Garmin Fenix 5X Plus
By Garmin
The Garmin Fenix 5X does everything – and then some. The range of sports tracking is exhaustive and the new pulse ox acclimator gives it an edge in the outdoors – but it’s also more capable off the trail with features like Garmin Pay and music. Serious adventurers needn’t look any further, but for everyone else there’s probably a better fit elsewhere in the Fenix 5 Plus series line.
Hit
- Extensive sports tracking
- Garmin Pay and music
- New pulse oximeter sensor
Miss
- Mammoth size
- Expensive
- Still a bit ugly
As is tradition with the Garmin Fenix cycle, we don't expect we'll see the Garmin Fenix 6 until 2019. So for this year, Garmin is refreshing its trio of Fenix sports watches, with the Garmin Fenix 5X Plus topping out the range.
Yes, it's called the Plus because it's the 5X – plus a bit more. Until now, the 5X has been Garmin's most serious adventuring watch, packed to the gills with sports and outdoor features; you'd be hard pushed to find an activity it can't track.
Wareable verdict: Garmin Fenix 6X review
With the 5X Plus, Garmin is throwing in some smart features that give it parity with some of its other sports watches – Garmin Pay, music support – but doesn't improve matters as dramatically as the 5 Plus and 5S Plus, which also get the topographic map support that was previously only available on the Fenix 5X.
The 5X still supports an impressive range of activities, and the same top-of-the-shelf features, but there are a couple of new tools, like a pulse oximeter, that will certainly appeal to outdoor adventurers.
We've been living with the Fenix 5X Plus for a little while now – so here's our verdict on Garmin's latest outdoor sports watch.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus: Design
The 5X was a wrist colossus and the Plus is no more agreeable. Measuring 51mm across and 17.5mm thick, this remains unbeaten in size amidst Garmin's collection of sports watches. As someone who doesn't have the colossal wrists to match, this is a watch I very much notice I'm wearing, especially as it weighs 96g. It's heavy, which is particularly a problem when running as the watch moves around a lot, usually requiring me to tighten it more than I'd like.
Wareable verdict: Garmin Fenix 5 Plus review | Garmin Fenix 5S Plus review
Garmin's still embracing the industrial look, with those five face screws as proudly visible as ever. Everything here looks pretty much the same as the Fenix 5X. You've still got that 240 x 240 resolution display, and there are the same five buttons around the outside. Remember that unlike Garmin's other sports watches, the Fenix line doesn't make use of touchscreens, so they require more buttons for navigating.
On the back the 5X Plus emits the same three green lights, but this time with a new red light, which is the pulse oximeter for keeping an eye on blood oxygen saturation. We'll come to that in more detail in a bit.
With the improvements to design we're seeing in Garmin's other ranges, most notably the recent Vivoactive 3 Music, we expect the Fenix 6 range will get a cosmetic facelift. After all, with smart features like pay and music, Garmin's presenting these as all-day wear, so they need to look the part. The 5X Plus is proudly rugged and ready for the great outdoors, but it's still probably not a smartwatch you'll want to keep wearing once you're back at the foot of the mountain.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus: Sports tracking and mapping features
If the Fenix 5X Plus can't track it, you probably shouldn't be doing it. Garmin's Fenix range is exhaustive in its ability to track outdoors sports and activities – running, cycling, golfing, kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding, biking, skiing, yoga. That's just to name a few. There's even a pre-set activity for boating that will track your nautical speed. And if you somehow don't see your desired activity on there (seriously, what the hell are you doing?) you can make a custom one.
The Fenix 5S Plus offers the same package of sports and fitness features you'll find in the Fenix 5X, with the addition of pulse ox acclimation. Last year, the big reason to have chosen the 5X over the 5 or the 5S (the smaller of the range) was for topographical mapping, but the Plus range now brings maps to all the watches, meaning the 5X has less of an upper hand. The 5X Plus comes pre-installed with a Worldwide DEM Basemap, which displays information on major roads, cities etc, and topographical maps, which provide more details including contour lines.
Together they form a rich amount of data that hikers will be able to use to get a good sense of their location and nearby routes, aided by GPS, GLONASS and, new with the Plus watches, Galileo satellite tracking. This lineup makes the watch sturdier when tracking in more demanding environments, rather than relying on GPS alone.
