Some people just don’t like going through the hassle of charging their smartwatches daily. Coming home and charging your smartwatches, again and again, every day can be tiresome and mundane.
But living without a smartwatch seems impossible as they come with so many features. Won’t it be nice if your smartwatch could charge itself while you are outside? A lot of users don’t know this but solar-powered smartwatches are a good solution to this problem.
These watches can be charged while you are outside on your adventure or doing day-to-day activities. Therefore you won’t have to worry about charging your watch daily or carrying a power bank with you.
So if you are looking for the best solar-powered smartwatches then we have listed not one but seven of them for you.
Quick Navigation:
- Best Solar Smartwatch Comparison Table
- Best Solar Powered Smartwatches
- Things To Keep In Mind While Selecting A Solar Smartwatch
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Best Solar Smartwatch Comparison Table
IMAGE | PRODUCT | SPECIFICATIONS | VIEW ON AMAZON |
Best Garmin Solar Powered Watch  | Garmin Fenix 7 Solar |
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Best Casio Solar Powered Smartwatch  | Casio G-Shock Move |
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Best Affordable Solar Smartwatch  | Garmin Instinct 2 Solar |
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Best Solar Powered Smartwatches
1) Garmin Fenix 7 Solar
The first and one of the best solar smartwatches that I have for you is Garmin Fenix 7 Solar. This solar-powered smartwatch is the latest and also the smartest watch from the house of Garmin.
Needless to say, its battery gets charged when you take it out in the sun. However, the thing that amazes me is its battery life of 22 days in solar mode. And the fact that it is not in a battery saver mode but in a smartwatch mode is just amazing. Therefore if you do long trips and do not like to charge your watch often then Garmin Fenix 7 Solar is the watch for you.
This watch gets a 1.3” touch display, so you can interact directly with the watch by using its touch screen. The thing that I liked about Fenix 7 Solar is that it also gives you an option to use buttons. As a result, you can select whatever you want in the watch even if you are wearing gloves.
To help you in your journeys where you do not get any connectivity, this smartwatch comes with multiple satellite navigation systems like GPS, GLONASS, and Galileo. It is also one of the fewest smartwatches that come with TOPO maps. Combine the TOPO maps with ABC sensors and you can trek or hike anywhere in the world.
Like other Garmin smartwatches, this solar charging smartwatch can track all your sports and activities accurately. It even comes with daily workout suggestions. And like others, this Garmin watch comes with a heart rate monitor too.
Needless to say, this solar watch comes with Bluetooth connectivity. So you can connect other Bluetooth devices like headphones or a Bluetooth helmet and listen to your favorite music.
Other than these, Fenix 7 Solar also gets the following features:
- SpO2 and sleep monitor
- Body battery energy monitor
- Respiration and hydration tracking
- Skiview and golf course maps, and much more
Overall Fenix 7 Solar is one of the best Garmin solar-powered watches for people that spend the majority of their time outdoors. It has got almost all the features that you can ask for from a smartwatch. And needless to say, it comes from a very well-known and reputed brand i.e. Garmin. Fenix 7 Solar manages to tick all the right boxes and that is why it is number one on my list.
2) Garmin Fenix 7X Solar
The next smartwatch that is solar-powered on my list is the Garmin Fenix 7X Solar. This smartwatch is basically the bigger version of the Garmin Fenix 7 Solar and comes with a number of added features.
First of all, it is bigger and bulkier in dimension as compared to Fenix 7 Solar. It has got a 1.4” solar-charged touch display. Therefore you can see everything bigger and clearer on it.
The next big upgrade that you get in this watch when compared to Fenix 7 Solar is the battery life. This solar-powered smartwatch comes with a whopping battery life of 37 days in smartwatch mode, which is 1 month and a week. Therefore, if you go on a trip for more than a month even then you don’t have to worry about charging it.
Another feature that you get in Fenix 7X Solar and do not get in Fenix 7 Solar is a built-in LED flashlight. So even if you are in a dark or low-light environment you do not have to worry, just use its flashlight to illuminate your surroundings.
If you are looking for a smartwatch with solar charging and like to go on really long trips then Garmin Fenix 7X Solar is the watch for you. It is one of the best smartwatches for hiking.
3. Garmin Instinct Solar
Garmin is a well-known name in the world of smartwatches. Their watches are perfect for multi-sport tracking, fitness and activity monitoring, and more. The Instinct series from Garmin is made purposely for outdoor adventurers so you bet they have a solar-powered smartwatch for you. Allow us to present to you Garmin Instinct Solar which is a solar-powered outdoor smartwatch.
