Engadget's review of the Garmin Cirqa finds it a competent but ultimately unnecessary screenless fitness band, launched to compete with the likes of Whoop as that company's valuation soared to around $10 billion. The reviewer argues the screenless wearable trend is driven more by status signalling among fitness enthusiasts than by genuine practicality, and while Garmin has replicated its usual tracking quality in the Cirqa, the device lacks the software depth and AI-driven insights needed to truly rival Whoop.

Physically, the Cirqa is a small plastic puck (roughly 2 by 1 inches) with a woven fabric strap, weighing just over an ounce, and packing a 10-day battery, an optical heart rate sensor and an accelerometer, but no GPS. It offers 24/7 heart rate, respiration, stress and activity monitoring, plus sleep, menstrual cycle and temperature tracking, all controlled via a single physical button and companion app; Garmin markets it as needing no subscription, distinguishing it from rivals like Whoop, Fitbit, Oura and Ultrahuman. The reviewer praises its automatic activity and sleep tracking but criticises the fiddly single-button control, particularly for dismissing the smart alarm, which can accidentally trigger unwanted activity recordings.