We took this out for a hike ourselves and found the experience to be much as we found it on the 5X. In terms of tracking, you can either start a hike from the activity list or simply selection the 'Track me' option, which will just keep an eye on your time and distance. In fact, the mapping came in handy during one stretch where we were unsure about taking a slightly dicey looking path (and our phone was totally out of signal). A glance at the watch confirmed this would have been a bad idea, leading to a dead end, and offered us a safer alternative. When looking at the map, a long push of the menu button (middle left) will offer up the option to pan and zoom the map, should you want to explore more of the area or find yourself squinting to read it. After all, you're looking at an entire map on a watch here.
With the 5X Plus you can build a course right from the watch, which you can do by setting a point on the map or choosing a point of interest. For runners and cyclists, you can also set a round-trip course, specifying distance and direction, and the watch will crunch the numbers and mark out a route it thinks would be appropriate.
You can also use the map features to search for points of interest, although this feature isn't the easiest thing to use on the watch, and something you're probably only going to use if you have no phone service and find yourself lost in the wilderness, in need of lodging. If you're looking for entertainment, a services the 5X Plus provides, chances are you're better off just pulling out your phone. Or hey, maybe ask a local?
GPS accuracy in hiking has been mostly good, although certainly not perfect. You can see on the map above, to the far right, how it struggled with that corner and thought I was walking through the bushes. Oddly I was testing the Fenix 5S on the same trail and that proved to be a little more accurate in this instance.
As for running and heart rate accuracy, performance was on par with other Fenix 5 watches when tested with the trusty Polar H10 chest strap: good for the most part, but during more intense bursts the 5X Plus was lagging behind, taking longer to hit the highs and climb back down again. As you can see in the graph below, this meant the peaks and troughs were out by 5-7 BPM at times. It also made for some quite jittery lines.
The weight of the watch is also a problem during running, sometimes making it feel like it's making a bid for freedom, so you'll need to keep it nice and tight to ensure the heart rate readings are as accurate as possible.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus (top) vs Polar H10 chest strap (bottom)
Finally, it's worth adding that the Fenix 5X Plus also ticks off the fitness tracking basics like step count, calorie burn, floors climbed and all-day heart rate. There's also sleep tracking, which has just been bolstered by Garmin's advanced sleep tracking and stages insights, something Fitbit has been offering for a while. You'll now see something like this:
Garmin's now giving you a more detailed breakdown into deep, light and REM sleep. You can also see a graph of your movement through the night. Overall we've found the sleep tracking to be more accurate, which is great, but chances are you're not going to want to wear a watch this size to bed…
What is pulse ox acclimation?
The big new feature on the Garmin 5X Plus, not found on the other Plus watches, is what Garmin refers to as "pulse ox acclimation". Put simply, Garmin is using a pulse oximeter to take a measurement of your blood oxygen saturation (how much haemoglobin is carrying oxygen). If you've seen us talking about SpO2 before, it's the same thing. Measuring blood oxygen saturation can reveal many helpful insights, but while Fitbit is interested in using it for conditions like sleep apnea, Garmin has put it in the Fenix 5X Plus so you can keep an eye your saturation when scaling higher altitudes. This is what the new red light on the back of the 5X Plus is checking for.
Read this: Your running watch stats explained
Your saturation will be displayed as a percentage; the higher the number shown on the screen, the better. Most people need this saturation level to be at least 89% to stay healthy, and at sea level the human body operates to its best potential. But at higher altitudes the amount of oxygen in the air decreases, which can have an effect on someone's SpO2. The pulse ox acclimation feature is a way to see how your body is adjusting to higher altitudes by monitoring your blood oxygen levels.
We haven't been able to scale any great mountains with the 5X Plus yet, but we did take it out hiking on some hills to see what would happen. The Pulse oximeter displays as one of the widgets from the home screen, which can be scrolled to using the buttons on the left hand side. It can be set to take readings automatically or manually but – and here's the thing – it requires you to be incredibly still in order to get a read. This is because any slight movements can interfere with the sensor. That means there's a lot of holding your wrist out and "Doing the Biff" as you wait for a verdict. This is standard fare for using this technology, but a problem when you choose to have the watch take acclimation readings automatically, as when we checked there were large gaps between readings, presumably because we hadn't been still long enough at any point.
