLED displays consume considerably more power than reflective MIP panels, particularly during extended outdoor use with GPS turned on.

For that reason alone, the Enduro could become the last major Garmin product family to retain MIP technology. Well, there is also the Instinct 3, which launched in January 2025 and sports a MIP + Solar combo, but still – it was released over a year and a half ago, an absolute age in wearables.

That said, the most likely scenario is that the next-generation Enduro will feature updated sensors, a more efficient processor, enhanced solar charging, and improved GPS performance.

It would still have a clear purpose in the lineup without abandoning the battery-first philosophy that has defined the series.

Could AMOLED and solar finally coexist?

Of course, Garmin may have other plans.

One possibility is that the company has been working on a more advanced version of its Power Glass technology that can offset the additional power demands of an AMOLED display.

Such a combination would allow Garmin to modernise the Enduro while preserving much of its legendary battery life. The challenge is that expectations are exceptionally high among Enduro owners, who expect class-leading – not just very long – battery life.

An AMOLED Enduro that lasts a few weeks between charges would still be impressive by smartwatch standards, but it might not be enough to satisfy athletes who currently choose the series specifically because it can keep going for extended adventures without needing to visit a power socket.

While Garmin is surely working on this technology, it would also be strange for the company to debut such a game-changer feature in the Enduro line. Innovations are usually reserved for the Fenix, and should the AMOLED + Power Glass tech launch soon, it's likely to debut in the Fenix 9.

The subtle option

Another possibility is that Garmin's next-generation chipset could deliver meaningful efficiency gains through smarter power management.

Smartwatch manufacturers have increasingly relied on intelligent task scheduling and machine-learning-assisted optimisation to extend battery life without increasing battery size, and Garmin could adopt a similar approach.

Garmin doesn't like to talk about chips as much as other manufacturers, even though I'm sure it's been tinkering with machine learning/AI to optimise the performance of its wearables.

Even if the company won't use third-party chipsets (e.g., Snapdragon), AI-enhanced silicon that handles tasks more efficiently could improve battery life.

Of course, Garmin would have to admit in its marketing that it did something with its components for the improvements to make sense – it can't just launch the watch and say, "hey, the Enduro 4 has longer battery life, but we won't tell you why."

For now, all we know is that the Enduro 4 appears to be on Garmin's roadmap. The bigger mystery is whether it will become the watch that finally brings AMOLED and solar charging together, or the product that keeps MIP displays alive for another generation.

[via NotebookCheck, Gadgets&Wearables]

Amazfit has unveiled two new additions to its growing smartwatch portfolio, the Balance Ultra and Balance 3, introducing a range of hardware upgrades and new training features.

With titanium construction, sapphire glass, dual-band GPS, offline maps, and long battery life, the wearables are aimed at the same premium sports-watch buyers who typically shop Garmin watches.

Although the company is placing a strong emphasis on HYROX with the latest models, the Balance Ultra and Balance 3 also bring meaningful improvements to the hardware itself.

Both watches feature a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with a resolution of 480 x 480 pixels, sapphire glass protection and a peak brightness of 3,000 nits.

That's a significant jump from the 2,000-nit display found on the Balance 2 and should make the screens easier to read in bright sunlight.

More than just a brighter screen

The company has equipped both fitness watches with a new processor, which the company claims delivers up to 2.5 times faster rendering and 12 times faster map refresh rates than before.

Storage has also doubled from 32GB to 64GB, providing additional space for offline maps and other content.

Offline topographic and contour maps remain a key part of the experience, alongside dual-frequency GPS and support for six satellite positioning systems.

The flagship Balance Ultra features a Grade 5 titanium frame and bottom case, weighs 57g and packs a 780mAh battery.

Amazfit says it can last up to 30 days between charges or deliver up to 50 hours of GPS tracking.

The Balance 3 is available in Titanium or Stainless Steel and offers up to 21 days of battery life and 41 hours of GPS use.

An integrated dual-mode flashlight with white, red and SOS lighting modes is also new to the watches, although not to the brand, as the Cheetah 2 Ultra already has this.

Both watches are also rated to 10ATM, support diving activities, and meet "military-grade durability standards."

Amazfit goes all-in on hybrid training

Amazfit is introducing a suite of new hybrid training tools aimed at athletes balancing strength and endurance workouts, including Training Balance and Hybrid Charge.

The watches include access to a dedicated HYROX training library, personalised race strategies based on venue layouts and detailed post-race analysis.

The Balance Ultra and Balance 3 run Zepp OS 6 and support a wide range of third-party platforms, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot, adidas Running and Intervals.icu.

They can also connect to external accessories such as heart rate monitors, cycling power meters and Stryd foot pods.

The Balance Ultra is priced at £600 / €600 / $600 (~AU$848) and is available exclusively in titanium at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU and Amazfit US.

The Balance 3 is available ot pre-order now, with prices starting at £370 / €370 / $370 (~AU$523) for the Stainless Steel version at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU and Amazfit US.

There was a point a few years ago when, if you needed an accurate wrist-worn device for running – especially trail running – you had to get a Garmin watch. The brand started as a GPS company and became one of the biggest players in wearable technology, and definitely the main brand when it comes to performance smartwatches.

Lucky for us, things look different in 2026. Challenger brands such as Coros and Amazfit aren’t just for people who can’t afford Garmins; they also put out genuinely impressive wearables for beginners and enthusiasts alike. And while Coros is happy to cater for the MIP crowd (for now), Amazfit has been putting out some seriously impressive AMOLED watches over the past.

The brand is closing the gap with Garmin so well that we gave the Amazfit T-Rex 3 the best outdoor watch award last year. Now, with the Cheetah 2 Ultra, Amazfit is after Garmin’s battery bruiser, the Enduro 3. And, as expected, it’s a compelling wearable that’s well built, delivers strong GPS performance, and looks the part.

While it doesn’t have the Enduro 3’s solar charging prowess – seemingly none of the other brands have cracked this technology so far – the Cheetah 2 Pro can last up to a month on a single charge, which is not too shabby. Best of all, it’s cheaper than the big-ticket rival, which hardly ever gets a discount. Best multisport watch of 2026? Let’s find out.

Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra review

Price and availability

The Cheetah 2 Ultra was launched in May 2026 and is available to buy now at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU and Amazfit US for the recommended price of £600 / €600 / $600 (~AU$979). As always, it’s the good folks of the UK who pay the most for the watch ($600 is around £450). I guess it looks nicer to sell the watch for the same numerical value in all countries, but this might not be the fairest pricing.

It only comes in one colourway, but you do get two straps (one fabric and one silicone) in the box. The Cheetah 2 Ultra is a whopping £150 more expensive than the Cheetah 2 Pro and currently the most expensive smartwatch Amazfit offers. It’s on par with the Balance Ultra, which was launched in June 2026.

For comparison, the recommended retail price of the Enduro 3 is £770 / €850 / $900 / AU$1,549, which is much more expensive across all countries, especially in the US, where you can get the Cheetah 2 Ultra for a whopping $300 less. The Garmin Fenix 8 Pro is pretty much twice as expensive as the Amazfit at £1,200 / €1,400 / $1,300 / AU$2,300.

Design and build quality

I criticised Amazfit before for adding trims to its watches for the sake of it. The T-Rex series is notorious for this approach, but the Cheetah has always been much more streamlined than its rugged outdoor-watch sibling. Indeed, the Cheetah 2 Ultra is surprisingly nimble-looking and weighs a whopping 11g less than the Enduro 3 (52g vs 63g).

The Cheetah 2 Ultra measures 47.4 x 47.4 mm and is 13.3 mm thick, making it a hair smaller (and thicker) than the Cheetah 2 Pro, which is 48 x 48 x 13.2 mm. The case and bezel are made of Grade 5 titanium alloy, giving the watch a more premium feel. The four push buttons located around the edge of the case are also made of the same material.

Amazfit claims the watch has been tested to military standards, but doesn’t specify which. The Cheetah 2 Pro has been described elsewhere as having 15 MIL-STD-810G certifications, but no such info is available on the new watch. Not like it matters all that much; more importantly, the Cheetah 2 Ultra is water-resistant to 5 ATM, even though it’s not certified for diving.

It features a large 1.5 "AMOLED screen with a resolution of 480x480 and peak brightness of 3,000 nits, the latter of which seems to be the ceiling for current AMOLED panels. Most top-tier smartwatches have the same brightness, except for the MicroLED version of the Fenix 8 Pro. The display is protected by a sapphire glass lens.

Carried over from other Amazfit wearables, the Cheetah 2 Ultra has a built-in flashlight with three modes (white light, red light and SOS), and is said to have a more advanced CPU than the Cheetah 2 Pro (HS3s vs HS3). It also has a speaker and a microphone and tends to be very chatty during workouts.

Flip the watch over, and you’ll find the BioTracker 6.0 PPG sensor (5PD + 2LED), the very same you’ll find on the Amazfit T-Rex 3 Pro or the Balance 2. The watch is equipped with ABC sensors as well as a gyroscope, ambient light, geomagnetic, and temperature sensors.

In terms of connectivity, it has BLE 5.2 and Wi-Fi 2.4GHz, the latter of which enables you to transfer large amounts of data (e.g. topo maps) faster. The Cheetah 2 Ultra has a dual-band positioning setup and has access to six satellite systems. It has 64 GB of storage, mainly for maps.

Features

Amazfit markets the Cheetah 2 Ultra to trail runners, but it packs pretty much every health and fitness feature Amazfit currently offers. Around-the-clock monitoring covers heart rate, blood oxygen saturation, stress levels and skin temperature, while sleep tracking goes beyond the basics to include heart rate variability (HRV), sleep stages, breathing quality, daytime naps and a nightly sleep score.

The watch can also alert you to unusually high or low heart rates, low blood oxygen levels and elevated stress, and even suggest guided breathing exercises when needed.

Health features are supplemented by Amazfit's PAI health assessment system (similar to the circles on the Apple Watch), heart rate recovery tracking, and menstrual cycle monitoring. The watch also supports Zepp Flow, Amazfit's AI-powered voice assistant, which I haven’t used much because I’m not a massive fan of talking to my watch about stuff I can check on my phone with less effort.

On the fitness side, the Cheetah 2 Ultra offers more than 180 sports modes and can automatically recognise 25 strength-training movements and eight common sports activities. The watch can recognise certain movements, including walking, and can track them the same way it would if you started a workout manually.

The benefit of this over Garmin’s MoveIQ is that the logged workouts (walks, runs, etc.) contribute to your workout load, so if you’re like me and walk to a lot of places, your watch will give you a much better recovery estimate based on these. Garmin tracks walks in the background but doesn’t seem to take them into account when calculating training load.

Runners are particularly well catered for, with support for structured workouts, Zepp Coach training plans, running power, lactate threshold analysis, ground contact time, virtual pacing and track running mode with smart trajectory correction – all without needing any external sensors, such as heart rate monitors.

Speaking of which, the Cheetah 2 Ultra can connect to external sensors, including heart rate straps, cycling power meters, cadence sensors, and running power pods. Workout analysis is handled by Amazfit's PeakBeats platform, while data can be synchronised with popular third-party services including Strava, Runna, TrainingPeaks, Intervals.icu, Apple Health and Google Fit.

Away from training, the Cheetah 2 Ultra functions as a capable smartwatch, offering Bluetooth music controls (no offline music, though), phone notifications, to-do lists, weather forecasts, voice memos, event reminders, membership cards, Pomodoro timers and morning briefings, alongside practical features such as Find My Phone and Bluetooth camera control for iPhone users.

Mapping and performance

One of the biggest upgrades over previous Amazfit running watches is the mapping experience. The Cheetah 2 Ultra ships with offline navigation support and can display base maps, contour maps and ski resort maps directly on the watch, making it a much more capable companion for trail running, hiking and mountain adventures than earlier Cheetah models.

