I’m not buying a Garmin Fenix 9 at those prices — here’s what I’m looking at instead

Do you ever feel that some smartwatches have just too much smartwatch in them? That’s what struck me when Garmin announced the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro today.

Sure, they look like great devices — but at over $1,000 / £850 / AU$1,500 a pop, I’ve been wondering how many people actually need everything they have to offer.

I know I don’t.

While I love working out, I’m not a pro athlete and don’t need anything like the suite of features you get with Garmin’s new watches — but Garmin's first live event launch seemed aimed at people like me, the Apple Watch crowd.

It's telling Garmin didn’t actually mention how much they cost during the show itself.

If you feel like me and baulk at the expense required to slap one of these devices on your wrist, it’s not all bad news.

There are plenty of other options out there, and none of them will break the bank in quite the same way.

Or you could just wait for the features to trickle down to more affordable devices.

Either way, there’s no need to open your wallet just yet unless you’re 100% sure you need one of these watches.

Top devices, high prices (Image credit: Garmin) Let’s get one thing out of the way first: the Fenix 9 and Fenix 9 Pro look like great smartwatches — possibly even some of the best smartwatches money can buy.

They’re full of top-of-the-range features that are perfect for people who push their exercise regimes to the fullest, who regularly stride off into the wilderness in search of adventure, and who demand some of the most specialized features you can get in a consumer smartwatch.

The brighter AMOLED display in particular looks fantastic, especially if you previously struggled to read your watch’s screen in certain weather conditions.

I was also heartened to see the rumors of solar charging were bang on the money — while it might be limited to the 47mm models and up of the Fenix 9 Pro, its ability to extend the life of your watch exponentially is tailor-made for off-grid escapades.

But there’s a big difference between interesting features and interesting features that cost a minimum of $1,099.99 / £949.99 / $1,749 AUD.