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Battery Life - Real World Experience

GS
over 2 years ago

Pleasantly surprised. Though a single example so far, I used 13% battery for a 1:10 hour run (@11% per hour), with backlight (60%) and music on continually, with GPS settings All Systems + Multi Band, and 1-second recording. No Pulse Ox. So, if linear energy drain (an assumption only), then about 9 hours of use in this max energy configuration as compared to the Garmin specifications showing 6.5 hours.

I did experience an overnight drain recently, and have been trying to nail down the cause. Maybe an update? I have not been able to replicate that battery drain. I did reset the watch after that issue.

But my activity (running) usage seems to be very impressive.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I got 8 3/4 days last charge with lots of GPS inc All Systems + Multiband

    If I can go a week between charges I am happy

    I am currently at 40% left on my 3rd charge cycle.

    Battery life is better than my Fenix 6 Pro.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I am currently nearing the end of the 9th day, with having 2 hours of biking. Battery still at 40%.
    Very happy with this result.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    Do either of you have Music? I do not get that kind of smartwatch time, and I think it's related to either Music or Wi-Fi downloads/uploads that are happening in the background or overnight.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to GS

    I have the music version.

    I never use WIFI, didn't set it up

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 5135968

    Thanks. Without Wi-Fi set up, it appears you are not able to download audio content from Amazon, Spotify....perhaps the updating that occurs with these providers via Wi-Fi in the background (and perhaps at night) adds to battery drain.

    "Before you can download audio content from a third-party provider, you must connect to a Wi‑Fi® network (Connecting to a Wi‑Fi Network)." - 255 Manual

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to GS

    I don't use Amazon or Spotify.

    All my music is stored on my NAS as FLAC and I transcode to MP3 to put in /Garmin/music. Bit old skool maybe, but my files sound a lot better.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to GS

    Nope. I bought the Music version though because of the black color... Slight smile

    And I also don't even have WiFi set up. Just Bluetooth to my iPhone.

  • 0 over 2 years ago

    I turned WiFi off. 12 hours overnight only 2% battery drain (est 25 days smartwatch time v 14 days in specs). Pretty good I think. I am wondering if sometimes there is updating going on overnight or in the background that creates unusual and unpredictable battery drain. Or if it's somehow related to WiFi. I had the battery drain issue early on when I first got the watch but have not experienced it since.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to GS

    I used to get unexpected battery drain with both the Fenix 5+ and 6 Pro if I ever enabled WIFI. Plus I found it really hit and miss if I could connect to my router so I didn't even bother with my 255.

    Right now I'm at 32% remaining in my 3rd charge cycle in just over 3 weeks of ownership.

    I'm very active so for me battery life in smartwatch mode isn't a useful metric - I suspect I'm not alone in that. It looks like I am settling into a pattern of recharging somewhere between 8 and 9 days.

  • 0 over 2 years ago in reply to 5135968

    Interesting WiFi observation on your past Fenix watches. I did not notice anything unusual with WiFi on my 935, but wasn't looking at it then either. In activity mode, with the settings noted above, I am getting an est 9 hours v 6.5 hours Garmin specs. So, very happy with that.