Garmin provides more of its smartwatches with a transparent solar panel

Garmin has announced new variants of its Instinct, fēnix 6, and tactix Delta watches. These are Solar Editions that are equipped with a transparent solar panel to extend the battery life. The cheapest model costs 400 euros.

Gamin claims that the Instinct Solar watches have an ‘unlimited’ battery life with sufficient sunlight, if the Battery Saver mode is used. In the Expedition Mode, where GPS functionality is available, the solar panel should provide a battery life of more than two months. In Smartwatch mode, the battery must last 24 days indoors and more than 50 days outdoors. The watch features a Power Manager that allows users to switch between modes to save energy.

Compared to the existing Instinct watches, the new Instinct Solar models also have an extra sensor: a pulse oximeter to measure the oxygen level in the blood. It can be used for altitude acclimatization or sleep monitoring. With a price of 400 euros, the Garmin Instinct Solar is the cheapest watch with a transparent solar panel.

Last year, the manufacturer added the solar panel to its fēnix 6X Pro Solar for the first time , the top model in the fēnix series that currently costs around 850 euros. Garmin is now also adding the transparent solar panel to new fēnix 6 and 6S models, with prices starting at € 750. The watches are also the same as their predecessors.

Gamin also presents the tactix Delta Solar Edition. That top model costs at least 1100 euros. The renewed Garmin watches will be available from the third quarter of this year. The transparent solar panel is in all cases incorporated in the glass of the watches, which Garmin calls Power Glass.