Maps are downloaded through the Zepp app rather than directly on the watch. The process is straightforward enough, but Amazfit doesn't offer countrywide map downloads the way Garmin does.

Instead of downloading a complete UK Topo map, for example, you select square sections of a map and download those individually. The largest I could select (~250 x 385 miles = 96,000 square miles) covered a substantial portion of Great Britain and required a 640 MB download that included the base map, contour layer, and ski map data.

Once loaded onto the watch, the maps are surprisingly detailed. Contour lines make it easier to assess terrain at a glance, while turn-by-turn navigation and route guidance help keep you on course.

A recent software update added full-route and segment elevation profiles with colour-coded gradient difficulty, allowing you (and me) to see where the toughest climbs lie before reaching them. The same update also introduced waypoint saving with expanded icon support, making it easier to mark and revisit important locations on the trail.

While Garmin still offers a more mature navigation ecosystem, particularly in route planning and nationwide mapping, Amazfit has closed the gap considerably.

In terms of accuracy, I tested the watch against the Garmin Forerunner 970 and the Fenix 8 Pro, and the Cheetah 2 Ultra marked the miles exactly at the same points as the Garmins. I must confess that I live in an area with a pretty good view of the sky, so I can’t say I pushed the GNSS to its limits.

Still, from what I can tell, the Cheetah 2 Ultra can keep up with the Garmins. Heart rate accuracy: ditto, even though I had a run where the Amazfit pegged my heart rate at over 160 bpm for the full 5k, while the Fenix 8 Pro suggested it was more in the 135-140 bpm range.

The other sessions looked pretty good, though, so I’ll keep an eye on this heart rate situation for now. Amazfit is pretty good at software updates, so if there is a glitch in tracking, I’m sure the brand will fix it soon enough.

Battery and charging

Amazfit rates the watch for up to 30 days of typical use and up to 60 hours of GPS tracking, thanks in part to its sizeable 780mAh battery.

In my testing, the watch certainly felt capable of going the distance. I started with 72% battery remaining at 9 pm on 29 May, and after two days of general smartwatch use without any recorded workouts, the charge had dropped to 63%. If the watch continued to discharge at the same rate, this would equate to around 22 days in smartwatch mode.

A 23-minute outdoor run consumed just 1% of battery, suggesting GPS efficiency is excellent for shorter activities. A one-hour-and-40-minute GPS walking session saw the battery drop from 28% to 25%, suggesting a ~56-hour GPS battery life – very close to Amazfit’s 60-hour claim.

Extrapolating from those figures suggests most users could comfortably get around two weeks of mixed use from a partial charge, while a full charge should get reasonably close to Amazfit's quoted figures, depending on how heavily they use GPS tracking, mapping, and health monitoring features.

Of course, batteries don’t deplete in a linear fashion, so it’s possible that your Cheetah 2 Ultra’s battery performance will be different. Adjusting the brightness or tinkering with the active sensors will change performance, so make sure you go through the menus to check which features you need and which you can live without.

Charging is adequate rather than exceptional. The device draws a modest 3W while charging, reaching 80% in about 40 minutes and taking roughly 85 minutes for a full recharge. That's perfectly serviceable for overnight charging or topping up before an activity, though some rivals now offer noticeably quicker charging speeds.

The interesting thing is that the charging curve suggests the device is drawing a fairly constant low power rather than aggressively fast-charging. A maximum draw of around 3W indicates the manufacturer is prioritising battery longevity and thermal management over speed.

Verdict

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra is the closest the brand has come to producing a true Garmin rival. It combines a premium titanium build, a bright AMOLED display, excellent GPS performance and impressive battery life into a package that feels purpose-built for trail runners and outdoor athletes rather than simply adapted from a general fitness watch.

What impressed me most is how complete the overall experience feels. The addition of offline mapping, contour maps, elevation profiles, and waypoint support transforms the Cheetah 2 Ultra into a genuinely capable navigation tool, while the wealth of training metrics, sensor support, and third-party integrations ensures serious runners won't feel short-changed. GPS accuracy was excellent during testing, and battery life came surprisingly close to Amazfit's ambitious claims.

It's not perfect. Garmin still offers a more polished navigation ecosystem, solar charging remains exclusive to the Enduro 3, and I'd like to see Amazfit move away from its somewhat clunky tile-based map downloads. The occasional heart-rate anomaly also suggests there is room for refinement.

Those criticisms feel relatively minor when you consider the price. At this price, the Cheetah 2 Ultra undercuts the Garmin Enduro 3 by a considerable margin while delivering much of the same functionality.

For runners who want a premium endurance watch with a gorgeous display and strong outdoor credentials, the Cheetah 2 Ultra is not just Amazfit's best watch yet, but also one of the most compelling multisport watches of 2026.

The Fitbit Air has only just launched, but it's already being hacked and getting the attention that some wearables can only dream of. The tracker is a Whoop challenger, ditching the display for a simpler data-gathering wearable – but it's proving to be really flexible in how you wear it.

Because of the simple design, with a small sensor in a band, it's easy to adapt and that's seen a solution to double wristing, with an enthusiastic Reddit thread pulling in plenty of fans.

In this case, the owner has added an Omega Seamaster to the Fitbit Air strap, with the sensor placed on the underside of the wrist. That avoids wearing the mechanical watch on one wrist and a digital device on the other. It's simple and obvious.

It's something of a trend in fact, with owners sharing their own solutions – like this pairing with a Casio F-91W, this MoonSwatch 1965, or even this Rolex Submariner.

It's long been a problem and something that's given rise to devices like the Fitbit Air: there's no shortage of smartwatches that gather data, but if you want to wear something more classical, you might end up wearing two devices.

The appeal of a fitness band (or smart ring) is that you don't have two displays duplicating functions. If you already have a preferred watch, you can just wear a band on the other wrist. That will always lead to calls to "just get an Apple Watch", but that's not a solution that works for everyone.

The Fitbit Air has an 18mm strap which is a little on the slim side for many watches where 20mm or 22mm is more common, but if you have a dress watch or something older, then the 18mm strap might fit nicely.

Just slipping your mechanical watch onto the Fitbit strap isn't going to be the end of the story: Google has already released the CAD files to encourage a thriving accessory ecosystem, so there's likely to be plenty of accessories coming in the future – perhaps some more elegant replacement straps.

The revival of screenless devices is mostly thanks to Whoop, where the holistic approach to data gathering has found a lot of fans, while avoiding something that looks like another smartwatch.

The advantage of screenless devices is that the battery life is generally good, but most importantly, they're easy to sleep in. With sleep data being a key measure for daily readiness and recovery tracking, it's no surprise that these types of devices are proving popular.

Whether those wearing Frankenstein Fitbit Airs will then sleep in them too remains to be seen – I suspect not.

Whoop rules the roost for current fitness bands, but the subscription is expensive and that's seen Fitbit returning to its roots, with the Fitbit Air harking back to the original Flex fitness band.

It's likely to be joined by the Garmin Cirqa soon, which will appeal to huge userbase of Garmin wearers who want to keep data in the Garmin ecosystem when not wearing their main device.

Google has opened up the Fitbit Air ecosystem in a move that could lead to a wave of third-party bands, mounts and accessories for its new screenless fitness tracker.

The company has published detailed hardware specifications, accessory design guidelines and 2D CAD drawings for the Fitbit Air to let independent makers, accessory brands and even home 3D-printing enthusiasts create their own compatible products.

The company's new wearable uses a modular design, with the tracker itself a small, sensor-packed "pebble" that slots into a removable sleeve or band, separating the health-tracking hardware from the accessory wrapped around the user's wrist.

Google says the newly released files include precise dimensions, tolerances and attachment specifications to help creators build accessories that fit correctly and maintain accurate health tracking.

The company has also published guidance on sensor placement, skin-contact requirements, and suitable materials for products that come into direct contact with the wearer.

Opening the toolbox

According to Google, the move is designed to encourage experimentation and customisation from both established accessory makers and independent designers.

The company says the Fitbit Air community has already started developing new ways to wear the tracker, including alternative mounting solutions beyond traditional wristbands.

The announcement is particularly notable because few major wearable brands provide this level of access to hardware specifications.

While Apple, Garmin and Samsung largely maintain tightly controlled accessory ecosystems, Google is effectively inviting third parties to help shape how Fitbit Air is worn and used.

The screenless revival

Launched in May, the Fitbit Air marks Google's return to dedicated fitness trackers after several years focused primarily on smartwatches.

The wearable is a lightweight, screenless device designed for 24/7 health tracking, offering features such as heart rate, sleep, blood oxygen, and skin temperature monitoring, as well as automatic workout detection.

The tracker has often been compared to models such as the Whoop MG, thanks to its display-free design, although Fitbit Air differs by offering core tracking features without requiring a subscription.

It is also significantly more affordable than many screenless health trackers currently on the market.

By making the hardware specifications publicly available so soon after launch, it appears to be encouraging the creation of a broader accessory ecosystem that could help the device evolve beyond a standard wrist-worn tracker.

You can find the CAD drawings here.

[via 9to5Google]

Garmin has mastered the art of keeping its product launches under wraps, which, at least in my books, is a good development. Too long have publications, blogs and influencers leaked upcoming Garmin watches, taking the joy out of the actual launch.

The Forerunner 70 and its moderately higher-end sibling, the Forerunner 170, were launched earlier this month, and I’ve been lucky enough to secure the latter a few days before the official 15 May launch.

Two weeks later, I think I have a pretty good idea what the Forerunner 170 is, who it's for and its strengths and weaknesses. In essence, it’s a beginner-friendly running watch with personalised running workouts and a bright AMOLED screen, but it sacrifices the latest heart rate sensor and multi-band GPS to keep the price down.

Worth a buy? I’d think so, unless you’re very cash-strapped, in which case the entry-level Forerunner 70 is the best option for you. The Forerunner 170 has a lot going for it, is keenly priced and gets you access to a variety of Garmin ecosystem benefits, all in a handsome, colourful package.

Garmin Forerunner 170 review

Price and availability

The Forerunner 170 was launched on 15 May 2026 alongside the Forerunner 70 and is available to buy now directly from Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin EU and Garmin AU for the recommended price of £260 / $300 / €300 / AU$479.

The Forerunner 170 Music, which can store offline audio from most major streaming platforms, including Deezer and Spotify, retails for £40 / £50 / €50 / AU$80 more. Both versions have the same internal storage of 4GB.

The even more affordable Forerunner 70 carries a price tag of £220 / $250 / €250 / AU$399 but misses out on features such as Garmin Pay, has a much smaller internal storage (512MB), and fewer sensors (e.g. no ECG or skin temperature).

The Garmin Forerunner 570, the next step up in the Forerunner range, has a recommended retail price of £460 / $550 / AU$999, even though it retails for a little less these days.

The Coros Pace 4, an affordable Forerunner 170 alternative that launched around half a year ago, sells for £229 / $249 / €269, so cheaper than the Forerunner 170. Offers are harder to come by on this model, though.

Design and build quality

The Forerunner 170 follows the recent trend in Garmin wearables and comes in six different colours (two non-Music and four Music options), most of which feature two-tone straps, something Garmin engineers were very proud of last year when I visited the brand’s headquarters in Olathe, Kansas.

It has a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen with a maximum resolution of 390 x 390 pixels and appears to use the same panel as the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 570. It’s bright enough for everyday use, though I can’t tell exactly how luminous it is, since Garmin doesn’t disclose this information.

The case measures 42.6 x 42.6 x 11.9 mm, which makes the Forerunner 170 a hair wider and taller than the Forerunner 570 but also 1 mm thinner (the same dimensions as the Forerunner 170). The watch weighs 41 g, which is roughly the same as the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 570.

The case and the bezel are both fibre-reinforced polymer (a.k.a. plastic), making the Forerunner 170 light but also not the most luxurious-looking smartwatch. Also, the company opted for chemically strengthened glass lens instead of Corning Gorilla Glass 3 or sapphire crystal lens found on more expensive models.

