Garmin Announces Instinct — Esports Edition Smartwatch

Garmin is releasing a new rugged GPS smartwatch aimed at esports athletes.

The gadget is dubbed the Instinct — Esports Edition. It features a new STR3AMUP! PC streaming tool that allows users to broadcast their heart rate, stress level, and Body Battery live and embed the data into streams or recordings via customisable overlays.

“With the Instinct Esports Edition, esports athletes can tap into that same technology to track and examine how their body responds to intense competition,” said Garmin vice president of sales Dan Bartel in a press release. “Players can also use Instinct’s data to make adjustments in their daily lives, whether it be altering sleep patterns or activity levels, which can result in increased cognitive and physical performance during play.”

Aside from STR3AMUP!, the Instinct — Esports Edition has an esports activity profile that analyzes and displays the user’s heart rate and stress level with wrist-based technology. It also shows the time of the day and a game timer, and the data can be synced with the Garmin Connect app.

For non-esports specific features, there is advanced sleep monitoring, stress tracking, body battery energy monitor, over 30 sports apps, and “robust activity tracking”. The watch can provide smart notifications when paired with a compatible smartphone as well.

Garmin says that the Instinct — Esports Edition’s battery can last for up to 80 hours in esports mode and up to 14 days in smartwatch mode before needing to recharge, and has a MIL-STD 810 build standard. The watch has a suggested retail price of US$299.99 (~RM1,246) and is available in the US and the UK. Garmin has not announced if it will be available in Malaysia at the time of writing. #garmin #instinctesportsedition #esportswatch