Garmin unveils the Fenix 5 Plus rugged smartwatches, prices start at $700

Garmin's Fenix 5 series has just been refreshed with a new lineup of smartwatches aimed at athletes and adventurers. Three new Garmin smartwatches will soon make it to the shelves: Fenix 5S Plus, Fenix 5 Plus and Fenix 5X Plus.

The naming scheme is similar to the Fenix 5 series, but the new smartwatches have had the “Plus” tagline attached to their names to suggest they're an improvement over the original models.

The rugged Fenix 5 Plus smartwatches range in size from 42-51mm and feature a bright, sunlight-readable display. According to Garmin, the Fenix 5X Plus is also its first wearable device to offer a wrist-based Pulse Oximeter, which is especially useful for higher altitudes activities.

All three Fenix 5 Plus smartwatches come with heart rate sensor, all the smart connectivity features included in the previous models, built-in map data optimized for quick-glance navigation and location tracking.

Just like the Forerunner 645 Music smartwatch, all three Fenix 5 Plus wearable devices can store up to 500 songs, which can be saved for offline listening. In addition, the Fenix 5S Plus, Fenix 5 Plus, and Fenix 5X Plus come with Garmin Pay, a contactless payment solution that allows users to pay on the go via their Garmin Pay wallet.

Design-wise, the Fenix 5 Plus series is available in two different finishes, so users can choose between a PVD-coated stainless-steel bezel with silicone watch band, or for a lighter material, a high-grade titanium bezel version with brushed titanium bracelet.

Garmin claims the Fenix 5S Plus can get up to 7 days in smartwatch mode and up to 4 hours in GPS and Music mode, while the Fenix 5 Plus can get up to 10 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 8 hours in GPS and Music mode. However, the Fenix 5X Plus can get up to 20 days of battery life in smartwatch mode and 13 hours in GPS and Music mode.

All three Fenix 5 Plus series smartwatches will be available for purchase in Q2 2018 for prices ranging from $699.99 to $1,149.99.