You can't add oxygen saturation to your data screens, so to see it while tracking an activity you'll need to have a hot key assigned to take you to your widgets. We were slightly concerned to see our saturation drop to 80% when we were up no higher than 300 feet, which seemed quite dramatic for that amount of elevation, but otherwise it's been steady around 98%. We're going to keep a close eye on this and continue to test it, and we'll update this review once we've spent some more time with this feature.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus: Smartwatch features
The Plus is also getting new features to use when you're not scaling great heights: music and Garmin Pay.
Garmin has been gradually adding music support to its sports watches, starting with the Forerunner 645 Music and more recently the Vivoactive 3 Music. That's now coming to the entire Fenix Plus line, letting you load music onto the watch and listen through Bluetooth headphones. As with the Vivoactive 3 Music there's enough room to sync around 500 songs, which can be uploaded using the desktop Garmin Express drag-n-drop method. Garmin also has support for iHeartRadio subscribers, letting users sync their playlists offline to the watch, while Deezer support is still incoming. No Spotify here, sadly.
Music can be accessed directly from the widget, but it can also be assigned to a hot key for when you're in the middle of an activity. Playback controls are pretty good on the watch, letting you pause, skip, shuffle, repeat and adjust the volume. You'll even see a little icon with the album art, and if you're streaming through your paired smartphone instead, you can choose to control the phone playback from the watch.
Garmin Pay, Garmin's smartwatch payment platform, is also now on the Fenix Plus line, meaning you can head out of the house and still buy that post-workout bottle of water – as long as the store supports NFC. This feature wasn't available to try at the time of review, but we'll be updating this once we've been able to test it to see if the experience is any different here.
Another thing we haven't yet been able to try is phone notifications, but the story hasn't changed much here. You'll be able to see notifications like texts and calls pop up on the watch, but this functionality isn't as good as you'll find on, say, the Apple Watch, especially if you're using an iPhone. If you're paired with an Android phone you can send canned quick replies from the watch.
Garmin Fenix 5X Plus: Battery life
Finally, battery life. Garmin's improved things here on the Plus, moving from an expected 20 hours of tracking with GPS on to 33 hours, and now 20 days in smartwatch mode compared to the 5X's 12 days. That's quite a leap up, and it'll be a welcome one for hikers who were disappointed by the 5X's inferior battery to the Fenix 5, despite it offering more for adventurers. Of course, there are now even more factors that can affect these numbers. Streaming music, for one thing, will diminish the battery faster, as will taking acclimation readings all through the day.
FAQs
How accurate is the GPS on Garmin Fenix 5x plus? ›
With a strong satellite signal, the GPS position reported by an outdoor watch should be accurate to 3 meters or 10 feet.
How durable is the Garmin Fenix 5? ›While not a lightweight, the Garmin Fenix 5x is made mostly of stainless steel for durability and, even after 3 years of serious abuse, my watch looks pretty much brand new unless closely inspected. The glass on the watch has no scratches, thanks to its upgraded sapphire crystal material (vs.
What is the difference between Garmin Fenix 5 Plus and 5x Plus? ›- The Fenix 5x Plus is Pulse Ox compatible while the Fenix 5 Plus is not. With that said, Pulse Ox is what you should look into when considering the Fenix 5 Plus or Fenix 5x Plus, as its an exclusive difference between the two models.
How accurate is the Fenix 5x? ›Accuracy. To test accuracy, we used each watch in our test to record two sets of two laps around the inside lane of a standard 1/4-mile running track. In 2017, the Fenix 5 measured an average 3% error. In our 2018 update, the Fenix 5 was bang-on each time.
How can I improve my Garmin Fenix 5 GPS accuracy? ›- Wait a Few Moments After Acquiring a GPS Signal. ...
- Turn on Auto Pause. ...
- Enable Every Second Recording. ...
- Enable Additional Satellite Settings. ...
- Use Distance and Speed Recording Accessories. ...
- Reduce Environmental Factors.
The Garmin GPSMAP 66st is at the top of its class in terms of accuracy and reliability, earning it our top honors. It boasts a powerful quad-helix antenna and reliably connects to more satellite networks with greater accuracy than most other models.
What is the lifespan of a Garmin watch? ›In terms of total lifespan, most GPS watches are lasting 7+ years. However, ALL GPS watches rely on rechargeable batteries, which do have a lifespan. One note I saw said that after 500 charges you may start to see a drop off in battery capacity.
