GPS Accuracy

Why do you think that F5 is better that TT? For me doesn't count all features if basic functionality has problem. I didn't mention that on the left screen is TT. I hope you know that.
I have one more test with GPS only:
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Wow, you need to readjust your expectations. To me that’s well within the boundaries of GPS accuracy. The feature set of the F5 is far better than the TomTom, I’d say you made a mistake returning it. Hope the TomTom keeps the sub 1Mu accuracy - you may be disappointed!

Feature quantity is one thing, quality another...

It might be 'within spec' but that doesn't mean it's up to par with other solutions... I would recommend him to check out a 935 though. Better accuracy then the F5 and with all the features.

All in all, if the basic core feature disappoints a person returning it is never a mistake. You can try to 'live with it' but it'll keep annoying you (been there done that ;) )

Why do you think that F5 is better that TT?

I didn’t say that, I just said the different is marginal, well within the boundaries of GPS accuracy. The TT May be better on that particular day but was the F5 really that bad? Your other track look much worse, but without the activity file to check you don’t know what went on. My guess is it’s either you didn’t have GPS lock or there isn’t good line of sight for satellites. Do you have a TT trace for that run as well?

Hi all,

Recently I've bought a Fenix 5 Sapphire version to reward myself for bachelor degree :)
For three years I've been using TomTom Multisport watch and I decided to try something new.
To test GPS accuracy I went with two watches. When I upload activity I was very disappointed.
Gamin track was definitely worst than 3 years watch. I don't know how it is possible considering to price.
GPS accuracy is very important for me.
Unfortunately I returned Garmin to shop. I used GPS + Glonass system.
Below I attach a comparison of two track:

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It's a bit hard to tell because the pictures are so small, but I assume the Fenix 5 track is on the right?
To me that looks like the TT track has been smoothed - some devices will do smoothing of their GPS tracks so it "looks" better, but that disguises how they actually tracked the run.

I've used a Tomtom Spark, a Fitbit Surge, a Fenix 3 and now my Fenix 5. The Fenix 5 tracks as good if not better than the other devices. It wasn't always like that though so they have done a bit of work via firmware to get it up to scratch.
I'm not saying your F5 tracks look great, but I think your TT may not be as good as you think it is, and from the tiny resolution pictures the F5 doesn't look that bad. What distance did both watches record for the run?

Your second image that you posted - that looks like you hadn't picked up the GPS lock before you ran? If you had switched from GPS/Glonass to just GPS it may have taken longer to get a reliable fix. If you start moving before you get a reliable lock then it's really difficult for the watch to catch up and get a proper lock on your position.
I don't use Glonass though. I've definitely found my tracks are better without Glonass enabled and now I'd only turn it on if GPS can't pick up a decent lock in whatever location I'm at.

I did a half marathon on Saturday. My F5 counted 21.29km. 920XT of a friend of mine 21.26km. I believe it is quite fair accuracy for the GPS technology. See some Polar v800 tracks on strava with 21.1 - 21.3 results.

I don't use Glonass though. I've definitely found my tracks are better without Glonass enabled and now I'd only turn it on if GPS can't pick up a decent lock in whatever location I'm at.

Thanks for the hint. So, you will e.g. suggest to use GPS only for street running, but GPS+Glonass for train (forest) running?

wojtek_b I'd say not quite as simple as that - it's been a few months since I did any serious trail running in forests but I didn't have any issues with GPS only tracks.
My advice is a bit chicken and egg - I'd only enable Glonass if I've had issues previously on a track. Which means you'd need to have poor GPS only results first.

I didn’t say that, I just said the different is marginal, well within the boundaries of GPS accuracy. The TT May be better on that particular day but was the F5 really that bad? Your other track look much worse, but without the activity file to check you don’t know what went on. My guess is it’s either you didn’t have GPS lock or there isn’t good line of sight for satellites. Do you have a TT trace for that run as well?

Here it is a TT track:

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GF5 track:

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I did the New York marathon last week and the fenix 5 became pretty much useless from the 31km mark - actually really messed me up so I'm very disappointed with this watch - I opened a support ticket to ask why the watch had gone so wrong and got a standard reply saying upgrade the watch and do a reset !! - i was already on the latest version and i feel a reset is pointless as the watch is tracking me fine since - the question I asked was straight forward - what caused the GPS to go so wrong and can i trust this watch for future races - I compared my gps data to two friends who also did the race roughly at the same time and there tracking was spot on ( a Garmin 235 & 910) - surely a device as expensive as the F5 has some sort of diagnostic checks that Garmin Support can do ?
I've attahced the gps map and splits - red line actual and blue line what it should have been, it even has me doing a 46 second 1 km !!! - no high buildings/trees etc.. near me when the watch really went haywire.

I did the New York marathon last week and the fenix 5 became pretty much useless from the 31km mark - actually really messed me up so I'm very disappointed with this watch - I opened a support ticket to ask why the watch had gone so wrong and got a standard reply saying upgrade the watch and do a reset !! - i was already on the latest version and i feel a reset is pointless as the watch is tracking me fine since - the question I asked was straight forward - what caused the GPS to go so wrong and can i trust this watch for future races - I compared my gps data to two friends who also did the race roughly at the same time and there tracking was spot on ( a Garmin 235 & 910) - surely a device as expensive as the F5 has some sort of diagnostic checks that Garmin Support can do ?
I've attahced the gps map and splits - red line actual and blue line what it should have been, it even has me doing a 46 second 1 km !!! - no high buildings/trees etc.. near me when the watch really went haywire.

Maybe in new year Garmin will annoucemenet Galilelo system in new Fenix version. I think you should return your watch and wait for better GPS accuracy.

I did the New York marathon last week and the fenix 5 became pretty much useless from the 31km mark - actually really messed me up so I'm very disappointed with this watch - I opened a support ticket to ask why the watch had gone so wrong and got a standard reply saying upgrade the watch and do a reset !! - i was already on the latest version and i feel a reset is pointless as the watch is tracking me fine since - the question I asked was straight forward - what caused the GPS to go so wrong and can i trust this watch for future races - I compared my gps data to two friends who also did the race roughly at the same time and there tracking was spot on ( a Garmin 235 & 910) - surely a device as expensive as the F5 has some sort of diagnostic checks that Garmin Support can do ?
I've attahced the gps map and splits - red line actual and blue line what it should have been, it even has me doing a 46 second 1 km !!! - no high buildings/trees etc.. near me when the watch really went haywire.

I also did the NYC Marathon last weekend, and I didn't have any similar issues on my 5x. My only issue is that at about mile 7, the distance on the 5x suddenly became about 0.25 miles short (as in the watch said 6.75 at mile 7). It then stayed that way for the remainder of the race. I blame the Stryd footpod, however, for that issue. In any event, maybe you have a dud watch or maybe the 5 is worse than the 5x, because my GPS track looks way better than what you got.