Garmin Cirqa Smart Band: Screen free wearable launched; rival include whoop and Fitbit Air - Check price and other specs

Garmin has officially launched the CIRQA Smart Band, marking the company's first foray into the screen-free wearable category and setting up a direct challenge to rivals Whoop and Google's Fitbit Air. Announced from its headquarters in Olathe, Kansas, the device is designed for users who want continuous health and fitness tracking without the distraction of a display, with all data accessible instead through the Garmin Connect app.

The CIRQA sports a lightweight, fabric-loop design that can be worn either around the wrist or as an upper-arm band, integrating Garmin's Elevate Gen 4 sensor for continuous monitoring. It offers up to 10 days of battery life on a single charge, positioning it between its two biggest screen-free competitors three days longer than Fitbit Air, though shorter than the Whoop 5.0's roughly two-week runtime. A single side button lets users manually start their favourite activity without needing to open the companion app.

What it tracksDespite lacking a display, the CIRQA is built to match the depth of Garmin's smartwatch lineup. It continuously tracks heart rate, stress levels, Body Battery energy monitoring, Pulse Ox, respiration, and skin temperature, alongside detailed nightly sleep reports covering sleep stages, naps, and heart rate variability. The band can automatically detect and record more than 80 different activities, including walking, running, and yoga, and adapts over time as users confirm or edit logged activities in the Connect app. More advanced metrics such as training readiness, training status, VO2 max, workout benefit, and recovery time are also included, features typically reserved for Garmin's higher-end sports watches.