The entire watch face on this smartwatch has photovoltaic cells built into it. Simply put, these cells convert solar energy into electrical energy. However, it should be noted that the corners of the watch face are operating at 100% photovoltaic capacity and the rest of the watch at 10% capacity. What it means is that the corner of the watch can utilize 100% of the solar energy it has been exposed to but the rest of the display can only utilize 10% energy.
With Garmin Instinct you get inbuilt solar widgets like Solar Intensity that allow you to track the smartwatch’s exposure to the sun in the last 6 hours. It also tells how intense the sunlight was while hitting the watch. The higher the intensity of sunlight hitting your watch the more charged it will get and vice versa.
Besides that, it is also a full-fledged multi-sports watch that can effectively track your sports activities like swimming, running, biking, hiking, etc. The watch sports ABC (Altimeter, Barometer, Compass) sensor that makes it perfect for hiking and other outdoor activities. Altimeter sensors measure your present elevation level, a compass is used to tell you the direction and a barometer can warn you of any potential storms.
If outdoor adventure is not really your thing then you can use other smart and health-oriented features of the watch. This smartwatch comes with multiple health tracking features like heart rate tracking, sleep monitoring, stress tracking, and more. It can also sync notifications from your smartphone to the watch screen making it fit for daily usage.
On a closing note, we would say this is the best entry-level Garmin solar smartwatch you can go for if you don’t have the budget for spending on expensive smartwatches.
4) Garmin Instinct 2 Solar
The next smartwatch with solar power that I have for you is Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. It is the upgraded version of the Garmin Instinct Solar. Therefore you get all the goodies of Instinct Solar and much more.
If you are out in the sun wearing this watch then you never ever have to worry about its battery getting discharged. Because Garmin claims that it comes with unlimited battery life in smartwatch mode. It even gets a power manager, which you can use to extend its battery life if you stay in the dark for many days.
Like Instinct Solar, this smartwatch comes with a host of features that include:
- Tough and rugged build quality
- Inbuilt sports modes
- 24/7 heart rate monitor
- Mulitple satellite navigation
- ABC sensors
- Trackback routing
- VO2 max
- Daily workout suggestions
- Stress and sleep tracking, and much more.
Overall if you are looking for a rugged solar charging smartwatch that you can take anywhere and also do not want to spend big then you should definitely consider Garmin Instinct 2 Solar. It is one of the best rugged smartwatches for outdoor use.
5. G-Shock Move
Over the years people have formed this perception that G-Shock doesn’t make any smartwatches. If you are one of them let us introduce you to the Move lineup of sports smartwatches from them.
This watch comes with solar charging support therefore you can charge your smartwatch using solar energy as well as indoor fluorescent lighting. And if G-Shock’s claim is to be believed then this watch can operate in Time mode on solar power alone. In Time mode along with obviously reading the time you can also track your steps, and sync notifications from your smartphone. If you can keep this watch under fluorescent lightning for 8 hr every day and in sun for 2hr a week then you won’t need to charge the watch again.
As the name suggests, the watch is targeted toward users who are always on the move. If you are one of them then this watch can track your sports activities and fitness activities along with your overall well-being. Since this smartwatch also comes with a heart rate tracker you can set your heart rate range, see a graph of your heart rate trends, set minimum and maximum heart rate, and do more.
Besides that, it also has an inbuilt training function for athletes. Using that you can track your pace, distance covered, calories burned, whether you have achieved your daily target, etc. G-Shock Move can also monitor your VO2 max, do analysis for running activities, and track your fitness level. However, to get the best out of this solar-powered smartwatch you need to install G-Shock Move app on your Android or iOS device.
Furthermore, the watch also has a built-in GPS, Compass, Thermometer, and Barometer. The barometer is especially useful if you are outside fishing or trekking as it can detect any sudden changes in atmospheric pressure and help you avoid sudden storms.
We don’t think we need to tell you about the durability of G-Shock watches but it is still worth mentioning that it is water-resistant up to 200m and features a shockproof design.
Although the watch is more expensive than other solar-powered watches on this list, it features advanced tactical features that make it worth it.
6. Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar
If budget is not an issue for you then we would recommend going with Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar. This is the most advanced solar-powered smartwatch after Fenix 7 Solar that you can buy right now. Garmin Fenix series is made for outdoor adventures and multi-sports activity tracking.