Is Garmin Fenix overkill? ›More Than a Hiking Watch
There are hundreds of functions on the Fenix 7 and Epix. If you only need something for hiking, these watches are overkill.
Answer: Longer than most other smartwatch brands.
Luckily for you, Garmin watch batteries last a long time — and we mean a long time. At minimum, Garmin fitness and outdoor watches should be getting about a week of battery life before having to recharge, and at maximum you could be getting up to 50 days.
The display size has also increased with the fenix 6X at 35.56mm diameter while the fenix 5X plus had 30.4mm diameter. The new fenix 6 also has a better display resolution out 280x280 as opposed to 240x240 on the fenix 5. The other big hardware design difference is the glass on the Pro Solar models.
Does Fenix 5 Plus have oximeter? ›
The fēnix® 5X Plus device has a wrist-based pulse oximeter to gauge the saturation of oxygen in your blood. Knowing your oxygen saturation can help you determine how your body is acclimating to high altitudes for alpine sport and expedition.
Can you shower with fēnix 5X? ›Avoid pressing the keys under water. Keep the leather band dry. Avoid swimming or showering with the leather band. Exposure to water can damage the leather band.
Does the fēnix 5X have a thermometer? ›Even though the Fenix 5X has an internal thermometer, it also supports their external temperature sensor that's the same form factor as their Footpod.
Is The Fenix worth the money? ›The Garmin fenix 7 line is the best watch for outdoor activities, especially endurance activities like backpacking and ultrarunning that require long battery life and durability. The fenix 7 series is an impressive upgrade from the still-great fenix 6 series of watches.
Do Garmin watches need to be calibrated? ›Some Garmin watches feature an accelerometer that can provide speed and distance indoors or when a GPS signal is lost. Watches are pre-calibrated with a table of default values based on the averages of many runners and the calibration is refined every time the watch is used outdoors with GPS.
Is Garmin heart rate accurate? ›While Garmin's wrist heart rate monitor technology is state-of-the art, there are inherent limitations with the technology that may cause some of the heart rate readings to be inaccurate. Suggestions to improve heart rate readings as well as factors that can affect it are listed below.
How do I know if my Garmin is accurate? ›Garmin® GPS receivers are accurate to within 15 meters (49 feet) 95% of the time. Generally, users will see accuracy within 5 to 10 meters (16 to 33 feet) under normal conditions. To view the current accuracy rating of your device, refer to its Satellite Information Page.
Is Garmin more accurate than phone GPS? ›The accuracy of the Smartphone depends on the device, as many smartphones now a days don't have an actual GPS, they use internet connection to get positioning, in this case we get inaccurate date. But if your device has actual GPS (in built), then it will give same results as Garmin.
Is Garmin more accurate than Apple watch? ›Both watches got designed for the fitness crowd, but when it comes to accuracy, Garmin takes the top spot. Their GPS systems beat Apple Watches as they quickly lock onto signals and offer more precise tracking data. Besides, Garmin uses more than one system, GPS, the Russian GLONASS, and the European Galileo.
Is Apple more accurate than Garmin? ›Garmin watches have better accuracy when it comes to GPS tracking and monitoring your heart rate. When choosing between the Garmin Fenix 7 and Apple Watch 8, the Garmin is the better sports watch for running.
How often should you upgrade your Garmin watch? ›
Garmin releases system software updates periodically. It is recommended to check for updates every 3-4 months to ensure the device has the latest system software.
Should you sleep in Garmin watch? ›A lower RHR typically reflects cardiorespiratory fitness, quality sleep and low stress — but you must wear your watch during sleep to get the most accurate reading.
Which Garmin lasts the longest? ›The Fenix 7 is great, and the week-and-a-half battery life we recorded is excellent by comparison to most smartwatches that often struggle to last more than a couple of days in our experience. But if you want a Garmin watch with the longest battery life possible, then the Garmin Enduro 2 is our recommendation for you.
Is it worth upgrading from Fenix 5 to Fenix 7? ›The Garmin Fēnix 7 is the best ever and it is worth the upgrade if you have a Fenix 5 Plus or older, or from any other Garmin watch. Even with a Fēnix 6, you should be tempted to upgrade too but it's not so clear-cut there.
