Garmin Cirqa overview: A true Whoop killer?

Price When Reviewed

£179.99

Best Prices Today: Garmin Cirqa Smart Band

It’s taken a long time for Garmin to finally step into the screenless arena dominated by the Whoop Strap, but the wait is over with the Garmin Cirqa now on the scene.

It’s funny to me that at a time when smartphone manufacturers are trying to think of new and snazzy features to lure in customers, the world of fitness trackers is going in the opposite direction by embracing a screenless design. Very much a result of the Whoop Strap’s success, which has become a go-to pick for athletes who want to stay on top of their health, we’re now seeing that technology make its way to the masses in more affordable ways.

The Google Fitbit Air was the first mainstream competitor, providing consumers with a cost-effective means of accessing the revamped Google Health app and all of the AI smarts that go along with it. Although plenty of other options like the Luna Band have been revealed in the time since, all eyes were planted firmly on Garmin, wondering how the brand might plan to make its own mark on this sector, given that it’s already a go-to name in the world of fitness watches.

Well, the long-awaited Garmin Cirqa Smart Band is now here, and after using the wearable for several weeks, I’m quite impressed by its overall value proposition, but also surprised by what it isn’t, particularly against the wider context of Garmin’s existing devices.

Design & Build

• Four colourways available
• Two size options
• Sits very comfortably on the wrist

One of the things I really love about screenless fitness trackers is just how comfortably they sit on your wrist, and the Garmin Cirqa is no different. Without a display to weigh it down, my L-XL model clocks in at just 6.4g, but the S-M version (designed for smaller wrists at 120-200mm vs 145-240mm) is even less than that at 5.9g.

The module itself is 14.8g, so either way, you’re only looking at just over 20g, which is very light.

The woven strap feels very nice to the touch, and it does a good job of preventing a build-up of sweat during more heated workouts, although I will admit that if I could go back in time to the start of this testing process, I would pick a different colour because the Black variant is just a bit boring to look at.

To its credit, that might be exactly what some people are looking for from a distraction-free device, but I find the other three colourways (Captain Blue, French Grey and Mauve) to be far more fashionable. You can buy them separately, along with some other colours such as Cintron Grey and Dark Olive, but they’re a bit pricey, starting at £44.99/$49.99.

while the Cirqa is slightly larger, the difference is negligible

The strap uses a Velcro-style set-up which is easy to adjust on the fly, and I’ve found that the whole apparatus has held up well even though it’s been subjected to quite a few trips to my local swimming pool as well as being worn overnight for sleep tracking. It’s rated to survive depths of up to 5ATM too, so I have no concerns about the Cirqa holding up over the long run.

Unlike the Fitbit Air, the Cirqa launched with a bicep – or ‘Upper Arm Band‘ – if you prefer to have it there for certain activities.

One thing that has surprised me quite a bit is the reaction I’ve had from other people, particularly people online who feel that the Cirqa looks absolutely massive, and I’ve even had some folks asking for my wrist size for comparison (a strange request, I can tell you). As someone who wore the Whoop Strap 4.0 for years, while the Cirqa is slightly larger, the difference is negligible.

It’s only when you compare the Cirqa to the Fitbit Air that the former feels a bit bigger than it really needs to be. Still, it’s not something that bothered me in my time using the device.

Software & Features

• Push button starts workout tracking quickly
• You have to rely on the Connect app more than with other Garmin wearables
• Vibration feature can be used for alarms

Just like every other Garmin device, the Cirqa funnels all of its data into the Garmin Connect app, but because there isn’t any way to view this data on the device itself, you’re left using the app a lot more than usual, which does have some drawbacks. I will say that after moving on from my trusty Apple Watch SE (2022) and using the Garmin Venu X1 as my full-time smartwatch, I’ve become accustomed to how the Connect app works, but it does take some getting used to.

Unlike Apple Fitness or the more recent Google Health app, where so much of what you want is clearly signposted and easy to discover, Garmin Connect hides a bunch of features under a handful of menus. For instance, if you want to start a workout, then there’s a ‘plus’ button on the homepage where you can get things started, but if you want to broadcast your heart rate during the workout, then you need to tap on the icon for the Cirqa (or your current Garmin wearable) and then head into a separate tab for ‘Health & Wellness’.

