Garmin MARQ Athlete Smartwatch
WHAT IS IT ?
A agio smartwatch with a unattackable focus on aesthetics .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
PRICE
$ 1,500
wish
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
establish like a tank with robust functionality .
disfavor
Its always - on projection screen is often very hard to see .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
Garmin project the MARQ line to emulate analog puppet watches , made by companies like Breitling and TAG Heuer , which include extra functionality and complications tailored to specific variation or body process . For the MARQ contrast that include five different pieces : the Aviator , Driver , Captain , despatch , and Athlete . At $ 1,500 , the Athlete , which we experience to expend time with , is the most affordable option in Garmin ’s lineup , but it in no way of life feels like the company cheaped out on the base model .
The Apple Watch has a beautiful esthetical and is a great example of Apple ’s aid to item when it derive to product design and materials . But while I would n’t describe it as frail , I also tend to obviate wear it during more forcible activities like cycling , kayaking , or swim as I ’ve see to it friends ’ Apple Watches bite the rubble during an fortuity . By comparison , I feel I could run head first into a hurricane with the MARQ Athlete strapped to my wrist , and it would be the only thing that did n’t amount out the other side without a scratch .
Made from actual atomic number 22 , the same stuff the Air Force builds fighter jets from , the MARQ Athlete genuinely feels like you ’re strapping a cooler to your wrist . It ’s also got a cerulean glass screen , so you ’ll demand to do more than just fall off a bike to shatter or even inscribe the scout ’s face , and an every bit Tonka - problematical ceramic bezel . The five buttons used to navigate the watch ’s user interface feel even more solid than those on the Apple Watch . There ’s no wiggle whatsoever , and they respond with a firm but fulfil click when pressed . However , aside from grant you something to fidget with , I ca n’t figure out why the MARQ Athlete ’s crown telephone dial really turns .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
https://gizmodo.com/preview/looking-for-a-smartwatch-or-fitness-tracker-these-are-1830476513
Since it falls at the most affordable end of the MARQ crinkle , the Athlete comes with a strap made from firm silicone polymer rubber instead of a more exotic material like leather . But I prefer rubber straps , and I ’m almost certain the silicone used here is solid enough to tow a hand truck .
Functionally , the MARQ descent includes almost every last navigation , fitness , and activity trailing feature film Garmin has developed for its other wearable to date . The Athlete has an optical heart charge per unit / heart rate oximeter detector built in which should be more than enough for even perish - hard gymnasium rats , but the watch can be connected to other hardware as well , such as bureau shoulder strap heart rate monitors , or wheel measure tracker . It can also tag drive and runs using Sony ’s GPS ironware which Garmin espouse to help improve the MARQ Athlete ’s electric battery life . All of your metric function also sync to the Garmin Connect nomadic app , giving you a more robust look and crack-up of your late public presentation . And when connected to a smartphone , the MARQ Athlete will mirror your notifications so you could keep your sound eat up during a workout — you just ca n’t respond to any of them like the Apple Watch or WearOS smartwatches allow .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
The watch runs its own usage operating system and UI , and unless you ’re familiar with Garmin ’s other wearables , it will take some time to find your manner around the various apps and carte du jour used to customize the picket ’s visual aspect and functionality . As with the Apple Watch , I like the MARQ Athlete could be customized using the wandering app rather , as I often found myself get frustrated when an incorrect button imperativeness suddenly sent me back to the household screen and aside from a menu that take a while to find .
But overall , the MARQ Athlete seems to learn every box for fitness buffs want a smartwatch they can wear to both the office and the gymnasium . Garmin has prefer for premium materials almost everywhere on the timekeeper . Yet I conceive its decision to go with a brooding LCD screen was a mistake and a dashing hopes .
I part understand why Garmin made this decision ; covert are one of the biggest superpower get on wearable devices , and even with it being turned off most of the day , the vibrant OLED showing can still drink down the Apple Watch ’s stamp battery in just a day . In comparison , even with feature article like scroll function and standalone GPS trailing , the MARQ Athlete can run for well over a hebdomad on a individual charge with its LCD video display on all the time . The extra seaworthiness - focused complication on the MARQ Athlete ’s face allow an athlete to quickly check their metrics as often as they need , but unfortunately the watch ’s display is almost always difficult to see .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
The broody LCD cover works great in verbatim sun with the watch held up to your cheek . The showing is promising , crisp , and has excellent demarcation . But find yourself in the wraith , or indoors , or out at night , or next to a undimmed windowpane , or not able to take care directly at the watch when riding a bicycle , and the screen becomes washed out and all but out of the question to read at a glance . That not only operate for adjudicate to discern tiny issue like your heart pace , but even the moving hands on the brass that show the metre can be very hard to see , and are often obscured by something as vulgar as a bright reflexion .
After take several rides with both Apple and Garmin ’s smartwatches strapped to each wrist , the Apple Watch ’s OLED display far outperformed the MARQ Athlete ’s reflective LCD no matter what the condition were . My cycling metric on the OLED were visible even with bright expression washing out the Apple Watch ’s expression , but quickly checking the MARQ Athlete required me to take my handwriting off the handlebar , which was n’t exactly safe on a jolting track .
Despite the $ 1,500 price ticket , which is also whatTAG Heuerwants for its smartwatch , I really like the MARQ Athlete and would have actually recommended it to someone who likes the functionality of a smartwatch but prefer something more traditional looking , and more durable , on their articulatio radiocarpea . Only that cover is as much a heart breaker as it is a lot breakers . I would wait for the next generation of the MARQ line , and get across your fingerbreadth that Garmin switches to OLED to round out an otherwise first-class advanced timepiece .
It’s not packing as many pixels as the Apple Watch’s display does, but the MARQ Athlete can still squeeze a lot of data on screen.Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
README
An expensive smartwatch that , for the most part , manages to justify its price tag with premium materials and excellent build calibre .
feature just about every variety of fitness and body process chase after an jock could need , including slumber trailing , and robust stat analysis through the Garmin Connect app .
Garmin ’s OS and UI could use a bit more culture . customise the vigil , and digging through cryptic menus , can be a scrap perplexing using the watch ’s five unlabeled button .
Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
That contemplative LCD projection screen is a heart breakers , and probably a slew breaker for most . The always - on functionality is courteous ( in theory ) but it comes at the price of readability . It works great in verbatim sunshine , but becomes almost unimaginable to read at a glance in almost any other lighting term . An include backlight fix it visible at dark , but it ’s too dim to help anywhere else .
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Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
The MARQ Athlete’s dim screen also makes it easily obscured by reflections.Photo: Andrew Liszewski (Gizmodo)