One of the big differences between the Forerunner 170 and the Forerunner 570 (and other Garmin watches, including the Garmin Fenix 8 and the Garmin Venu X1) is that the former uses the last-generation Elevate v4 sensor. This was introduced five years ago in the Garmin Venu 2, so at this point isn’t particularly cutting-edge technology.

The Forerunner 170 has an industry-standard 20 mm quick-release strap. I quite like the two-tone version that comes with the watch, but if you want to change it, rest assured, you can do so without hassle.

The watch uses the same four-pin proprietary Garmin chargers as all other Garmins from the last god knows how many years. The button layout is also the same as it’s always been. The Forerunner 170 is rated to 5 ATM, just like all other Forerunners, including the flagship Garmin Forerunner 970.

Features

One of the new features on the Forerunner 170 is Quick Workouts, which lets you create a custom workout based on time, intensity, and your overall training readiness. You can choose between 30-, 45-, and 60-minute sessions and four intensity levels, including easy, moderate, hard, and very hard.

This is a useful feature for beginners, who are admittedly the target market for the watch. Plus, it lets you create your own workouts instead of relying on the ones Garmin Coach suggest. Not like there is anything wrong with those; I quite enjoy the variety of Daily Suggestions.

One thing you might have noticed is that the maximum duration for a custom workout is an hour, which might be good enough for a beginner, but those training for half-marathons and full marathons might find this feature too inflexible. I find Garmin’s algorithm modest, at best, as it often avoids giving you long runs. This is clearly reflected in the new Quick Workouts feature.

One notable omission from the feature list is multi-band GNSS. The watch only has single-band positioning, which might make it less accurate in challenging environments, such as densely built urban areas or forests with thick foliage. I tested the watch in non-challenging areas, by the coast with good sky visibility, and tracking worked just fine.

I pitted the watch against another affordable model, the Huawei Watch GT Runner 2, which I found very accurate for outdoor positioning, and both watches marked distance almost exactly the same way; there was probably a half-second difference between the two. I haven’t taken the Forerunner 170 for long-long runs, but for anything up to 10k, it feels spot on.

Despite the Elevate v4 sensor, heart rate tracking is also on point, especially for running. I also tried the watch for home workouts, and the only time the Forerunner 170 tripped up was when I popped it down onto a shiny wooden surface, which might have tricked the sensor into thinking it was still on my wrist, as it kept measuring my heart rate.

I’d like to stress that even though it’s not new, there’s nothing inherently wrong with the Elevate v4 sensor. Most watches that have it work perfectly fine; if anything, we’re learning that old tech can do wonders when used correctly (see also the Artemis II Mission GoPro story).

The company has refined the algorithm many times over since the launch of the Elevate v4. Even five years ago, it felt good to me. Sure, the Elevate v5 has more LEDs and other sensors that can track ECG and skin temperature, but for running, the predecessor is good enough, to say the least.

You do miss out on a few advanced metrics, such as Heat and Altitude Acclimation, Realtime Stamina, Endurance Score, multisport tracking, and Garmin and Strava segment support. However, you get a ton of health and fitness features that you can actually use in your everyday training.

I won’t list these all because this review would go on absolute forever, but the Forerunner 170 has everything from sleep and stress management tools to Fitness Age and Body Battery.

Speaking of Body Battery, one of my smaller gripes with the wearable is its watch face. Garmin always makes a new watch face for its new models, and the Forerunner 170’s features three bars: steps, Body Battery and weekly running distance. The issue is, if you hit your step goals, your Body Battery will be way down, or vice versa, meaning that the bars will never be completed. Oh well.

One final thing to mention is that the non-Music Forerunner doesn’t have WiFi. In practice, this doesn't affect most day-to-day syncing as much as you might think. Garmin watches primarily sync via Bluetooth to the Garmin Connect app on your phone.

Battery life and charging

Official battery life on the Forerunner 170 is up to 10 days, which is on par with the Forerunner 570 but three days less than the Forerunner 70. The discrepancy between the two new watches is likely down to the Forerunner 170 having more sensors, NFC hardware, and music support on the Music version (plus Wi-Fi).

In my experience, the watch depleted about 10% in 24 hours without GPS enabled, which is in line with the brand’s official numbers. GPS battery life estimation proved to be accurate, too. I went for a three-and-a-half-hour walk with All Systems on, and the battery went from 50% to 25%, giving you 14 hours of GPS battery life.

As for charging, the watch went from 15% to 50% in 20 minutes and to 100% in 65 minutes. Garmins change fast, and the Forerunner 170 is no exception!

Verdict

The Forerunner 170 cuts a few more corners than I'd ideally like to see, especially when it comes to GPS, heart rate hardware and the lack of multisport support. Yet after spending time with the watch, it's difficult not to appreciate how focused Garmin has been with its design.

This isn't a wearable trying to be everything to everyone. It's a running watch for people who want guidance, motivation and reliable tracking in an attractive package without spending big Forerunner money. The AMOLED display is excellent, battery life is strong, and Garmin's training ecosystem remains one of the best in the business.

Multisport athletes should keep moving, and experienced runners may eventually outgrow some of the watch's limitations. For beginners, however, the Forerunner 170 hits a sweet spot few rivals can match, offering just enough features to help you improve without overwhelming you in the process.

Also consider

If your budget is tight, the Forerunner 70 is difficult to ignore. It offers the same AMOLED display, access to Garmin Coach and Daily Suggested Workouts, plus even longer battery life than the Forerunner 170. You lose Garmin Pay, some sensors and a few premium features, but the core running experience remains impressively intact.

The Coros Pace 4 is one of the Forerunner 170's closest rivals and arguably offers more value for experienced runners. It packs dual-frequency GPS, excellent battery life and Coros' increasingly capable training platform into a lightweight package. The software ecosystem isn't quite as polished as Garmin's, but serious runners may appreciate the extra hardware.

If you think you might outgrow the Forerunner 170, the Garmin Forerunner 570 is worth stretching your budget for. It adds Garmin's latest Elevate v5 sensor, multi-band GPS, Wi-Fi connectivity, multisport mode and a range of advanced training metrics. It's more expensive, but also a much more capable long-term training companion.

Garmin is rolling out a new software update for the Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970, bringing a range of new features, from golf tools and navigation improvements to a more accessible Silent Mode option.

Software version 17.33 is currently reaching users and adds eight new features to the two Garmin watches.

Among the additions is a new Silent Mode shortcut, which can now be accessed directly from the controls menu rather than through the settings pages.

The update also expands the watches' golf capabilities, including support for Garmin's Approach CT1 club-tracking sensors, while Golf Performance Glance and Green View updates provide additional on-course data and visual information.

More navigation and mapping tools

Away from the golf course, Garmin has added support for multiple coordinate formats and introduced a new option that allows you to navigate back to a Man Overboard location.

The feature is primarily aimed at marine users but could prove useful in a range of outdoor scenarios.

There are also several smaller usability improvements included in the release.

A swipe-up keyboard layout menu should make text entry a little easier, while Outdoor Maps+ subscribers can now scan QR codes to access additional information about map layers.

The company has spent much of the last year rolling out new features across its smartwatch portfolio, from training and recovery tools to navigation and lifestyle-focused additions.

The Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970 were unveiled in May 2025 as the successors to the popular Forerunner 265 and Forerunner 965.

Both models introduced brighter AMOLED displays, speaker and microphone functionality, and expanded training and recovery tools.

While version 17.33 doesn't introduce any headline-grabbing new training metrics, it does add a collection of practical features that should improve the day-to-day experience for owners, particularly those who use their watches for navigation, golf or outdoor adventures.

The update is rolling out now and should be available to all eligible users over the coming days.

[via Notebookcheck]

the brand has completely redesigned the hardware, slimming down the Oura Ring 5 Oura has unexpectedly unveiled the Oura Ring 5, and the new wearable looks like a much bigger upgrade than its surprisingly quick release cycle might suggest.

The smart ring maker only launched the Oura Ring 4 in late 2024, making this one of the shortest gaps between generations so far.

Yet, the brand has completely redesigned the hardware, slimming the Oura Ring 5 down by a claimed 40% while somehow maintaining the same week-long battery life.

At just 6.09mm wide and 2.28mm thick, the company says the Oura Ring 5 is now the world’s smallest smart ring.

The wearable is also lighter than before, weighing between 2g and 2.69g depending on size, while retaining the same minimalist titanium design language that helped make the previous generation one of the best smart rings on the market.

Interestingly, Oura has reduced the number of optical signal pathways from 18 on the Oura Ring 4 to 12 on the new model, which might sound like a downgrade on paper.

However, the company claims the redesigned sensing system is actually more accurate thanks to stronger LEDs, refined sensor domes and improved positioning that allows for better skin contact across different finger types and skin tones.

Smaller ring, same battery life

Perhaps the most impressive part of the redesign is that Oura hasn’t sacrificed battery performance in pursuit of a slimmer form factor.

The Oura Ring 5 still promises between six and nine days of battery life, depending on usage and ring size, despite the significantly smaller chassis.

The wearable is also said to be more durable than previous generations, thanks to an upgraded coating that improves scratch resistance.

As before, it’s water-resistant to 100 metres, meaning it should survive everything from swimming sessions to accidental showers with the ring on.

The company is introducing two new finishes for this generation: Deep Rose joins the lineup as a copper-rose colourway, while the Gold finish has been redesigned with a lighter, more natural tone.

Alongside the ring itself, Oura also announced the fifth-generation portable Charging Case that can store enough power for up to five full ring charges.

Sadly, the chargers are still size-specific, so you won't be able to replenish more than one ring in the family (unless you all wear the same size), but the accessory now supports wireless charging.

Moving beyond sleep

An exciting update: the company is introducing a new Live Activity Tracking experience that lets users follow their pace, distance, and heart rate in real time on their phones while exercising.

The feature also supports external heart rate monitors, making the platform feel noticeably more fitness-focused than before.

Oura is rolling out new Menopause Insights and Hormonal Birth Control features designed to provide more personalised guidance based on symptoms, biometrics and hormonal trends.

A new Lab Uploads feature lets you import blood test and lab results directly into the Oura app to compare clinical data with daily biometric tracking.

On top of all this, the company’s new Health Radar platform aims to detect patterns of cardiovascular strain and nighttime breathing disturbances before they become more serious issues.

The Oura Ring 5 is now available for pre-order at Oura and will ship on 4 June.

Pricing remains unchanged from the previous generation, starting at £399 / $399 for Silver and Black finishes and rising to £499 / $499 for premium colours including Gold, Stealth, Brushed Silver and Deep Rose.

Amazfit has officially unveiled the new Amazfit Cheetah 2 Ultra, a premium, endurance-focused smartwatch designed for trail runners and ultra-distance athletes.

The new wearable sits at the top of Amazfit’s running-watch lineup and introduces a number of hardware upgrades over the original Cheetah series, including a Grade 5 titanium bezel, sapphire glass lens, offline contour maps and expanded onboard storage.

The Cheetah 2 Ultra features a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with up to 3,000 nits of peak brightness, along with dual-band GPS supporting six satellite systems.

The watch also includes 64GB of storage for maps and offline music playback.

Beyond the aid stations

Amazfit says the watch was designed specifically for mountain runners and endurance athletes who spend long periods training or racing away from urban areas.

The Cheetah 2 Ultra offers full-colour contour maps, turn-by-turn navigation and route import support, with the company also claiming improved map rendering and refresh speeds compared to previous generations.

Battery performance is one of the headline features, with Amazfit quoting up to 30 days of battery life in smartwatch mode, alongside up to 60 hours of GPS usage in accuracy-focused tracking modes.

The smartwatch also includes a range of advanced training and recovery metrics, including HRV tracking, training load analysis, recovery guidance and running dynamics.