Just like Garmin Instinct Solar this watch also features photovoltaic cells in the watch. Hence, it would automatically start charging when exposed to sunlight. It also comes with a solar widget that allows you to see the intensity of the sunlight reaching the watch. To illustrate, if a watch is placed directly under the sun then solar intensity would be higher, and the watch would charge faster. However, if you are sitting under a tree or inside your home then solar intensity would be lower, leading to less or negligible charging.
Garmin Fenix 6 Pro Solar is almost double the price of the Garmin Instinct because of several smart features not available on the Instinct lineup. With this smartwatch, you can make contactless payments using Garmin Pay. Just add your debit or credit card and make payments anywhere, anytime without your smartphone.
Furthermore, this smartwatch comes with a music support function. Meaning you can use apps like Spotify, Amazon Music, and others to listen to your favorite tracks on the go. But you need to have a premium account of these services to listen to or download music on the smartwatch itself.
Besides that, this watch supports multiple navigation systems so instead of only supporting GPS it also supports GLONASS and Galileo navigation systems. This ensures that you get satellite signals even in the remotest corners of the earth.
Whether you are running, climbing, cycling, or doing any other activity it is important to keep a check on your vitals. That’s why this watch comes with a Pulse Ox sensor, Heart rate tracker, Sleep tracking, and more.
Moreover, it also comes with an incident detection feature that is similar to Apple’s Watch series fall detection feature. If the watch detects that you have experienced a hard fall during an outdoor activity then it will automatically send messages to your emergency contacts with the location.
To conclude we would say this is the best solar-powered smartwatch as it offers in-depth workout and sports analysis along with other important features.
7. Casio Pro Trek PAG-240 Series
This watch from Casio is part of their Path Finder watch lineup. It is made for all the explorers who like to go on a hike, trek, or other similar activities.
Casio Pro Trek PAG-240 comes with a solar cell built directly on the watch face. So, whenever you are outside under the sun would automatically charge itself. Moreover, according to Casio, the watch can run up to 6 months without being exposed to sunlight which is great for people who live in cloudy conditions.
The watch also has ABC sensors: Altimeter, Barometer, and Compass. The barometer function on the watch can be extremely useful if you like to go fishing or hunting in mountains. As atmospheric pressure can easily fluctuate in these locations causing sudden rain and storm. However, if your watch is equipped with a barometer sensor you can focus only on the fun as it alerts you about an upcoming storm in advance.
Sometimes while having fun we can lose track of time but thankfully Casio Pro Trek PAG-240 series comes with inbuilt sunrise/sunset data. Therefore you can find a good camping spot or get back to the shore before sunset.
Since the watch sports a resin strap it is perfect for adventures as it is a highly durable material that can withstand some extreme pressures. Moreover, this watch is also water-resistant up to 100m so you even wear the watch while swimming.
One common complaint that we hear from most users is that G-Shock-like watches are hard to read in dark. You have to press the light button on them, again and again, to read the time in the dark. However, you won’t have to do this with this watch as it comes with auto illumination, and the watch automatically lights up the display by moving the wrist.
In conclusion, it is a great solar-powered smartwatch available at a reasonable price. However, this watch doesn’t support any Bluetooth connectivity and has no fitness tracking features so choose accordingly.
Things To Keep In Mind While Selecting A Solar Smartwatch
1. Brand
First and foremost ensure that you select your watch from a reputed brand like Garmin, G-Shock, or Casio. As there are several watchmakers that sell sub-par smartwatches with solar charging. And you might end up purchasing a watch that has solar charging in the name only and doesn’t actually pan up to real-world usage.
2. Features
Not all solar smartwatches are the same. Some watches are made for athletes and fitness freaks, while others are for casual users. Go for a watch that has features that suits you the most.
3. Battery Life And Charging
Solar charging is a great feature to have but ensure that watch can also be charged through some other power source so you don’t have to only rely on the sun’s rays. Furthermore, it is also important that the watch offers a decent battery backup on a single charge.
FAQs
Are Solar Powered Smartwatches Any Good?
Yes, as solar smartwatches can be charged using solar energy so when you are outside hiking, running, or working you won’t need to carry a power bank with you or worry about the watch’s battery.
What Is The Best Solar Powered Smartwatch?
Garmin Fenix 7 Solar is the best solar-powered smartwatch as not only it can charge itself using solar energy but also come with several smart features like fitness and sports activity tracking, NFC payment, and more.
How Long Does Solar Smartwatch Battery Last?
Depending on the smartwatch you have selected it can range from 1 week to 6 months. For instance, Casio ProTrek may last for months while Garmin Instinct Solar only for a week.