There’s no shortage of things to get newcomers motivated

Moments like this feel a bit counterintuitive, as I’d prefer just to have a bunch of toggles that I can select or deselect on the workout page, but to give the Connect app its due, I do love the ‘In Focus’ section that you see right at the top of the homepage.

My carousel is set to show my Sleep Score, Body Battery and workout history and it all works rather well for me.

There’s no shortage of things to get newcomers motivated, thanks to the Garmin Coach, which can get you to where you need to be for your preferred style of workout, whether that be running, weightlifting at the gym, or something else. There are also challenges to sign up for and badges to earn, which everyone can then see on your account page. It’s a great little ecosystem and it’s exactly why Garmin has been the favourite of fitness enthusiasts for such a long time.

Going back to the Cirqa, however, because this is a screenless device, there’s very little interaction going on, except for a lone push button that sits just off to the side and is meant for starting and stopping a workout. I cannot tell you how much I love this concept of being able to circumvent all the onscreen faff and just dive straight into a workout. Or at least, that’s what I thought was the case.

While the push button is fun to use, the problem is that by default, it’s set to record a non-specific ‘Timed Activity’, which means that it doesn’t track things like the amount of distance you’ve covered – not exactly helpful if you’re looking to beat a personal best in running.

Instead, to track something specific, you’d have to open up the Connect app on your phone beforehand and start a workout there. I don’t understand why Garmin hasn’t opened up the scope here for users to assign a preferred workout to the push button, as it would make for a far better system.

It’s worth noting that, like the Fitbit Air, the Cirqa Smart Band doesn’t have built-in GPS, so you will have to connect to a phone for that functionality.

you can set the Cirqa to buzz when a certain time has elapsed, but you can’t do the same for when you’ve passed certain distances

In a similar instance of missed opportunity, there is a vibration function built into the Cirqa which lets you know when it’s time to charge the device, and it also works in conjunction with any alarms that you’ve set in the Connect app. When it comes to workouts, you can set the Cirqa to buzz when a certain time has elapsed, but you can’t do the same for when you’ve passed certain distances.

I like to rely on my Venu X1 to let me know when I’ve completed another kilometre at my local park. It’s a small thing but it helps to keep me going, and the absence of it on the Cirqa was keenly felt during the review process.

Hopefully, this, along with the button issue, will be rectified in a future software update.

Fitness & Health Tracking

• Tons of data available
• Heart rate results are largely on the money
• Sleep tracking is solid, but not the best

For any misgivings I might have about the Garmin Cirqa, the one thing I really can’t fault it on is the pure data that it provides to users, and it’s exactly why the Cirqa will be such an appealing option to a lot of people, particularly as it’s giving you this breadth of information without the need for a subscription.

Just to give an example, when taking a walk up to the shops and back, I was able to delve into every detail afterwards, including my maximum speed, average cadence and how it benefitted my overall health. There’s so much to dive into, but if you’re not interested in the minutiae of every workout, then the ‘Overview’ tab can provide all the key information you need to know.

The one bit of data that means the most to me is the ‘Training Effect’. This lets me know right away if the workout I’ve just undertaken was ideal for making sure that there’s still enough energy left in the tank for the rest of the day, or if it was right where it needed to be to really push my limits and improve my capacity for next time.

As a new parent, there aren’t too many times now when my workouts fall into the latter category, but I feel a great sense of achievement when they do.

the Cirqa is top-notch when it comes to providing heart rate results

What’s crucial is that all of this data is included in the base cost of the Garmin Cirqa, and although there is the Connect+ tier available for those who would like AI-driven insights (similarly to what you’ll find on the Google Health Coach), it’s far from essential, and I’ve never felt the need to upgrade. What you get here is more than enough, which can’t be said of all rivals.

I will say, however, that if you’re an existing Garmin user who’s thinking about picking up a second device that focuses on rest and recovery, just like how most screenless fitness trackers tend to, the Garmin Cirqa is not for you. This is not a wearable that goes in a different direction from the existing fare, but rather it is a Garmin device through and through, just without the screen.

This means that you won’t be getting access to any additional insights, unlike if you were pairing an Apple Watch with a Whoop Strap. My advice would be to buy the Cirqa or a different Garmin watch, but don’t buy both.

Thankfully, just like previous Garmin wearables, the Cirqa is top-notch when it comes to providing heart rate results. Taking it for a spin alongside the chest-worn Garmin HRM 600, the Cirqa was, on average, just a single BPM off the results of the 600. This is terrific for such an affordable fitness tracker, which further cements the idea that this really is a bargain buy for getting access to the best of Garmin at a value price.