Integration with third-party platforms such as Strava, Runna and TrainingPeaks is supported through the Zepp ecosystem.

More than just a bright screen

The launch comes at an interesting time for both companies.

Garmin is plugging gaps at the lower end of its smartwatch portfolio with the new Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 models to keep brands like Amazfit from gaining too much ground in the affordable wearable market.

Meanwhile, Amazfit is pushing premium materials and continues to broaden its ecosystem to rival higher-end Garmin models such as the Fenix 8 and the Enduro 3.

And while the Cheetah 2 Ultra can't replace either of those Garmin watches yet, it offers a viable alternative for those who aren't locked into the wearable titan's ecosystem (yet).

The Cheetah 2 Ultra is available now through Amazfit UK, Amazfit US and Amazfit EU for £600 / v / €600 (~AU$840).

Coros has unveiled a new special-edition version of its popular Pace 4 watch created in collaboration with Olympic champion Jakob Ingebrigtsen.

The Coros Pace 4 Jakob Ingebrigtsen Edition doesn’t introduce new core hardware features compared to the standard model and focuses on a fresh aesthetic inspired by the Norwegian runner’s career and training philosophy.

The new version arrives in a black-and-gold colourway that references Ingebrigtsen’s Olympic success, complete with gold accents, a matching limited-edition strap and exclusive packaging.

The brand says the running watch was developed in close collaboration with the athlete over the past two years.

The aesthetics of speed

While athlete involvement is nothing new in the wearable world, Coros appears to be leaning more heavily into storytelling and premium presentation with this launch.

The Jakob Edition features a transparent dial design exclusive to this model, alongside “FEARLESS” branding on the strap and a custom watch face displaying a 03:25 timestamp, a nod to Ingebrigtsen’s pursuit of becoming the fastest-ever 1,500m runner.

Coros also says the watch uses upgraded materials, including an aluminium bezel, PVD-coated hardware and a two-tone injection-moulded case designed to withstand the harsh training environments of Norway’s west coast.

The watch still features a 1.2-inch AMOLED touchscreen, dual-frequency GPS support and an optical heart rate sensor, much like the standard Pace 4.

Chasing the frontrunners

The launch also highlights Coros' growing emphasis on elite-athlete partnerships as the brand continues to challenge bigger names (*cough* Garmin *cough*) in the running watch space.

In the press release, Coros CEO Lewis Wu described the collaboration as an opportunity to bring “elite-level inspiration” to the wider running community.

The company is also accompanying the launch with a new campaign video centred around the theme of fearlessness and Ingebrigtsen’s approach to training and racing.

The Coros Pace 4 Jakob Ingebrigtsen Edition is available now for $289 through Coros and selected retail partners worldwide.

Even though I report on Garmin almost every day, the launch of the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 caught me a bit by surprise. The brand is clearly getting better at keeping things under wraps until the announcement, which is great for us fans, as who likes a dragged-out, rumour-mill-fuelled product launch? Exactly – no one.

The timing of the new Forerunner releases feels deliberate. The company has been very quiet on the hardware front this year, which might come as a surprise after the absolute deluge of last year’s Garmin launches.

In 2026, all we had so far were rumours about the still-upcoming Circa band, the imminent Fenix 9 launch (likely during the summer season), and various smaller speculations about products that may or may not ever come out.

The watch no one expected to return

I bet no one had “successor of the now 5-year-old Forerunner 55” on their 2026 Garmin release bingo. The smartwatch, which even at the time of its launch felt slightly behind the competition, has become a bit of a cult favourite among beginner runners, mainly thanks to its affordable price point and long battery life.

Not to mention, the most basic Forerunner has always been the least intimidating of the lot, making it all the more appealing to beginners. If you’re new to running and want to make a leap from, let’s say, an Apple Watch to a Garmin, the Forerunner 55 feels like a safe bet.

That said, by now, the watch is old tech. Sure, it’s cheap, but it can’t keep up with other beginner watches in the same category. Sure, it grants you access to the vast Garmin ecosystem for not a lot of money, but that’s pretty much it. Most of the new features introduced in newer Garmin watches will never make it to the Forerunner 55, simply because its hardware can’t cope with them.

Cheap running watches aren’t simple to make anymore

And there lies the first reason why the company decided to launch the new wearables (especially the Forerunner 70): it was long overdue. Garmin needs an option for beginners, who will always outnumber pro runners (by default). It’s a big market, and Garmin can’t afford to miss out on it.

One reason the brand hasn’t launched the watch sooner could be hardware-related costs. Many tech brands struggle with supply issues because AI is gobbling up all available RAM. This affected wearable companies less, but the issue will affect them to some extent.

Also, AMOLED panels and newer heart rate sensors take time to get cheaper. One industry expert told me last year that AMOLED panels are actually cheaper than MIP (memory-in-pixel) screens these days, even though MIP used to be the norm. It simply takes time for tech to be affordable enough to include in lower-end products.

At this point, it’s highly unlikely Garmin will ever launch a new watch with an MIP screen, so it had no choice but to wait for components to become cheaper to launch an affordable Forerunner again.

Garmin can’t ignore the entry-level race forever

Hardware issues are one thing, competition is another. Garmin has gone from strength to strength in recent years, monetising on the running boom, big time. Rightly so; if you want a reliable running watch, most people will recommend a Garmin. The ecosystem is mature, and the software updates keep products up to date for years to come.

However, there’s no shortage of choice if you’re looking for an affordable running wearable. Coros, the last bastion of MIP watches, has plenty of options (see also: Coros Nomad review), and so does Amazfit, which has been coming after the lower end of the market hard in recent years (a good example is the recent Amazfit Active Max).

Both companies have very good wearable options for beginners and pros alike, with their software ecosystem growing by the day (well, almost).

Garmin had to do something to curb the advance of its competitors. The brand isn’t quite in the same position as DJI in the drone market, but Garmin is no stranger to flooding the market with all sorts of products to stay ahead of the rest.

A beginner watch suddenly became Garmin’s priority again

Of course, all of this is speculation, at best. Product pipelines for company giants like Garmin are set for years in advance, and no one in their right mind would rush a launch just to fill a market gap. Neither new Forerunner feels particularly rushed, either; if anything, they feel like the logical extension of last year’s Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

One thing is for sure: both watches are set to be incredibly popular with runners. I’ve been wearing the Forerunner 170 Music for less than two days and am already pretty impressed with it. The screen might be smaller and the feature set not quite as extensive as more advanced Forerunners, but that’s exactly the point.

The new watches will be available from 15 May via Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU.

Garmin just announced two new watches, the Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170, after a somewhat long, quiet period in 2026 with little to no hardware launches.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on a Forerunner 170 Music before the official launch on 15 May, and have been playing around with the new running watch for the last day or so.

If you’ve been testing Garmin watches for as long as I have, you know that the press release and the features listed on the website never tell you the full story – there are always ‘hidden’ settings to discover if you look hard enough.

Sometimes, these features jump right at you, like the Evening Report, which quietly debuted in last year’s Forerunner 570 and Forerunner 970.

I remember being at a Kansas City Chiefs game, staring at my wrist, trying to figure out whether I’d seen the feature on any of my previous Garmin devices, asking all the Garmin folks around me to confirm whether the Evening Report was indeed new.

A familiar feature gets a fresh coat of paint

And, funnily enough, the new ‘secret’ setting on the Forerunner 170 is connected to the Reports, both the morning and evening varieties. It’s a subtle personalisation feature that lets you change the first and last screens of your report.

Historically, this was always related to the weather. If it were rainy that day, the report would have raindrops on the screen. Sunny? The report’s first page would feature sun rays. A simple yet effective way to gauge, if even subconsciously, what kind of day you’ll have (and how you should dress for your recommended run).

On the Forerunner 170 (and, I assume, Forerunner 70), you can swap the Weather theme to the following: Art (seen right at the top), Nature, System and Travel (oh la la). Both reports will have the same background.

The tiniest tweaks are often the most noticeable

Another tiny thing I noticed is also (somewhat) connected to the Morning Report. The alarms can now have different vibration patterns, including Beats, Waves and Stampede.

Beats is gentle, while Stampede, as you’d expect, goes hard. It’s nice to have these options, as I’m sure I’m not the only one who was scared out of his mind with a new smartwatch going bonkers with sound and vibration on their wrist in the morning.

I’m sure there will be plenty of new features and settings to find on the watch in the coming days and weeks, on top of the already announced Beginner and Instant Workouts, which I very much look forward to testing.

The Forerunner 70 and Forerunner 170 will be available to buy at Garmin from 15 May.

Garmin has unexpectedly unveiled the new Garmin Forerunner 70 and Garmin Forerunner 170, expanding its running watch lineup with two more affordable AMOLED-equipped wearables aimed at beginner and aspiring runners.

The company's recent wearable releases have largely focused on premium and enthusiast-focused devices, but the new Forerunner 70 and 170 instead push many of the brand’s more advanced training features into a noticeably lower price bracket.

Both watches feature a 1.2-inch AMOLED display, touchscreen controls and Garmin’s familiar five-button setup, combining smartwatch-style visuals with the physical controls many runners still prefer during workouts.

Flagship-style features at a lower price

Despite their more accessible pricing, the new Garmin watches inherit several tools typically found on Garmin’s pricier Forerunner models.

That includes Training Readiness, Training Status, wrist-based running power and running dynamics, as well as adaptive Daily Suggested Workouts and Garmin Coach plans that now support run/walk sessions and lower-volume training.

Garmin has also added a new “quick workouts” feature to the Garmin Forerunner 70, allowing runners to generate workouts based simply on desired duration and intensity.

The watches go beyond running, too. You get advanced sleep tracking, HRV status, Body Battery energy monitoring, breathing variations and access to more than 80 built-in sports apps.

Garmin is blurring the lines between entry-level and mid-range

The successor of the Forerunner 165, the Garmin Forerunner 170 builds on the standard model by adding Garmin Pay contactless payments, while the Garmin Forerunner 170 Music introduces offline music storage and playlist downloads from services including Spotify, Amazon Music and Deezer.

That increasingly makes Garmin’s lower-end Forerunners feel closer to mid-range wearables than basic fitness trackers.

Battery life also remains strong despite the AMOLED screens: Garmin claims up to 13 days in smartwatch mode for the Forerunner 70 and up to 10 days for the Forerunner 170 lineup.

According to Susan Lyman, the watches were designed to include “premium running and training features pulled in from our more advanced Forerunners” while remaining approachable for newer runners.

The new watches will be available from 15 May via Garmin UK, Garmin US, Garmin AU and Garmin EU. Pricing starts at £220 / $250 / €250 for the Forerunner 70, rising to £260 / $300 / €300 for the Forerunner 170 and £300 / £350 / €350 for the Forerunner 170 Music.

Garmin has started rolling out a sizeable new software update for the Instinct 3 series, and while the rugged outdoor watch family is best known for its durability and long battery life, the latest release pushes the lineup further into serious fitness and recovery territory.

System Software 14.14 is now available for the Garmin Instinct 3 AMOLED, Instinct 3 Solar, and Instinct E, bringing a mix of new tools, recovery features, and quality-of-life improvements to the Garmin watches.

According to the brand, the rollout has already reached 20% of users and can be downloaded manually through the watch settings menu.

More recovery tools arrive on the Instinct 3

One of the most notable additions is the Recovery Time glance, which gives you a quicker overview of how long Garmin recommends resting before the next hard workout.

The feature has been available on some of the brand’s higher-end running wearables and multisport watches for a while, but its arrival on the Instinct 3 further blurs the line between Garmin’s outdoor- and performance-focused devices.

Garmin has also added a Morning Report card, expanding the personalised daily briefing feature introduced on more premium models in recent years.

The tool summarises sleep, training readiness, recovery information and other health metrics shortly after waking up.

Workout Execution Score is another interesting addition that evaluates how closely you followed a structured workout, helping users understand whether they trained at the intended intensity and duration.