Is Garmin releasing a new watch in 2023? ›OLATHE, Kan./March 2, 2023 — Garmin (NYSE: GRMN) today announced the Forerunner® 265 series and Forerunner 965, its first dedicated GPS running smartwatches with vibrant AMOLED displays.
What is the competitor to Garmin Fenix? ›COROS VERTIX 2
The Vertix 2 is COROS' flagship running watch and a firm rival to the Garmin Fenix. Its stand-out feature is a mind-boggling 140-hour GPS battery life.
Easy to explain: the Garmin Watches are performing many fewer functions than Apple Watch or Samsung Watches and thus on a same or similar battery Garmin watches can last longer precisely because they're using less energy by performing fewer functions.
Why is my Garmin watch dying so fast? ›Backlight: How bright the backlight is set, and how often it comes on, can use battery more quickly or less quickly. Having backlight set at 100% will use a lot of battery while the backlight is on. The manual backlight setting uses the least energy, and some settings, such as gesture, will use more battery.
How can I make my Garmin last longer? ›- Lower the brightness and backlight settings.
- Disable alert and key tones.
- Disable or lower intensity of vibration alerts.
- Disable or limit the use of ANT+ or Bluetooth sensors.
- Disable Wi-Fi.
- Disable Bluetooth or Phone connection.
- Disable LTE.
Open the Garmin Connect app. Open the menu. Select Health Stats. Select Blood Pressure.
How accurate is Garmin Fenix blood oxygen? ›
Results: Bland-Altman analysis indicated 3.3% bias for SpO2 measurements taken on the Garmin fēnix® at 12,000 ft of simulated altitude (limits of agreement: -1.9-8.6%). Mean differences in SpO2 measurements were smaller at the remaining simulated altitudes, where bias measurements ranged from 0.7% to 0.8%.
Does Fenix 5X have music? ›To listen to music downloaded to the watch from your computer, select My Music (Downloading Personal Audio Content). To listen to music from your smartphone, select Control Phone. To listen to music from a third-party provider, select the name of the provider.
Is Apple Watch better than Garmin Fenix 6? ›Apple is the clear winner when it comes to its smartphone capabilities. This can be the deciding factor for many in the Garmin watch vs Apple watch debate. That being said, the Fenix 6 has some smart features. You can use it to pay for a coffee whilst out on a run thanks to its support for Garmin Pay.
Is it worth upgrading from Fenix 6 to 7? ›While the two watches look pretty similar, the Fenix 7 is definitely an upgrade. With new Garmin training tools, a touchscreen, and a longer battery life, the Fenix 7 is the best of the best.
Which is better Fenix 5 or Fenix 6? ›The biggest difference is the battery life of the Fenix 5 in GPS mode, which is 11 hours shorter than that of the Fenix 6 in the same mode. While the Fenix lasts 5 to 25 hours, the Fenix 6 lasts up to 36 hours. The battery life in smartwatch mode is similar to that of the Fenix 6.
Which Garmin watch measures oxygen saturation? ›Pulse Ox Pulse Oximetry Functionality
Now Garmin has incorporated this technology into our flagship fēnix 5X Plus outdoor recreation smart watch, making it possible to measure blood oxygen saturation from your smart watch and establishing a new milestone in wearable health technology.
Compatible Garmin wearables use a combination of red and infrared lights with sensors on the back of the device, which can estimate the percentage of oxygenated blood (peripheral oxygen saturation, SpO2%) available in your blood.
Does Garmin Fenix measure blood oxygen? ›Your watch has a wrist-based pulse oximeter to gauge the peripheral saturation of oxygen in your blood (SpO2). As your altitude increases, the level of oxygen in your blood can decrease. Knowing your oxygen saturation can help you determine how your body is acclimating to high altitudes for alpine sport and expedition.
Can Garmin go in salt water? ›A: From Garmin: Thoroughly rinse the device with fresh water after exposure to chlorine, salt water, sunscreen, cosmetics, alcohol, or other harsh chemicals. Prolonged exposure to these substances can damage the case. So yes, you can wear it at sea or swimming at sea. Be sure to rinse well afterwards.
How deep can Fenix 5X plus go in water? ›The 5 Plus is waterproof to 10ATM (100m) and has GPS, GLONASS and Galileo to provide maximum coverage for outdoor tracking, along with a host of sensors including Garmin's Elevate optical heart rate monitor, a barometric altimeter and a thermometer.
