New Garmin Fenix 7 and Epix smartwatches bring up to 5 weeks battery life and high resolution displays

Garmin has announced the release of two new smartwatches, the Fenix 7 and the Epix.

The Garmin Fenix 7 succeeds the Fenix 6 as Garmin’s flagship solar-enhanced multisport GPS smartwatch with a number of new features, including Real-Time Stamina, Visual Race Predictor and a built-in torch.

Garmin says the new Epix is a premium multisport wearable designed to be worn every day. The watch has an AMOLED display and a claimed battery life of up to 16 days.

The two watches follow the recent release of the Garmin Venu 2 Plus smartwatch and similarly share touchscreen designs, alongside the usual buttons around the bezel.

Both smartwatches come with a host of features that will be familiar to anyone who has invested in a Garmin smartwatch in recent years.

Alongside GPS tracking, there is access to the Garmin Connect IQ Store via WiFi, which allows users to download apps to enhance the watches.

You can also store music on the watches from third-party music services such as Spotify and set up contactless payments via Garmin Pay.

The Garmin Fenix 7 is available in three models and the pricing starts at £599 / €699. The Epix starts at £779.99 / €899.99. International pricing is TBC.

Garmin Fenix 7

Garmin introduced the first Fenix smartwatch 10 years ago. Since then, it has progressed from a straightforward navigational tool with minimal training features to a device that has activity profiles for a range of different sports and can provide general insights into your health and training.

Garmin says the Fenix 7 has a number of new advanced training tools for “optimal performance”.

The Real-Time Stamina tool is said to allow users to monitor and track exertion levels during a bike ride or run. The new Visual Race Predictor assesses running history and overall fitness to provide race estimates as well as insight into training progress.

The smartwatch also features new HIIT workouts and Up Ahead, a feature that alerts users to points of interest and key points coming up.

While these features might not convince some cyclists to switch from one of the best bike computers to a wearable device, one of the appealing aspects when considering a smartwatch versus a bike computer is the former’s ability to provide “wellness insights”.

Using data from the built-in heart rate monitor, Garmin says the Fenix 7 will take into account training intensity and other factors such as stress and sleep to estimate recovery time and Body Battery, which is Garmin’s estimation of a person’s energy reserves.

As well as new training features, there are a number of other design features that distinguish the Fenix 7 from the outgoing Fenix 6.

Unlike the Fenix 6, which just had buttons, the Fenix 7 has a touchscreen and buttons. Garmin says this serves a dual purpose, improving map navigation and day-to-day functionality.

The Fenix 7, like the Fenix 6, is available in three models: the Fenix 7S, Fenix 7 and Fenix 7X.

The watches in the range are the same dimensions as the equivalent models in the Fenix 6 range: the 7s has a 42mm case and a 1.2in display; the 7 has a 47mm case and a 1.3in display; the 7X has a 51mm case and a 1.4in display.

Like the Fenix 6, the Fenix 7 will be available with solar capability. Garmin says it has improved the “solar harvesting capability” by 200 per cent in smartwatch mode from the Fenix 6 to the Fenix 7.

The Fenix 6 was not available with a scratch-resistant Power Sapphire lens and solar capability, but the Fenix 7 will be available with both.

The solar-enabled Fenix 7X has a claimed battery life of up to five weeks in smartwatch mode and up to five days in GPS mode, according to Garmin.

The Fenix 7X also comes with a built-in LED flashlight. The light can be used as a torch, but with running mode enabled it will match a runner’s cadence and alternate between white and red with each arm swing.

Garmin’s TopoActive maps come pre-loaded on the Sapphire Solar editions of the Fenix 7, but have to be downloaded to either the standard watches or Solar editions without Power Sapphire lenses.

Garmin Epix

The Garmin Epix has an AMOLED display, a feature Garmin first introduced with the Venu smartwatch in 2019. An AMOLED display has a higher resolution than a typical LCD or OLED screen. Garmin says the 1.3in display will have an “always-on brightness”, which presumably translates to daytime readability.

Garmin says the Epix has the “broadest range of 24/7 health monitoring features” out of the brand’s products. These features include wrist-based heart rate monitoring with configurable alerts for high and low readings, respiration and stress tracking, sleep score and insights, as well as Body Battery.

The smartwatch can also provide customised training plans, which Garmin says are complete with a free virtual personal trainer, and features a number of training tools including PacePro to help runners with pacing strategy and Race-Time Stamina, like the Fenix 7.

Garmin says the Epix uses multi-band frequency and multi-GNSS support for more accurate GPS positioning. The Sapphire editions of the watch come loaded with TopoActive maps and you can download multi-continent maps via WiFi.

Garmin has emphasised how the Epix “looks as good in the boardroom as it does in the gym”, and says users can switch out the strap of the watch depending on activity, with bands available in metal, leather, suede and silicone.

Users have other options when it comes to how the Epix looks, too, with the watch body available in a number of different finishes, including slate steel, black titanium sapphire and white titanium sapphire.

The watch has a claimed battery life of 16 days in smartwatch mode and up to 42 hours in GPS mode.