Rugged watch meets everyday smartwatch

The update also adds the Stocks glance for tracking market information directly from the wrist, alongside a new Mobility app aimed at stretching and movement routines.

Backup & Restore support has also been included, making it easier to transfer settings and data between Garmin devices.

The release also introduces dive-aware training guidance that adjusts recovery recommendations after diving, alongside improvements to Body Battery accuracy and several bug fixes affecting GPS, notifications, and activity tracking.

The update continues Garmin’s recent trend of bringing advanced wellness and training features to more affordable, rugged models rather than keeping them exclusive to flagship watches like the Garmin Fenix 8 and Garmin Forerunner 970.

To download the update manually, head to Menu > Settings > System > Software Update on your Instinct 3 smartwatch.

[via Notebookcheck, Garmin]

The thing about budget wearables is that while they can look the part on paper, they often prove a bit of a let-down once they’re actually on the wrist.

You get drawn in by the feature list, strap it on, and before long, you realise you're wearing something that seems more like a toy next to the likes of Garmin watches or Apple's wearables. It's certainly a category that promises a lot but rarely follows through.

Amazfit has been challenging this notion for a while now, and with great success. The brand, backed by Zepp Health, has carved out a reputation for cramming a ridiculous number of features into watches that cost a fraction of the competition's.

The Amazfit Active 2, which I also reviewed earlier, proved to be one of the better affordable wearables, and now the Active Max takes the same philosophy to the next level.

This time ‘round, you get a 1.5-inch AMOLED display with 3,000-nit peak brightness, up to 25 days of battery life, 4GB of onboard storage for maps and music, 170+ sport modes, NFC payments, and AI-driven coaching. All for a nibble under £170.

I've been wearing it for the past few weeks during runs, gym sessions, and daily life to see whether it's genuinely competitive or just another landfill-bound budget buy. Here's the verdict.

Amazfit Active Max review

Price and availability

The Amazfit Active Max is available now in the UK for £ 169.90, direct from Amazfit and online retailers such as Amazon. In the US, it's effectively even cheaper, priced at just $169.99 (£125!). There's only one colour option, though - a boring black - and it only comes in one size at 48.5mm, but at this price, who cares?

Compared to rivals, the Active Max’s price is considerably lower than that of cheaper models from Garmin, such as the Forerunner 165 (£249), the Apple Watch SE 3 (£249), or the Pace 3 by Coros (£199).

The closest Amazfit alternative is the aforementioned Active 2, which starts at around £99 but comes with a smaller screen, less storage, and shorter battery life.

At this price, the Active Max sits in a watch with flagship-level specs on paper, costing less than a decent pair of running trainers.

Specifications

• Screen: 1.5-inch AMOLED, 480 x 480, up to 3,000 nits
• Case Material: Aluminium alloy frame, polymer case
• Water Resistance: 5ATM (50m)
• Battery Life: Up to 25 days (typical use)
• Sports Modes: 170+
• Smart Features: Notifications, Zepp Pay (NFC), offline maps, music storage, voice assistant, calls
• Price: £169.90 / $169.99

Design and build quality

Let’s talk about looks. I’ll be honest, the Active Max isn't going to break the internet on looks alone. Its 48.5mm polymer-and-aluminium case is pretty chunky at 12.2mm thick, and the all-black colourway, while inoffensive, lacks much personality. It looks like a fitness tracker that's grown up a bit, rather than a watch you'd choose to wear for style.

That said, it's comfortable enough. At 39.5g without the strap, it's light and feels good on the wrist, and is even comfy enough to sleep in, probably thanks to its pivoted lug design, which means it sits naturally on the wrist rather than jutting up awkwardly.

The smooth 22mm silicone strap helps here too, with a simple pin buckle and ventilated sections for breathability. This is also swappable, by the way, so you can switch it out for something a bit more interesting if the stock band doesn't do it for you.

The Active Max’s 1.5-inch AMOLED display is the main design highlight here. It's bright, punchy and properly readable outdoors, even in direct sunlight.

That 3,000-nit peak brightness figure matches the Apple Watch Ultra 3, which costs nearly five times as much. Colours are vivid, the touchscreen is responsive, and the always-on option looks decent if you're willing to trade some battery life.

Build quality is perfectly acceptable for the money. I wouldn't call it premium, but nothing felt flimsy or cheap during testing. The 5ATM water resistance covers swimming and showers, and the watch held up well during sweaty gym sessions and a few rainy Manchester runs without issue.

Finally, it’s a pretty straightforward setup here in terms of operation - there are just two physical buttons, both on the right side, which handle navigation alongside the touchscreen. The top button wakes the watch and opens the main menu, while the bottom gives quick access to workouts. It's simple, but it works.

Features and performance

This is where the Active Max earns its keep: the feature list for a watch at this price is shocking, but in a good way.

Fitness tracking covers over 170 sport modes, from the obvious (running, cycling, swimming) to the niche (HYROX, snow shovelling, sepak takraw, if that's your thing).

There's automatic workout recognition for eight activities, and the strength training mode can detect reps, sets and rest periods across 25 different exercises.

In practice, I found the auto-detection worked well enough for standard gym movements, though it occasionally miscounted reps on less common exercises. Most smartwatches do that from time to time, I’ve found (even the Garmin Venu 4, which costs more than three times as much!).

Heart rate tracking from the Active Max’s BioTracker PPG sensor seems pretty good for the price. During steady runs and gym sessions, readings were consistent and in keeping with those from other wearables I've used.

Like all wrist-based sensors, it can drift a bit during high-intensity intervals, but for everyday training, it's more than good enough.

The 4GB of onboard storage is another bonus. You can load offline maps for hiking and skiing, store music for phone-free runs, and there's podcast support too. For a sub-£200 watch, that's exceptional.

However, there had to be a downside to the performance of a fitness watch this affordable, and that has to be the Active Max’s GPS capabilities. It uses single-band GNSS rather than the dual-band setup you'll find on pricier Amazfit models and most competitors above £200.

In practice, this means routes are generally fine for casual tracking but can drift off roads and paths, and distance figures tend to be a bit off. If you're training for a specific pace target or care about accurate splits, you might notice, but for general fitness logging, it's perfectly acceptable.

As a day-to-day smartwatch, the Active Max covers the basics. Notifications come through clearly, you can take calls via the built-in speaker and mic, and Zepp Pay gives you contactless payments in the UK. There's also voice control via Zepp Flow, though it's fairly basic.

What you won't get is a proper app ecosystem, and the Zepp companion app, while functional, still feels a bit cluttered and less polished than Garmin Connect or Apple's Health app, as you’d probably expect.

Battery life on the Active Max is genuinely outstanding. Amazfit quotes up to 25 days in typical use, and while that figure assumes fairly conservative settings, I comfortably got over 10 days with raise-to-wake enabled, regular notifications, and a few GPS workouts per week.

With the always-on display running, you're still looking at about a week. For the price of this thing, that’s outright brilliant, in my opinion.

Verdict

The Amazfit Active Max is a perfect example of a smartwatch that makes you question what you're actually paying for when you buy something from a rival that’s three times the price. The display is excellent, the battery life is superb, the fitness tracking is detailed and super useful, and features like offline maps, NFC payments and onboard music storage are bonuses you simply don't expect at £170.

It's not perfect, of course. The design is more practical than pretty; the single-band GPS can't match pricier alternatives in accuracy; and the Zepp app still needs work. If you want a watch that looks as good as it tracks, or you need pinpoint GPS data for training, you'll be better served by a Garmin Forerunner series for a bit more money.

But if you want a capable, feature-rich fitness watch that won't drain your bank account or your battery, the Active Max is a seriously impressive package. For the price, I'm not sure there's anything better out there right now.

Garmin has released a new beta update for its flagship outdoor watches, and while version 22.29 doesn’t introduce flashy new tools or training metrics, it addresses one of the more frustrating navigation problems Fenix users have been dealing with for months.

The update, which is now rolling out over the air to compatible devices enrolled in Garmin’s Public Beta Program, applies to the Garmin Fenix 8, Garmin Enduro 3, Garmin Quatix 8 and Fenix 8 Pro/MicroLED models.

According to Garmin’s official changelog, version 22.29 fixes “an issue that could cause the device to exit the map page during route recalculation” alongside a number of other navigation and stability-related bugs.

That line appears to be connected to a long-running issue that caused navigation sessions to fail after GPS interruptions, route deviations, or recalculations.

Users on Garmin’s forums have reported watches unexpectedly ending navigation after briefly losing satellite signal, particularly in urban environments, tunnels or wooded areas.

One Reddit user described the issue as “navigation death on GPS signal loss”, claiming earlier beta versions would sometimes wipe routes entirely after recalculation attempts when using third-party maps.

Yet more updates

Unlike some of Garmin’s recent software releases, which introduced larger additions such as WhatsApp support and Pokémon watchfaces, version 22.29 is almost entirely focused on reliability.

The update also resolves crashes that could occur when routing back to the starting point, fixes resets during software updates, and addresses inaccurate rep counting during strength workouts.

Garmin additionally says it corrected issues affecting maps in multisport summaries and inconsistent battery estimates when switching between power modes.

Owners of the Garmin Tactix 8 should also notice improvements to the watch’s Night Vision colour shift mode, which Garmin says has now been fixed as part of the same release.

Garmin’s software strategy looks increasingly important

Garmin’s update cycle has become one of the brand’s biggest strengths.

While rivals such as the Apple Watch Ultra 3 and Samsung Galaxy Watch Ultra tend to reserve major changes for annual hardware launches, Garmin continues to refine the watches people already own through a near-constant stream of software updates.

And for outdoor users, reliability updates arguably matter more than cosmetic additions.

After all, losing navigation halfway through a hike or trail run is considerably more frustrating than missing out on a new watch face.

It's a beta update, so only those who signed up for Garmin's Beta Programme will receive it. The rest will likely get it in the coming weeks.

[via Garmin Forums, NotebookCheck]

Google has finally brought back the Fitbit brand with its first device in years. The last product for adults was the Fitbit Charge 6 back in 2023, but now there's a new fitness tracker on the immediate horizon and it's as feature-packed as it is affordable.

The Fitbit Air is a super-lightweight band that's designed to be worn 24/7. It works with the Google Health Coach to track data across multiple health and fitness areas, including heart rate, heart rhythm monitoring with Afib alerts, SpO2, resting heart rate, heart rate variability, sleep stages and duration.

It promises up to a week's worth of battery life per charge, with the ability to get a day's use from just five minutes of charging time, and several band styles can be worn during the day or night.

There's a performance loop band, which comes with every Fitbit Air in the box. This is made from recycled materials and has a fabric-style finish.

There's also an active band, which is made from silicone for sweat and water resistance. And finally, there's an "elevated modern band". This is more watch-like, with a trio of colour options that match Pixel phones.

A last option is a special edition band designed for NBA star Stephen Curry, who has been teasing the band for the last few weeks. This is in the loop band style, but in orange and brown – two of the trend-setting colours for the last year.

The Fitbit Air is available to pre-order now for £84.99 / $99.99. It includes a three-month trial of Google Health Premium and will ship from 26 May. It'll work with both Android and iOS.

The special Steph Curry edition of the Fitbit Air is also available to pre-order today, albeit only in the US. It's priced at $129.99.

I’ve been thoroughly impressed with Huawei’s smartwatches in recent years. The Chinese brand quietly built one of the most comprehensive portfolios of wearables, from premium options like the Watch Ultimate 2 to sportier models like the Watch GT 6 Pro.

One of the brand’s most accessible and popular franchises is the Watch Fit Series, which has only got better with each iteration. Last year’s Watch Fit 4 Pro was one of my favourites from last year, so I was looking forward to testing its successor in 2026.

