The Garmin Epix was introduced at the same time as the Fenix 7. Also, a high-end multisport smartwatch is the first model in this category to have a high-resolution AMOLED touchscreen.
Garmin dug up an old model, pimped it up, and the result is the new Garmin Epix, the prettier sister of the Garmin Fenix 7.
The two models are very similar, which is why we will cover the key differences in this comparision.
Specification
| Garmin Epix | Garmin Fenix 7 | |
| $ | CHECK PRICE | CHECK PRICE |
| Brand | 47x47x14.5mm | 47x47x14.5mm |
| Released | August 29, 2019 | January 18, 2022 |
| Weight | 76g | 79g |
| Display | 1.3 inch | 1.3 inch |
| Display type | AMOLED touch screen | Transflective touchscreen |
| Resolution | 416x416px | 260x260px |
| Dimension | 47x47x14.5mm | 1.3 inch 260x260px |
| Protection | Corning Gorilla Glass | |
| Waterproof | 10ATM | 10ATM |
| Internal memory | 16 GB | 16 GB |
| Battery | Up to 16 days | Up to 18 days |
Design
In terms of design, the Epix is a copy of the Fenix 7. You will hardly find any difference if you put the two watches side by side.
The Garmin Epix comes in the typical dimensions of a sporty smartwatch, which means that it will probably be a little too big and bulky for petite wrists. As is specific for the manufacturer, stainless steel, titanium, and high-quality watch glasses are used.
The watch is available in a total of four color variants: slate grey/silver, black/slate gray titanium, snow white/titanium titan, black/slate gray titanium with brown leather strap.
Garmin Fenix 7- Now that we have clarified the externals, we highlight the Garmin Epix – the AMOLED touchscreen.
As far as the exterior of the Fenix 7 is concerned, there are no changes. Dimensions such as size and weight remain unchanged, and the materials are again made of stainless steel or titanium and high-quality watch glasses.
With a diameter of 42 mm and 6 fashionable color versions, the Fenix 7s should appeal to sporty and fitness-loving women. The other two model variants are more suitable for men due to their size.
Display
Garmin Epix comes with an excellent display. We’re talking about a 1.3-inch screen with a resolution of 416 x 416 pixels that delivers around 65,000 colors, which is quite a bit more than the 65 colors of the Fenix 7.
Of course, there are always concerns about the readability of the display in very bright lighting conditions. However, initial reports show that these fears are unfounded and that the small screen can be seen well even in direct sunlight.
Touch displays are usually not very popular with athletes. If you’re sweaty or it’s raining, the service is typically a bit of fiddling or doesn’t work at all.
Fortunately, you don’t have to worry about this with the Epix since the watch can be operated using swipe gestures/tapping as well as the five buttons.
With a colored AMOLED display, watch faces are a lot of fun, and Garmin offers some pre-installed display designs. There is also a huge selection via the Garmin Connect IQ Store.
Garmin Fenix 7- Once again, the decision was made in favor of the transflective MIP display, which cannot keep up with AMOLED displays in terms of resolution and color reproduction, but is very easy to read in all lighting conditions.
Of course, the significant innovation is the touchscreen that can be found on all models. From now on, it is possible to operate the Fenix 7 just by swiping and typing. But the positive thing about it is that the keys can be used as usual.
Of course, there is also a large selection of pre-installed watch faces and display designs available for download via Connect IQ. You can also use the app to create your design, including your picture.
Battery Life
Garmin Epix- Another key differentiator between the Epix and the Fenix 7 is battery life. While the Fenix 7 watches impress with sometimes enormous values, the Epix cannot quite keep up.
On the one hand, this has to do with the AMOLED, which is known to consume more power, and on the other hand, the EPIX did not have the solar function.
Nevertheless, the battery life of the watch is convincing. After all, we are talking about a high-end multisport smartwatch that offers a huge range of features and, according to the manufacturer, should last up to 16 days in smartwatch mode.
With typical use
- 24/7 use
- all sensors activated (e.g., HR and SpO2)
- sleep monitoring
- 4-6 hours of GPS training per week
- 20 messages daily
- 2 hours of music per week
- Always On enabled
The battery life is to be 5 – 7 days. You can get another day without the Always-On function and use gesture activation.
Garmin Fenix 7- Garmin is perhaps a little too optimistic, and even if in our latitudes you may not be able to exploit the potential of the solar function fully, the battery life of the Fenix 7 is still awe-inspiring.
Let’s assume typical usage behavior
- 24/7 use
- all sensors permanently activated (e.g., HF, SpO2)
- Use of sleep monitoring
- 4-6 hours of training per week with GPS
- 20 messages on the clock every day
- 2 hours of music per week over the clock
- 1x Health SnapShot daily
With this use, I consider battery life of at least 10 days to be realistic, which puts the Fenix 7 among the frontrunners, and actually, only watches from Huawei can keep up. Of course, that’s just preliminary speculation on my part.
Smart Features
Both smartwatch have same features in health and activities.
- Pedometer
- Inactivity bar
- Automatic goal
- Calorie consumption
- Floor counter
- Intensity minutes
- Automatic activity detection
- HF measurement
- HF measurement at rest
- Alarm for abnormal HF values
- SpO2 measurement
- Sports age
- Body battery
- Sleep monitoring with Sleep Score
Conclusion
Garmin Epix- Smartwatches with AMOLED touchscreens are trendy with users. This can be seen in the Huawei watches and the Garmin Venu 2, which have become the manufacturer’s bestseller.
The Epix delivers precisely what many have long wanted – namely, a Fenix Smartwatch with a colored display.
And as soon as the price changes and you can get the watch a little cheaper, the Garmin Epix will become the new top star and possibly even the Fenix 7.
With the Garmin Fenix 7, the manufacturer did many things right. On the one hand, the entire model series has been made much clearer for interested parties, making it much easier to choose the right watch. On the other hand, all devices have almost the same equipment, making the decision much more manageable.
Many users will be delighted to operate the watch using the touchscreen and buttons. The significant improvement in the already perfect battery life will also reap a lot of enthusiasm. And once multi-band GNSS reaches its full potential, the Fenix 7 will have even more fans.
