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Critical flaw: the aggressive auto dimming makes this watch unusable during and outside of activities as well

pxl
over 2 years ago

During activities -after a timeout period- the display will be so dim that it is almost impossible to read. In some activities (such indoor rowing), activating the display with a gesture is not an option, so checking HR is basically impossible.

It is also a problem outside activities, because it makes hard to read even the time with just a glance on a display - you'd need to activate it with a gesture, and this makes the AOD completely irrelevant.

That's it, it will go back to garmin, because this way it is unable to 

  • show my HR during activities
  • display the time in AOD

so it is completely useless as a sport watch and as a regular watch as well.

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  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I just got this watch and just finished a 14mile run. I found this post while googling how to turn off auto dimming and have Always On Display actually always on.  Is there not a way to have the screen always on at full brightness?  I just did a long run and 75% of the time, looking at my watch, the auto dim was too dark to read. I had to shake my wrist to get it to turn on so I could read it while wearing sunglasses.  I just emailed Garmin support to figure out how to have the screen actually Always On. If there is not an option, then I want my $450 bucks back.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to abbottj123

    An option to have aod in highest brightness will burn your battery very fast. I don’t think garmin will provide this option. I know people will say, he, it’s my own decision to trade batterylife for readability but in the end, it’s garmins decision not to listen.

    It’s a hopeless discussion of amoled vs mips. A very famous gadgetblogger will say amoled is very readable in direct sunlight and everyone who claims otherwise haven’t used a watch with amoled recently. Well, he might be right in the way he uses the watch. I can only suspect he doesn’t run, but just stand still to amaze at his wonderful looking screen.

    For a sportwatch, mips is in everyway superior to amoled. 10 years ago, you would only wear a sportwatch when you sport (okey, there were exceptions and some people wear a polar 24/7), but nowadays people wear a sportwatch 24/7, either for the data or for the smartwatch functions. And people want a nice looking screen for their 24/7 watch.

    To say is extremely harsh, do you want a hardcore sportwatch? Find something with a mips screen. Do you want a hardcore smartwatch, buy an Applewatch. Do you want a mediocre sportwatch with mediocre smartwatchfeatures? The new garmin x65 forerunners will be the best choice.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Elbo

    I understand your thoughts Elbo, but for me, I only wear the watch when I am working out. So charging it each night is not an issue for me. I got the 265 because it has the best satellite usage, music built in/storage, track run mode, and its the newest so it should last the longest. These features and HRM are the only things I use in a watch. I could care less about running dynamics and other "features" as they are (imo) mostly made up fake data.

    I dont see an x65 you just referenced. If Garmin confirms that I cant keep the screen on, then Ill probably return it and get a 245. That looks like it has everything. Its just a few years old so I was hoping for something newer. The 55 is close, but it does not have built in music (and I dont workout or run with my phone).

    Its just disappointing that an option to have the screen on when working out is not an option. The main function of a watch is to be able to read it. And (imo) having to shake my wrist over half the time for the screen to be bright enough to see is not a viable option.

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to abbottj123

    Try the 255 then , the GPS is the same as the 265

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to abbottj123

    Garmin support got back in touch with me.

    "For the dim issue, it will timeout to preserve power and help with the display pixels over time. It should not go completely dark, it just goes to a lower power display. 

    Unfortunately, this is all by design with how we have created the watches. We want to preserve the pixelation of the display as well as the battery life of the watch."
    This doesnt quite make since in Activity Mode. Since during an activity, in theory every pixel would be changing as the time, distance, pace, hr, etc would all be constantly changing.  But oh well. Started the RMA process and Ill look at the 255 or similar.
  • 0 over 1 year ago

    I'm happy to report this so we can further investigate. May I have permission to reach out via email?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Garmin-Sierra

    Here is the support ticket.. Re: << Ref:24400351K1 >> Re: Forerunner(R) 265 - screen <Q#:1002452>. Sure you can email. I did have my wife try the watch and run with it too, in order to make sure it wasn't user error. She couldn't get the gesture feature to work most of the time either.

  • +1 over 1 year ago

    All, 

    I found a report regarding this experience. If you would like to be added to the impact, please reply with the following: 

    1- In which country are you located?

    2- May we have permission to reach out via email, if necessary?

  • 0 over 1 year ago in reply to Garmin-Sierra

    I’ve noticed inconsistent response to gesture during running activities - both road and trail. Can you add me to the impact reports?

    located in USA 

    You can email me.