The Watch Fit 5 Pro is an iterative update over its predecessor and sports a larger, nearly 2-inch display, a new mini workout mode, a ceramic-like metal finish (White Edition), and some cool health and fitness features that trickled down from last year’s flagship Watch 5.

It might not be the most significant update in the watch’s history, but the Watch Fit 5 Pro remains an excellent value-for-money, compact (just about) wearable with long battery life that now also supports NFC payments thanks to Curve, leaving very little for reviewers like me to criticise.

Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro review

Price and availability

The Watch Fit 5 Series was officially launched in China on 20 April with international availability set for 7 May 2026. It’s available now from Huawei in certain regions, including the EU, the UK, and Australia, for £249.99. It's the same price as the Watch Fit 4 Pro was when it launched, which is no small feat, considering the situation with component prices around the world.

Of course, you can buy the Watch Fit 4 Pro for a lot less these days, selling for as little as £166 at Amazon at the time of writing. I'm fairly certain there will be launch offers and discounts on the new watch soon, though.

The Watch Fit 5's price increased £10 compared to its predecessor (£159.99).

Design and build quality

The Watch Fit 5 Pro has an Apple Watch-like square design, weighs 30.4 grams and measures 44.5 x 40.8 x 9.5 mm. It sports a brighter display than its rival (vs Apple Watch Series 11). The wearable 1.92-inch screen has a maximum brightness of 3,000 nits, which is on par with the Apple Watch Ultra 3.

The screen panel has been upgraded to an adaptive 1-60Hz LTPO display. In always-on mode, the watch refreshes every second (1Hz), which saves battery. The panel is protected by a 2.5D (a.k.a. slightly raised) sapphire glass lens.

The bezels are 1.8mm wide and uniform around the rounded-square “aviation-grade” aluminium body. Huawei says the Watch 5 Pro also feature “high-end watch oil-filling” technique to make the bezel “gleam brilliantly” from every angle.

The company also claims the White Edition of the watch has what’s called “Micro-Arc Oxid” surface treatment, which supposedly makes the metal feel more ceramic-like and harder. I didn’t have the White Edition, so I can’t really say much else about it.

The Orange Edition has an updated fabric strap with dual-layer water- and oil-resistant organic silicone coating. I didn’t have this version either, so sadly, I can’t confirm how well it works. (Evidently, I was sent the most run-of-the-mill version of the watch.)

The Watch Fit 5 Pro has the same one-push-button-and-watch-crown setup as before. It also has a microphone and a speaker. As far as I know, the sensor on the back hasn’t changed.

The build quality of the watch is excellent, overall – Huawei knows how to make handsome watches that feel good on the wrist. The only thing is the size. Wrist-worn smartwatches will forever be limited by the size of people’s wrists, so you can’t forever make them bigger and bigger.

Some Huawei watches, such as the Watch 5 or the Watch Ultimate 2, are borderline too big, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro is getting there too, with its nearly 2-inch display, no matter how thin the bezel is.

The non-Pro Watch 5 is slightly smaller, with a 1.82-inch screen, so if you have smaller wrists (and budget), that might be a better option for you. Making either version any larger in the future could risk alienating the crowd that used to choose the Watch Fit over fitness bands for its compact form factor.

For now, though, it's not terribly big, and certainly smaller than most Huawei smartwatches mentioned above.

Features and performance

The Watch Fit 5 Pro has inherited some of the Watch 6 Pro’s features, including advanced cycling metrics, and also carries over the trail-running prowess of its predecessor.

One of the headline features the brand is keen to push is Mini Workouts. These are short exercises you can do anywhere, such as neck circles or side stretches, with the help of a cute panda that does the same exercises on your wrist.

Even though the panda is adorable, and I also appreciate Huawei trying to introduce healthier habits to Westerners – lots of people in China exercise together almost daily, something the good people of the UK should do more often – on-wrist exercises aren’t anything to write home about.

Not only have brands like Garmin and Polar had similar features for years, but I also find it cumbersome to look at my wrist while performing any exercise other than planks. Plus, does anyone really need a virtual panda to know how to do shoulder circles?

The panda pops up when you haven’t moved in an hour, too, suggesting you should get up and stretch your limbs. (I’m writing this while sitting on the train and can do nothing about being stationary. Sorry, bear.)

The Watch Fit 5 Pro is equipped with Huawei’s Sunflower positioning system, which can accurately track your location outdoors. The brand claims the GPS can also follow you better when you’re under cover (e.g. in a tunnel), but in my experience, it only works if you’re moving at a steady pace.

You can track more advanced running and cycling metrics on the Watch Fit 5 Pro, including running power and real-time grade, as well as virtual power and virtual cadence on the bike.

Most of these are estimations on the watch’s part, of course, based on algorithmic magic and sensor data, so don’t expect the Watch Fit 5 Pro to replace your power meter, for example. Nevertheless, it’s excellent that non-professional cyclists can access an approximation of these data points without external sensors.

Huawei added a ton of third-party applications to its workout roster over the years, and these now include Kotcha, URunn, RacePace, Intervals.icu, FiiT, Strava, Komoot, etc.

The company lagged behind competitors regarding app support for its watches, and though it’s not there yet, from an everyday athlete’s point of view, you get more than enough for daily training. Just don’t expect to find every popular app in the Huawei app store.

One long-requested feature that’s now available not just on the Watch Fit 5 Pro but on other Huawei watches is NFC payments in the UK via Curve. Garmin uses a similar system where, instead of loading your bank card directly onto the wearable, you add it in the Curve app, then you add the virtual Curve card and use that for payments.

I’ve yet to try this, but it's certainly available, removing one huge obstacle the brand had to work around for years.

Health management

One area where Huawei’s wearables really excel is health tracking. The brand places a strong emphasis on health-related features and has been tweaking its sensor and algorithm to better match them. You get all the now-essential stuff, such as sleep and stress tracking, but the Watch Fit 5 Pro can also track your mood and automatically log naps, just to name a couple.

The wearable doesn’t actually introduce anything dramatically new, but still, it's an impressive roster. You can check for pulse wave arythmia (PWA), monitor your ECG and arterial stiffness, and more; the brand says the PWA is also CE-certified in the EU.

One of the newer features is sleep breathing awareness monitoring. The Watch Fit 5 Pro tracks your respiration during the night and layers this info on top of the already impressive advanced sleep metrics it provides.

Thankfully, the wearable confirmed that I don’t have any breathing issues during the night, which aligns with what other smartwatches have told me in the past.

Huawei says the sleep monitoring has also been approved, but the app on the watch looks pretty similar to what I remember the Watch Fit 4 Pro can do. It's sure comprehensive, and the sleep stages look similar to those provided by the Oura Ring 4 (though not exactly the same). The Huawei certainly tracks the start and end of sleep perfectly and logs any disturbances in between.

Nap Tracking, as mentioned above, is also new. I tried this on a long-haul flight to Thailand, and it picked up one of two naps on the flight. I'm not sure why the first one was missed, but I suspect the feature would be more accurate if I used the Watch Fit 5 Pro for a bit longer than a week. After all, machine learning needs data to learn your habits.

Naturally, the watch can also track steps and general activity throughout the day, and estimate calories burned.

Battery life and charging

Huawei watches generally have a very good battery life, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro is no different. It has a 471mAh cell, which the company claims has a 14% higher density than the predecessor, improving capacity by 18%.

This translates to roughly 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode (light use) and up to 25 hours of GPS battery life. In my experience, the Watch Fit 5 Pro should easily last a week with mixed use – mine lasted just over eight days while I wore it almost 24/7.

The watch charges fast, too. I plugged it in at 8%, then stepped outside for 40 minutes. When I returned, it was already fully charged. I don’t actually know how long it took to get it up to 100%; it could have been 20 minutes for all I know. Even if it was 40, it’s still pretty impressive.

Verdict

The Huawei Watch Fit 5 Pro doesn’t reinvent the series, but it doesn’t really need to. The brand has taken an already excellent fitness-focused smartwatch and refined it with a brighter LTPO display, faster charging, expanded health tracking, improved sports metrics, and finally, NFC payments in the UK via Curve.

It must be said that these improvements can feel evolutionary rather than transformative. If you already own the Watch Fit 4 Pro, there’s probably not enough here to justify an immediate upgrade unless you particularly want the larger display or payment support.

The predecessor already delivered excellent battery life, strong GPS performance and comprehensive health tracking, and the Watch Fit 5 Pro mostly builds on those strengths rather than pushing the category forward.

That said, for newcomers, it remains one of the best compact (again, just about) fitness smartwatches on the market. The build quality is excellent, the battery life comfortably outlasts most rivals', and Huawei’s health ecosystem continues to impress with detailed insights that rival those of significantly more expensive wearables.

The Watch Fit 5 Pro is another polished, feature-rich wearable from the Chinese manufacturer and further proof that the company understands how to make attractive smartwatches with genuinely useful fitness and health tools.

Oura is expanding its women’s health offering with two new features to bring more structure and context to hormonal changes.

The company has announced Hormonal Birth Control support and Menopause Insights, both of which are set to roll out globally from 6 May.

The update builds on an already established set of female health features within the Oura app, including Cycle Insights, Fertile Window predictions and Pregnancy Insights, positioning the brand as one of the more comprehensive players in this space.

Birth control tracking moves beyond basic logging

Hormonal Birth Control support is an extension of Oura’s Cycle Insights feature, adapted for users who rely on contraception such as pills, patches, IUDs and implants.

While cycle tracking has become more common in wearables, support for hormonal contraception has remained relatively limited and often disconnected from day-to-day physiological data.

Oura’s approach links contraceptive use with biometric signals captured by the smart ring, including temperature trends, sleep patterns and recovery metrics.

Users can log their specific method from a range of options and track how it influences their baseline over time, including differences between hormone and hormone-free days.

The feature also allows for symptom and bleeding tracking, helping users identify patterns and flag changes that fall outside their norm.

Alongside this, Oura provides tailored educational content intended to help users better understand how different methods may affect their bodies.

A structured approach to menopause insights

The second addition, Menopause Insights, focuses on perimenopause and menopause, stages that remain widely experienced but often inconsistently tracked and understood.

Oura estimates that more than one billion women globally are in perimenopause or post-menopause, yet many still rely on fragmented information when managing symptoms.

The feature is built around the Menopause Impact Scale, which is said to be a research-driven questionnaire developed by Oura that assesses how symptoms affect sleep, mood, cognition, and daily functioning.

After completing the assessment, users receive a personalised dashboard that translates their responses into an overall impact level and a breakdown of contributing factors.

The system is designed to work alongside Oura’s existing biometric tracking, allowing users to monitor how symptoms evolve over time and how they relate to lifestyle factors, stress and recovery.

Results can also be saved and shared with healthcare providers to support more informed discussions around care and treatment.

In addition to its existing tools, the company recently introduced a dedicated women’s health AI model to interpret data and questions through a more clinically grounded lens.

Oura is also working with partners, including Maven and Progyny, to integrate its data into clinical workflows, allowing insights from the ring to be used more directly in care plans.

Find out more about the new features at Oura.

Garmin has never had much trouble making wearables for runners, hikers and cyclists. Its Forerunner and Fenix lines are the go-to choice for anyone who takes their training seriously. The trickier challenge has always been making something that appeals to people who also want a watch that doesn't scream "fitness fanatic!" every time they glance at their wrist.

That's where the Venu line comes in. It's Garmin's attempt at a lifestyle smartwatch, one that blends the brand's deep fitness and health tracking with a design that sits more comfortably alongside an Apple Watch or Samsung Galaxy Watch.

(For the record, I prefer the Venu over the Apple Watch.)

The Garmin Venu 3 did a decent job of this, but it always felt a little plasticky for the money, in my opinion. And so the Venu 4 is Garmin's answer to that. It's got a full stainless steel case, a brighter AMOLED display, a built-in flashlight, dual-frequency GPS, and a raft of new health features.

