New Garmin update, everyone! I hope you're excited, I sure am, especially since I have a Fenix 6 Pro Titanium wrapped around my wrist as I type these words about a Fenix 6 update that adds and improves features without me having to pay a single penny. That's the good value for money I like!
And it's not just the Garmin Fenix 6 Pro that'll get the updates: other outdoor watches in the Garmin range, such as the Garmin Enduro and the brutally beautiful Garmin MARQ will also receive the same updates. Funnily enough, none of these watches is particularly cheap but even before this update, they were chock full of features, some of which will be even more accurate now.
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How to install the latest Garmin update
Updates should be downloaded automatically, you don't need to do anything.
My best advice is to pop on the watch on charge overnight and leave your phone near the watch. Usually, notifications about Garmin updates appear on my watch in the morning, suggesting Garmin sends updates during hours when people generally charge their wearables.
What features are included in the latest Garmin update?
The new Garmin updated adds the rate of perceived exertion (RPE) and feel feature to all watches. After a workout, you can record how hard it was and how it felt. These subjective ratings are then uploaded to Garmin Connect as part of the activity. Telling the algorithm how hard the workout was will help it assess your workout load more precisely.
The update also improves the Intensity Minutes and Fitness Age features. The excellent Garmin Venu 2 has both of these improved features already, but now they've rolled out to other Garmin watches.
Intensity Minutes is similar to Fitbit's Active Zone Minutes: the watch tracks heart rate 24/7 and records activities that elevate the heart rate, even when you aren't doing a workout. These Intensity Minutes are then added up to see if you achieve your weekly goal, set to 150 minutes by default.
Fitness age estimates the body’s “fitness age” using chronological age, activity, resting heart rate and BMI or body fat percentage. It also adds recommendations for decreasing fitness age through suggested activities. I used to love having a fitness age 15 years younger than my biological age, but those days are sadly gone: now I can only knock off a few years tops.
Finally, the update adds new Activity Challenges and Badges, downloadable through the Garmin Connect app. You can download Garmin Connect Challenges here. Virtual badges and achievements can help you stay motivated in the long run, especially since they are displayed on your profile for everyone to see.
Want to buy a new Garmin watch? Have a look at the best Garmin watch deals or pick a deal from the list below. For research purposes, I'd recommend reading through T3's best running watch, best outdoor watch and best triathlon watch guides too.