Sleep tracking is similarly brilliant, as there’s an allocated sleep score each morning that you wear the Cirqa, letting you know if your body got enough rest. There’s a good bit of advice that goes along with the sleep data, steering you towards better habits in the process, but I still think that Huawei has the upper hand in this arena for giving comprehensive suggestions on how to improve your circadian rhythm.

Battery Life & Charging

• Lasts for up to 10 days at a time
• Takes just over an hour to fully charge
• Uses the same charger as Garmin watches

Garmin claims that the Cirqa can last for up to 10 days at a time between charges, but in real-world use, I found this to be closer to five days. That was over a period of time that included two workouts and an automatically tracked walk, so there’s a chance that you may get even less than that if you visit the gym frequently.

if you already have a Garmin charging cable to hand, then you can use it here

Thankfully, there isn’t a whole new charging cable made for the Cirqa as it uses the same mechanism that all other Garmin devices rely on, so if you already have a Garmin charging cable to hand, then you can use it here. The flipside of this is that the Cirqa isn’t quite as well optimised for 24/7 monitoring as the Whoop Strap, as that uses a slide-on battery pack to wirelessly charge without you ever having to remove the Strap from your wrist.

That might irritate anyone who obsesses over the details of their health tracking, but I’m just happy that Garmin hasn’t rocked the boat here, as it makes it easy enough to pick up a replacement cable if you lose the one that’s included.

In terms of charging time, it took just over an hour and 10 minutes to get the battery from empty to 100%, although a 20-minute charge got the Cirqa to 23%, which is just enough for a day of use.

Price & Availability

The Garmin Cirqa is available to buy in the UK, US and Europe, priced at £179.99/$199.99/€199.99.

It’s available from the official store in the UK and US, as well as plenty of retailers, including Amazon, Argos and Currys in the UK, and Amazon and Best Buy.

It’s a bit pricier than the Fitbit Air at £84.99/$99.99/€99.99, but you get the most out of that device by adding the Google Health Premium subscription into the mix, so for me, the Cirqa is the better value option in the long term.

Crucially, the Cirqa costs about as much as a single year of access to the Whoop ecosystem (which includes the Whoop Strap 5.0 itself), so Garmin has done the key thing here of undercutting the biggest player in the screenless arena.

Where things get a bit tricky is when you compare the Cirqa to Garmin’s other wares, notably the Forerunner 165, which has a screen (and therefore more on-device functionality) plus a longer battery life of up to 11-days. That watch only costs a tad more at £199.99/$249.99/€229.99.

Of course, if you specifically want a distraction-free device, then the Cirqa is the way to go.

Check out our recommendations for the best fitness trackers and best smart rings for more options.

Should you buy the Garmin Cirqa?

Now that all the mystery surrounding Garmin’s first screenless fitness tracker is in the past and I’ve tested it fully, I can say that it’s a solid device that’s well worth considering if you want the best long-term value from your wearable.

With all the data that Garmin has to offer, and the fact that it’s available to users at no extra cost, the Cirqa is a more wallet-friendly option than the Fitbit Air ,which arguably works best when you do sign up for the Google Health Premium subscription. With that said, the Google Health app is more user-friendly than Garmin Connect, so it all depends on how much data you plan on poring over.

There’s a lot to be said for the screenless concept, and if you are someone who would prefer not to be distracted by yet another device on the go, then this is a solid way of keeping tabs on your health, but if you’re not that bothered, then I’d argue giving a budget smartwatch like the Apple Watch SE 3 a gander instead. That watch doesn’t cost much more than the Cirqa, but you’re getting a lot more functionality for your cash, plus it has a solid fitness tracking system anyway.

For the Android crowd, I would suggest the Samsung Galaxy Watch 8, which can now be found for a lot less following the release of its successor. Still, for what the Garmin Cirqa is, I think it’s a great way of accessing Garmin’s ecosystem on the cheap, and I’ll be interested to see how the brand develops the concept going forward.

Specs

• 5ATM water resistance
• S-M (120-200mm) and L-XL sizes (145-240mm)
• Module: 14.8g
• Up to 10 days of battery life
• Garmin proprietary plug charger
• iPhone and Android compatible
• Black, Captain Blue, French Grey and Mauve colourways