PSA: Garmin Fenix 5X, 5X Plus Smartwatch

[1000-oaks]

Must be a pre-Black Friday deal, basically the used price for a new 5X.
Garmin Fenix 5X Sapphire - Slate Gray with Black Band
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus (refurbished)

Like my 6X a lot, but realistically someone could save a whole lot of cash if they just bought a 5X and a separate MP3 mini-player, unless you really need the Pulse Ox sensor and topos in the 6X. Looks like the 5X Plus has almost the same features as the 6X, but is thicker and has less memory and less battery life.

[juanrogera]

Thanks for the heads up. Good prices!
I'll be upgrading from a Fenix 3HR. Now to decide between the Fenix 5 and Fenix 5X...
Off to read online review. Would be interested in thoughts from folks 'round here that have upgraded.

[zartagen]

Love my fenix 5x. Upgraded from a Suunto traverse when another PSA for refurbs was posted here. The wrist heart rate is pretty good 90% of the time when I check my against my pulse. It does sometimes read consistently too low or too high over the course of an activity, but I don't expect that much from a wrist HR monitor. Love having a topo map on my wrist. The button navigation is pretty intuitive. I do have to calibrate the altitude manually pretty frequently even when running GPS tracking. A few times, it has made me think I was wayyy closer to the top of a hike than I actually was. Battery lasts 2 weeks+ with frequent GPS recording. All in all, I think it's a great watch.

I only have the Suunto traverse to compare it with but the 5x was far and away better in every way.

[TWODIEFOUR]

Thanks for the heads up. Good prices!
I'll be upgrading from a Fenix 3HR. Now to decide between the Fenix 5 and Fenix 5X...
Off to read online review. Would be interested in thoughts from folks 'round here that have upgraded.

Definitely go 5X if you can...mapping features and display alone are worth the upgrade

[1000-oaks]

The new 5X for $299 deal expired, but the refurb 5X Plus is still $370.

[alfajores]

Software on the 6 is superior. I had the 5x plus and now a 6 sapphire and can’t stress enough about how much better the on wrist software is in the 6 series.

If you just want to track and dont care about the unit as a watch, there are less expensive Garmins to look at. If you can find a 5/plus for less than an Instinct, go for it.

The X series width really rubbed and knocked my wrist bones and I would say I have small wrists. I think it makes the most sense in over the sleeve use for mountaineering when you want bigger visuals, but you lose a ton of functions and would need the HRM band to recover some of those.

If you have specific questions between the two, let me know.

[davjr96]

Side note: 2 (3?) years ago when I ordered my Fenix 5 off of Amazon I received the APAC version. Googling around It seems they mix stock in their warehouse. The only functional difference is later firmware updates than the US version but still annoying. Sometime to look out for when you receive one from Amazon.

[toastybroski]

I got a factory refurbed 5 plus titanium sapphire for $330. Pretty sure that deal is still out there on ebay. Really was hoping for a 6 but it was over 2x the price and I am pretty happy. Surprisingly I use the mapping features all the time so I am glad I didn't go with the basic 6.

[1000-oaks]

I haven't bit the bullet on the more detailed regional maps from Garmin for the 6X yet, they sure don't give them away.