Sadly, it's also considerably more expensive than its predecessor, but then again, Garmin watches won't come cheap, would they? I've been wearing it for the past few weeks during runs, gym sessions, squash, and cycling, as well as in everyday life, to see if the upgrades justify the price bump. Here's my take.

Garmin Venu 4 review

Price and availability

The Venu 4 is available to buy now from Garmin's official web store in 41mm and 45mm sizes, priced from £469.99 in the UK. In the US, it's $549.99, and Australian buyers are looking at AU$949. That's a notable jump from the Venu 3, which launched at £399 / $449.99 / AU$749.

If you shop around, deals are already appearing. At the time of writing, Amazon had the 45mm model for around £380, which takes some of the sting out of the wallet-busting price.

For context, the Apple Watch Series 11 starts at £369, and the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8 starts at £319, both of which offer stronger smart features but far weaker battery life.

Within Garmin's own lineup, the similarly priced Forerunner 570 (459.99 / $549.99 / AU$999) is more sport-focused, while the older Venu 3 can now be found for considerably less and still shares a lot of the same DNA.

Specifications

• Screen: 1.4-inch AMOLED, 454 x 454, up to 2,000 nits
• Case Material: Stainless steel with polymer back
• Water Resistance: 5ATM (50m)
• Battery Life: Up to 12 days (smartwatch mode)
• Sports Modes: 80+
• Smart Features: Notifications, Garmin Pay, offline music, voice assistant, calls
• Price: £469.99 / $549.99 / AU$949

Design and build quality

Design is where the Venu 4 makes its best impression. Garmin has moved from a largely plastic case to stainless steel for both the bezel and the body, and the difference is obvious from the get-go. It feels nice and premium on the wrist, closer to an everyday wearable than a triathlon watch, and the Slate colourway I tested is understated enough that it doesn't look out of place with non-sporty attire.

My review model came with a brown leather strap option, which transformed the whole thing and ensured the watch doesn't look out of place on less fitnessy days, like when worn with a shirt. Its minimal design means it passes as a regular watch.

Pop the silicone band back on for a run, and it's right back to being a serious training tool again. It's this versatility that the Venu line has been chasing for years, and, in my opinion, this fourth-gen model nails it.

Although it's the 1.4-inch AMOLED display on the 45mm model that's the standout feature. It’s bright, vibrant and sharp, with Garmin quoting up to 2,000 nits of peak brightness. In daily use, I had no trouble reading it outdoors in direct sunlight, and the always-on option looks the part if you're happy sacrificing a few days of battery life.

One new addition I've come to appreciate on the Venu 4 is the built-in LED flashlight, which sits on the top edge of the case. It sounds like a gimmick until you find yourself trying to get into your door at night or fumbling for a light switch after a post-dusk run. Having this torch on your wrist feels like a really sensible feature by Garmin, since you’re less likely to have your phone’s torch to hand during these times.

Another thing I love about the Venu 4 is how comfortable it is. The watch sits nicely on the wrist, doesn't feel too heavy despite the steel, and can be worn to bed without any complaints. The 5ATM water resistance covers swimming, showers and general weather, so you can basically leave it on all the time, apart from when you need to charge it, obviously.

My one main design grumble is that Garmin has dropped from three physical buttons to two, which means you're more reliant on the touchscreen for navigation. That's fine at a desk, but mid-workout with sweaty fingers, it can feel a bit fiddly. But I guess the bigger, more vibrant screen makes up for this somewhat.

Features and performance

If you've used a Garmin before, you'll know the brand doesn't mess about when it comes to fitness tracking, and the Venu 4 is no different. This is still, at its core, a seriously capable fitness and health tracker that happens to look more like a lifestyle smartwatch.

Dual-frequency GPS is the headline upgrade here, bringing the Venu 4 in line with Garmin's running watches in terms of positioning accuracy. In my runs, it locked on within seconds and tracked routes reliably, even under tree cover where cheaper GPS setups tend to wobble.

Heart rate tracking from the Elevate V5 sensor was consistent and accurate during steady runs and gym sessions, with only minor drift during high-intensity intervals.

Garmin's health and fitness ecosystem remains one of the most detailed on the market. You get Body Battery for energy monitoring, Training Readiness to tell you whether to push or rest, sleep tracking with the new sleep alignment metric, and over 80 built-in sport modes.

There's also the new Health Status feature, which monitors heart rate, HRV, respiration, SpO2 and skin temperature during sleep, flagging when something seems off. It's still tagged as beta, but it's already useful enough to glance at each morning.

As a general day-to-day smartwatch, the Venu 4 is perfectly fine rather than exceptional. Notifications come through clearly; you can take calls on your wrist via the built-in speaker and mic; and there's offline music support for Spotify and YouTube Music.

However, there's no proper app store, so no LTE, and Garmin Pay bank support is still patchy in the UK. If you want a watch that can genuinely stand in for your phone, you'll probably be better off with an Apple Watch Series 11 or Galaxy Watch 8 Classic instead.

Battery life, on the other hand, is where the Venu 4 is miles ahead. Garmin quotes up to 12 days in smartwatch mode, and in my experience, that's realistic.

With a few workouts per week, the always-on display off, and regular notifications, I was getting about nine or so days between charges. Even with always-on display enabled, I managed about four to five days. For anyone coming from an Apple Watch, that will feel a bit insane, but in a good way.

One thing that still baffles me about the Venu 4 - and new Garmin watches in general - is that they still use the brand's proprietary charging cable, which is a real pain in the socket when everything else in your life is juiced via USB-C.

It's not a deal-breaker, but it is annoying and means packing yet another cable when you travel. Sigh.

Verdict

It's fair to say that the Garmin Venu 4 is the most complete lifestyle smartwatch Garmin has ever made. The stainless steel build looks and feels genuinely premium, the display is superb, and the fitness and health tracking is among the best you'll find on any wrist. What’s more, the battery life is in a completely different league to that found on competing Apple and Samsung devices.

Still, this watch is not without its compromises. Many of the smart features are still a step behind what you'd get from a proper smartwatch, the proprietary charger is a bit annoying, and the price jump from the Venu 3 is hard to swallow, especially when you can still pick up the older model for significantly less.

Regardless, if you want a watch that tracks your training properly, looks good enough for most occasions, and doesn't need charging every other day, the Venu 4 is a very easy smartwatch to recommend. Just try and grab it while it’s on sale if you can.

Garmin just posted one of its strongest quarters in years. The company says it saw “strength in many product categories… including wearables, which were a significant contributor to consolidated growth,” pointing to a surge in demand for its smartwatches and fitness devices.

Garmin’s fitness segment grew 42% year-on-year, driven by what it calls “strong demand for advanced wearables,” with strong interest across its entire range, from entry-level running watches through to high-end multisport watches.

"Advanced wearables" are driving everything

Garmin’s definition of “advanced wearables” is broader than you might expect and includes most of its core watch lineup, covering devices with GPS, app support and deeper training insights.

The company says growth is driven by higher unit volumes and market share gains, suggesting Garmin is selling more watches overall, not just newer models.

Garmin appears increasingly comfortable playing in the same space as mainstream smartwatches, without losing its edge in fitness and outdoor performance.

Teasing the new flagship

The outdoor segment dipped slightly this quarter, largely because last year’s numbers were boosted by the launch of the Instinct 3. At the same time, the company noted that its Fenix line still performed well despite those tough comparisons, potentially thanks to permanent price cuts.

More importantly, Garmin expects stronger performance later in the year, driven by the timing of upcoming product launches.

Garmin tends to hold back in the first half of the year before rolling out bigger updates later on, and with demand for premium wearables clearly intact, the conditions look right for the new Fenix 9 to drop sometime later this year.

A world beyond smartwatches

“We are planning to launch even more new products throughout the year, including some that represent new categories for Garmin,” the company said.

That’s a big statement, especially with rumours about products such as the Cirqa band circling online.

“Customers want choices when it comes to devices, especially those that they wear… we see this as expanded opportunity for everyone,” the company added, suggesting it’s not overly concerned about new competitors entering the wearable space.

The brand continues to push connected features, including messaging, safety tools and satellite communication (a.k.a. inReach), across more devices.

As the company puts it, “the obvious point of those devices with the connectivity hardware is to use the services… I would expect to see more of those kinds of products coming to market in the future.”

That opens the door to entirely new types of wearables: not just watches, but potentially screenless trackers, smart rings or other connected devices designed to plug into Garmin’s growing ecosystem.

The bigger picture

Garmin’s latest results show a company building from a position of strength.

Demand for its watches is rising across the board, its premium models continue to hold their appeal, and its ecosystem is expanding into messaging, health and connectivity.

Plus, the company says it serves customers who prioritise health and active lifestyles, a group it believes is “probably a little more resilient than what the average reporting out there is.”

That gives Garmin room to push further, both with high-end devices like the next Fenix and with entirely new product categories.

Head over to Garmin for more info.

Amazfit has launched a new high-end running watch for a price tag that puts Garmin's mid-range Forerunners to shame.

The Cheetah 2 Pro weighs under 46g and uses a titanium case paired with sapphire glass, a combination more commonly seen on higher-priced Garmin watches, such as the Epix Pro (even though that only has an MIP display).

The 1.32-inch AMOLED display reaches up to 3,000 nits of brightness (Apple Watch Ultra 3 territory), and there’s even a built-in LED flashlight for low-light conditions (ala Garmin Fenix 8).

The successor of the well-received Cheetah Pro uses a dual-antenna GPS system for improved accuracy and includes new training metrics, such as lactate threshold and running economy assessments.

During races, the watch can also provide real-time projected finish times, a feature typically associated with more established performance-focused running watches.

The company positions the device as a full training companion with built-in programmes covering distances up to the marathon, and its Zepp Coach AI adapts plans based on fitness level and progress.

Post-run analysis includes training load, recovery time, and comparative insights against previous sessions, as well as metrics such as stride time and range of motion.

Battery life has also been extended, too, with Amazfit claiming up to 20 days of use under typical training conditions, based on around five to six (!) workouts per week.

Beyond running, the Cheetah 2 Pro supports over 170 sports modes, including strength training, and can automatically detect exercises and highlight the muscle groups engaged during workouts.

Recovery tracking includes heart rate variability, sleep quality, and cumulative fatigue, with Amazfit’s BioCharge feature providing real-time energy-level indicators throughout the day.

The watch integrates with a wide range of third-party platforms, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, Komoot and intervals.icu.

The Amazfit Cheetah 2 Pro is available now at Amazfit UK, Amazfit EU, and selected retailers, with a recommended retail price of £450 / €450 (~$530 / AU$740).

It’s been a while since we have seen a Fitbit branded fitness tracker appear on the market. The last one to launch that kept the Fitbit name separate from Google was 2023's Fitbit Charge 6. However, rumours have been swirling for a couple of months regarding a new Fitbit tracker, with the latest speculation only appearing last week.

Now we have yet more evidence on a new Fitbit tracker, with 9to5Google not only claiming to know what the device will be branded, but a couple of the features it will offer too.

What do we know about the Fitbit Air?

According to the site, the Fitbit device that has been seen on the wrist of NBA star Steph Curry in videos and social media campaigns will go by the name "Google Fitbit Air".

You will notice the Google name creeping in, but the Fitbit name is also present, making it different from the likes of the Pixel Watch 4. That has no mention of Fibit in the product name despite offering the Fitbit software experience.

And speaking of the software, the 9to5Google report also goes on to say there will be a move away from Fitbit Premium (the subscription service that delivers AI features to Fitbit and Google wearables), with Google said to be rebranding the service as Google Health.

The site went on to add that the personal health coach that is currently in public preview and known only as "coach", will be called Google Health Coach when it launches officially.

There’s currently no word on exactly when the Google Fitbit Air device will launch, but it is expected within a few weeks. With Curry having now teased it multiple times, it surely can’t be too far away.