Can you answer calls on Garmin Fenix 5X? ›
You can accept or decline the call. If your device is connected to a smartphone with Android™, you can also decline with a text message by selecting from a list of messages on your fēnix device. To accept the call, select Accept.
Can I wear my Garmin Fenix in the hot tub? ›It is recommended to remove your Garmin watch before entering a sauna or hot tub as these environments can expose your watch to high heat and moisture that may be outside of its operating specifications.
How long does Fenix 5X last? ›Fenix 5X Sapphire has a battery life of up to 24 hours with the GPS on, and 336 hours with the GPS off. You can turn on the UltraTrac during an activity, so that the battery life is increased to up to 60 hours with the GPS on.
Can my Garmin watch tell my temperature? ›In order to see this data field you must adjust your data field settings from an activity profile. Estimated Body Temperature will be listed under Connect IQ Fields for most devices. For assistance on how to change a data field refer to your owner's manual.
Which Fenix watch is the best? ›The Fenix 7X Solar was chosen as the best overall because of its comprehensive sports functions, solar charging ability, and extra features. Few, if any, other Garmin watches are designed to handle as many sports, circumstances, and environments as this one.
What makes Garmin Fenix so expensive? ›Well, the answer is pretty simple, which is durability. You can find some brands that deliver durability but not like Garmin to withstand harsh and extreme environments. Garmin uses premium materials to build its smartwatches.
Why is Fenix so expensive? ›One main reason behind their steep prices is the use of premium material in their design. ... Most of the Garmin watches, including the Vivoactive, Forerunner, and Fenix series, are made of Fiber-reinforced polymer, which is too expensive.
What is the accuracy level of Garmin GPS? ›Garmin® GPS receivers are accurate to within 15 meters (49 feet) 95% of the time.
How accurate are Garmin GPS devices? ›GPS Drift and Environmental Factors
The GPS location accuracy of Garmin handhelds is around 3 meters (10 feet), 95% of the time. This means, at any given time, your handheld will save your location within 3 meters of your actual location.
With a strong satellite signal, the GPS position reported by a watch should be accurate to about 3 meters or 10 feet. A weaker satellite signal may decrease that positional accuracy, in turn affecting the accuracy of the distance and speed readings that will be reported by the watch.
How do I get high accuracy on my GPS? ›
- On your Android phone or tablet, open the Settings app .
- Tap Location.
- At the top, switch location on.
- Tap Mode. High accuracy.
Common Cause of Inaccuracy
The most common cause of inaccurate distance readings is that the units are set incorrectly to either meters or yards. If your local course measures distance in metric, but your watch is set to yards, the distance will consistently be off.
Common causes include: Satellite signal blockage due to buildings, bridges, trees, etc. Indoor or underground use. Signals reflected off buildings or walls ("multipath")
Is Garmin or Apple watch more accurate distance? ›Apple Watches are great for most outdoor activities thanks to their built-in GPS tracking. Still, Garmin provides even more accurate tracking thanks to the topographical maps, route navigation, and breadcrumb trail capabilities of the Garmin Fenix.
Are GPS watches more accurate than phone? ›If you care about accuracy for pace and distance and don't want to run with your phone, choose a GPS running watch. A GPS watch will provide you with the most accurate look at how far you've gone and how fast you're going, both while you're running and after.
What are the advantages of Garmin GPS? ›Garmin GPS receivers are typically accurate to within 10 meters. Accuracy is even better on the water because there are no obstructions to interfere with the signal.
How does Garmin GPS know traffic? ›We obtain our traffic information from a number of sources: Historic traffic data available from all over the world. Real time traffic detected via people using Garmin smartphone apps. Fleet management data and governmental information from our partners.
How accurate is the fēnix 5 altimeter? ›The barometric altimeter on the fēnix 5 plus series uses GPS elevation and/or uses DEM (Digital Elevation Map) data to provide elevation data dependent on which mode the watch is using. With proper calibration the watch can achieve accuracy of +/-50 feet.
What does Alt mean on Garmin Fenix? ›The device contains an internal altimeter and barometer. The device collects elevation and pressure data continuously, even in low-power mode. The altimeter displays your approximate elevation based on pressure changes.