this post was submitted on 05 Aug 2025
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I have a Garmin watch. Lasts 2+ weeks on a charge depending on how I use it.
Ive heard it works with solar too? Does it stop working after a certain timeperiod of just go into low power mode until it gets enough sun?
I don't know about the lesser Garmin models but I have a Fenix 6 Pro Solar and there isn't enough panel surface area on it to indefinitely power the watch. Garmin only state that it "extends" the battery life by a few days. I haven't tested it to see if you power the thing off completely if it will refill the battery from dead by any meaningful amount but I suspect not.
Not all of them have the solar option. In fact, very few of their lineup do.
Also: Garmin recently enshittified by simultaneously adding an AI slop component that works by taking all of your recorded fitness and location data and doing gods know what with it, as well as a paid subscription tier to their obligatory smartphone app -- the latter after explicitly promising for many years that they wouldn't. So not only is their hardware expensive (and their owners are now rightly pissed), they're also liars. I would not give them any money until they shape up, if I were you. Assuming they ever do...
Gadgetbridge works with most Garmin models. I have the Instinct 2 Solar and have never created a Garmin account or downloader the app.
It does not work with either my Fenix 6 Pro Solar (specifically that one, other Fenix 6 variants are listed as working) nor the Forerunner 230 that somebody just gave me. Both of which are a drag, and I can't be arsed with learning how to add my own support right now at this minute.
Honestly, I've just been using my Fenix unconnected and it's really surprising all it can still do. The only function I don't have that I cared about was receiving notifications. The sensors and topo map and all still work fine and you can even still track rides and hikes, but you have to offload thr GPX tracks via USB and figure out what to so with them yourself.
It's almost like the dumbass limitations of the app are all just artificial, to the surprise of absolutely no one.
Yeah it's a shame the path Garmin is going :(
I had one with solar and one without, I think the solar is mostly useless.
It only takes a short time to charge it up with the USB charger (proprietary charger, FYI) so I don't think it really matters.
The good Garmins last 2 and half months no charge. An hour in the sun adds a week. Ink display and solar glass. It's awesome. In the smart watch health space garmin is second to none. Especially so for battery.
As a current Garmin user I really like a lot of the features of the Garmin but the app for smart watch health tracking is atrocious and some of the values you get are clearly wrong like it recording my resting heart rate at 15 bps lower than it actually is.
The battery life is still insane which makes things like sleep tracking really nice
I and my family have had Garmin's like the venu line for years and I am in the hospital all the time. I've tested mine against the polar h10 and multiple medical tests and during times of Hospital stays for lengths of time. Mine has always been accurate and within a beat or two in the heart rate and a single percentage or 2 on pulse ox.
Garmin has fantastic customer service. Perhaps updating your device, or contacting them for an exchange would be worth while. All their watches I have had, seen, have been accurate. I'm not refuting what your saying just trying to give my perspective.
You can also set to track every second vs the default smart tracking every few minutes. Switch wrists as everyones vein layouts are better or worse to get a reading, keep it snug but not tight and not loose the sensor shouldnt indent your skin. Hope any of this helps. Don't settle for subpar results or experience. They make good equipment IME.
I didn’t try actually contacting customer service about it but from talking to other people it has to do with how the watch moves around during exercise that gives the false readings. If I just sit still and compare to a pulse oximeter it stays pretty close but if I am biking or walking around the values change drastically. Then for some reason while when I sit down or lay in bed my heart rate is around 65 it says my resting heart rate is in the 50s
It seems like a reading issues rather than a hardware issue. Try placing the sensor on the inside if your wrist where the skin is softer and veins are more prevalent. Also play with the tightness and fitment location up or down a little. Go to settings turn data to gather every second. Update the hardware and apps during syncing with phone or wifi. I know mine can be off under vigorous fan biking where your really thrashing your arms. But it's fairly accurate any other time. I'd like to note the resting heart rate also appears to be an average of sleeping and awake values as an average. I've noticed mine doing that same thing. My resting us regularly in the mid 50s with slight variations.
If you do intensive exercises or more moving than otherwise a watch on your wrist could reasonably keep up with. I highly recommend pairing a Polar H10 (roughly 100 usd) strap to your garmin and that's hospital/lab grade accurate. Pairs right to the watch and nothing else is needed, syncs the data accurately and to connect app as usual. 400 hour battery life, adjustable, comfortable. Check it out. Good luck.