It’s been a while since we’ve had a new Fitbit launch. After being bought by Google in 2021, there have certainly been fewer launches than there once were. If you don’t count the Pixel Watch models, the last official Fitbit to launch was the Fitbit Charge 6, which landed in 2023.

But, it looks like that could change soon. It’s previously been reported that Google is working on a screen-less Fitbit, not too dissimilar from Whoop, after the band has been seen multiple times on Google’s Performance Advisor Steph Curry's social media videos.

What else do we know about this new Fitbit device?

A report by Droid-Life back in January noted that Curry had been wearing the device since the start of the year, in a grey and orange colour way. Based on those images and videos, it appears to be rather slim – around the same width as the Fitbit Alta. And based on what I can tell, it's slightly slimmer than the likes of Whoop.

A subsequent report by 9to5Google has since claimed that the unannounced device continues to be hidden in plain sight. The band looks like it will be similar to Google’s Performance Band for Pixel Watch in terms of finish and materials, but without the watch element.

There is something a little extra adding to the tease for this new device, too: an image of the Fitbit app running on a Pixel phone has appeared in a behind-the-scenes vlog ahead of the NBA All-Star Weekend.

It was again spotted by 9to5Google and shows a "Live Data" screen. This displays Fitbit’s Cardio Load metric, alongside heart rate, energy burned and elapsed time, but there is no extra context at present.

For now, there is no word on exactly when this new Fitbit band might launch, but it’s certainly being teased more and more.

I love my Oura Ring 4. It’s one of the few wearables I have on me continuously. I appreciate many of its features, from its sleep-tracking prowess to its automatic exercise recognition. It won’t push my Garmin watch off my wrist for active training, but for anything else, I often recommend the Oura to anyone unsure which wearable to choose.

Despite its many excellent qualities, the Oura's smart ring system has one big flaw: stress tracking. Stress is one of the big factors that the algorithm takes into consideration when calculating how well you’ve recovered and how well you’ve slept. It even affects how the app evaluates your diet.

In short, inaccurate stress levels can have a huge impact on your key scores in Oura, which is extremely frustrating, given that the system doesn’t seem to understand what stress actually is. Sure, when you read the descriptions, Oura will say it looks for signs of physical stress, and that some physical stress is good.

For example, exercise is physical stress, and we all know exercise in moderation is good for you. You can push your body too far with exercise, but if you aren’t going crazy, some cardio and strength training will do you good. Oura knows this, which is why it’s so strange how it handles physical stress.

When ‘rest’ isn’t actually rest

As I mentioned above, Oura automatically recognises certain exercises, such as running, walking, cycling, housework, and so on. I find it pretty accurate, at least the way it knows when an exercise starts and finishes. If you go for a walk, the ring will know, and when you stop, it will cease tracking the exercise.

It’s almost too accurate. If I’m out walking and stop to buy a coffee or pop to a shop to have a look around, it will break the exercise into two parts, with the section in between considered non-exercise. Also, as soon as the exercise has concluded, the algorithm will assume you’ve immediately recovered.

And this is where the problem lies. The body doesn’t work like this. If I’m out on a walk and stop for five minutes, my heart rate won’t drop to its resting level. If I go for a run, my body will warm up, and my heart and respiratory rates will remain elevated for a good while after the exercise concludes.

In Oura’s world, movement defines everything

Oura, seemingly, doesn’t care. If you aren’t exercising, you’re resting, so your vitals should hover near your sleeping average. Otherwise, you are ‘stressed’, or if the algorithm has a better day, ‘engaged’. In Oura’s world, there is no recovery period, and exercise only exists exactly as long as you’re moving.

Worse still, if you exercise in the morning – maybe a quick walk or jog before work – the algorithm seems to get stuck for the rest of the day, thinking if you start your day stressed, then you should be stressed for the rest of the day. The same goes for exercising after work, which often leaves my stress level at least ‘engaged’ before bed.

This is majorly counterproductive. First, if my ring thinks I’m stressed throughout the day, it will think I don’t recover from stress well, which will knock down my long-term stress management score. Basically, my ring thinks I’m stressed, and I can’t handle stress. Not good.

Exercise shouldn’t feel like a penalty

Secondly, the app not understanding exercise-related stress only discourages me from working out. I had a sciatica issue for months, which prevented me from exercising. As a result, my stress level has dropped significantly – even though work is just as stressful as it’s always been – and my stress management score has also improved.

If I didn’t know any better, I might conclude that exercise is bad for me. And it’s not just me; many people I talk to who use the ring say stress tracking has been off for them, too. A real pain because otherwise the system would be near-perfect.

The good news is that it would be easy to sort this issue. You don’t need any hardware tweak, just an adjustment of the machine learning algorithm (says the person who never trained AI). All Oura has to do is treat pre- and post-exercise vitals differently from everyday stuff.

Smarter context, not more data

I don’t need Garmin-level exercise tracking, but Oura should at least account for recovery heart rate and treat quick breaks in workouts as part of that workout. No, I didn’t have a 35-minute, 27-minute, and 28-minute run back-to-back with three 3-minute breaks in between. I went for an hour and a half, and I had to stop to drink or take a gel or let cars pass.

If Oura could sort this out, I would be the happiest person. Considering how much health and fitness data the company must be sitting on, I assume it wouldn’t take too long to find a way to better handle exercise stress. And when it will, I can finally exercise without upsetting the algorithm.

Garmin might not have launched a new smartwatch this week, but it has quietly given its existing lineup something arguably more interesting

The brand has released three new Porsche watch faces via its Connect IQ Store, bringing a touch of Stuttgart styling to compatible Garmin watches.

And unlike a new Fenix or Forerunner, this is one upgrade you can apply in seconds.

The collaboration is inspired by Porsche’s design legacy, with each watch face taking cues from the brand’s distinctive aesthetic and motorsport heritage.

The Porsche Heritage face goes down the classic route, offering an analogue-style layout complete with the famous crest and red accents.

It’s the most traditional of the trio, but still packs customisable data fields and progress bars to keep it firmly in Garmin territory.

If you prefer something sportier, the Porsche Racing face takes inspiration from the legendary Porsche 917, with a bold digital layout that feels closer to a dashboard than a dress watch.

It’s clean, legible and unmistakably performance-focused, blending Garmin’s data-first approach with a more stylised presentation.

Last but not least, the Porsche Pure face features subtle branding, muted tones and just enough red detailing to tie it back to the wider collection.

It’s arguably the most versatile of the three, especially if you want something that looks premium without shouting about it.

A different kind of upgrade

Garmin has been relatively quiet on the hardware front so far this year, with rumours swirling around future launches rather than confirmed releases.

These new watch faces show the brand is still finding ways to keep its ecosystem fresh in the meantime.

If you’ve ever wanted your training watch to feel a bit more premium, this might be the simplest upgrade you’ll make all year.

You can download the Porsche Heritage (Crest) face here.

You can download the Porsche Racing (917 Salzburg) face here.

You can download the Porsche Pure (Wordmark) face here.

Garmin has been suspiciously quiet so far in 2026, a stark contrast to last year, when the brand was on a mission to launch a new product every week. That might be an exaggeration, but being the person in charge of testing Garmin watches, I was pretty busy in 2025.

This year, however, we have mostly had rumours. Everyone's talking about the Cirqua band, the new screenless wearable, which may or may not launch soon. A Whoop-rival band is right on trend, with more people looking for less distracting wearables to track their health and fitness.

I haven't seen a ton of rumours, but 2026 is supposed to be the year Garmin releases the successor of the Fenix 8 Pro, which landed a bit softer than anticipated. The world's first MicroLED smartwatch (it also comes in an AMOLED version) was probably too expensive and had too few unique features for people to consider the upgrade.

It would make sense for Garmin to launch the Fenix 9 with a MicroLED option, but what I’m more interested in is longevity. Even though MicroLED isn’t supposed to drain power, the Fenix 8 Pro offered the shortest runtime of any recent Fenix model.

Even AMOLED Fenix models have shorter battery life than their MIP counterparts, especially those with solar charging. If Garmin could find a way to marry an AMOLED Fenix with its Power Glass technology, that would be a game-changer.

Garmin’s secret weapon for endurance

For the uninitiated, Power Glass is Garmin’s take on solar charging. It’s a transparent layer built into the display that harvests sunlight and turns it into extra runtime, helping compatible watches last significantly longer between charges.

It's not a cheap technology, and it can't outpace the battery drain of AMOLED panels, which is why Garmin hasn't launched an AMOLED + Power Glass watch – yet. It's been years, though, since we've seen a major upgrade to the Power Glass, so it wouldn't be unimaginable to see a new version launch on the Fenix 9.

Garmin operates similarly to Apple, often leading with new innovations while the rest of the industry follows a few years behind. For example, most companies have only recently started adding physical LED lights to their watches, even though Garmin has had this feature for years.

A smarter, faster Fenix

We may or may not see the Power Glass on the Fenix 9, but rumour has it that there are other new features coming. Garmin is expected to continue pushing MicroLED, but in a more mature form than what we saw on the Fenix 8 Pro. That likely means a thinner build and better power management.

The Fenix 9 is widely expected to get a long-overdue processor upgrade. The company has been using variations of the same chipset for a while, so a new platform could bring faster performance, smoother mapping and improved efficiency across the board.

Health and fitness tracking will likely see more incremental improvements rather than headline-grabbing features. A next-generation heart rate sensor is expected, alongside continued work on more advanced insights around recovery and overall health trends.

Garmin has also been investing heavily in its software ecosystem, so more personalised coaching, smarter training recommendations and deeper integration with its Connect platform are all on the cards.

Beyond that, improved multi-band GPS performance, smarter satellite connectivity and small design tweaks, including the possibility of a thinner case or new input methods, have all been mentioned.

The real reason to wait for Fenix 9

For me, though, the biggest upgrade would be the Power Glass update. I can only assume the price will be astronomical, but if the Fenix 9 can crack the AMOLED/Power Glass conundrum, that'd be worth the money.

The Garmin Fenix 9 is expected to land in the second half of 2026, most likely around late summer.

Oura may be working on a way to address one of the biggest limitations of smart rings, according to a newly published patent.

A recent filing with the United States Patent and Trademark Office describes a smart ring design with an interchangeable battery module.

The new approach would offer a potential alternative to the sealed constructions used in all smart devices from major manufacturers to date, including the Oura Ring 4.

A detachable outer ring section

The patent outlines a system in which the battery is housed in a removable outer portion of the ring, rather than being permanently embedded in the device.

This outer section could be detached and replaced when needed, with the filing describing the use of magnetic attachments and conductive contacts to maintain both physical stability and electrical connection.

The design would allow users to swap out depleted batteries without replacing the entire ring, something that is not currently possible with most smart rings on the market.

A potential shift for the category

Battery degradation remains a key limitation across the smart ring category.

Devices such as the Samsung Galaxy Ring and competing models from other brands typically use sealed batteries that cannot be replaced by the user.

Over time, this can lead to reduced battery life and, eventually, the need to replace the entire device.

Smart ring brands – and Oura, in particular – are pretty good at replacing their ailing wearables quickly, but it would save a lot of shipping costs if people could replace batteries at home.

A modular approach, as described in the patent, could extend product lifespan and reduce electronic waste, while also lowering the long-term cost of ownership.

That said, smartphones used to have replaceable batteries, which led third-party companies to produce cheaper batteries for certain models.

These units were not only more prone to overheating but also compromised the devices' performance.

If Oura decides to go down the replaceable-battery avenue, it also needs to find a way to ensure people won't use low-quality cells and then blame Oura for the issues they cause.

No confirmation of release

As with all patent filings, there is no confirmation that the design will be implemented in a future product.

However, the publication offers an indication of how Oura is exploring longer-term hardware solutions, as competition in the smart ring market continues to grow.

For now, devices like the Oura Ring 4 remain sealed units, but that may not always be the case.

[via NotebookCheck]