- Garmin has released an update to its smartwatches and cycling computers
- Garmin watches get 3D maps and better health metrics
- In the meantime, cycle computers gained a wide range of new functions
Garmin has just released a huge update to some of its best smartwatches, including the Vivoactive 6, Forerunner 570 and Venu X1, as well as several cycling computers like the Edge 540 and 1050. That makes it a broad upgrade that should affect a wide range of users.
What exactly does it cover? Well, Garmin says the new features “can help customers monitor their overall well-being and take their cycling to the next level.” They cover both free and premium features, so there should be something for everyone.
For smartwatches, there’s a new “health status” feature that gives you long-term insight into how your well-being is holding up. Garmin says this includes metrics such as “heart rate, HRV, respiration, skin temperature and Pulse Ox while you sleep.”
With Health Status, you can quickly see if these stats are drifting away from their usual range – if they are, it could indicate that your body is more stressed than usual, which could be related to illness, physical activity or something else. This information can be viewed on your Garmin smartwatch or in the Garmin Connect app.
The update also includes a fresh premium feature: 3D maps in Garmin Connect. Instead of relying on plain old 2D map views, you can now enjoy 3D topographical maps for activity routes, courses and trails. It should give you a clearer view of your surroundings while browsing your logged activities, custom courses and individual trails in Garmin Trails. Note that you must use a paid Garmin Connect+ plan for the 3D map feature.
Updates to cycling computers
There are also a number of free features for users of Garmin cycling computers. It includes smart prompts that remind you to resume and refuel during an ongoing power guide or workout. Each prompt is based on your current fitness level and course difficulty, as well as heat and humidity levels.
Bike computers now also get a real-time weather overlay, plus gear ratio analysis and GroupRide data comparisons that evaluate your stats against other riders. And when you ride with a power meter, you’ll see recommended power targets based on endurance and wind power. These goals also consider altitude acclimatization when mountain biking.
All in all, these add-ons can help improve your experience with Garmin’s best smartwatches and bike computers. And since most of them are free, you shouldn’t have to fork out to use most of them either.
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