No, this isn’t your grandfather’s Epix from 2015, but rather, this is Garmin’s new 2nd gen Epix that effectively takes an Epix and elevates it with a full AMOLED color touchscreen display. Now, Garmin officially calls it just ‘Epix’, though you’ll see the 2nd gen bits here and there. In order to save digital typing waste, I’m just going to call it the shortened Epix as well.
If you haven’t seen my also-just-released Fenix 7 In-Depth Review, the key thing to know here is that Epix contains every software feature of the Fenix 7, but differs at the hardware level. For example, the Epix includes the aforementioned higher resolution and more vivid AMOLED display, but it lacks solar panels or the Fenix 7X flashlight. That’s mainly because solar frankly wouldn’t do much here for this display, and the flashlight isn’t quite in the Epix cards for the time being. There are, of course, differences in battery life too, which we’ll get into. But the key thing to know is that even though it has an AMOLED display, it still manages 6 days in always-on display mode – which reaches upwards of 16 days in gesture mode.
In other words, for most people, you’re not sacrificing much for a dramatically better display. I’ve been using the Epix now for quite some time, putting it through both daily 24×7 usage as well as workouts and other athletic adventures. Everything from high mountain hiking to ocean swimming, snow-covered escapes, and city testing. All of it in an effort to find out where this watch works well, and where its caveats are.
As usual, this watch is a media loaner, and it’ll go back to Garmin shortly. This review is not sponsored (nor does any company get to preview anything I review), and I don’t take any advertiser money from any companies I review. And as regular readers know, if something is crap, I’m gonna tell it brutally like it is – no matter the brand. Once this unit goes back, I’ll go out and get my own for any future testing needs. If you found this review useful, you can use the links at the bottom, or consider becoming a DCR Supporter which makes the site ad-free, while also getting access to a mostly weekly video series behind the scenes of the DCR Cave. And of course, it makes you awesome.
What’s new:
Creating a ‘What’s New’ category for the Epix Gen 2 is arguably kinda tricky. After all, am I comparing it to the Gen1 brick from 7 years ago? Or am I comparing it to its realistic older sibling, the Fenix 6 series? In this case, since none of you want to see a list 918 features long of all the things Garmin has added in 7 years to all their watches (such as an optical HR sensor), I’m going with a comparison to the Fenix 6 series. As such, this portion of the review will be almost identical to that of the Fenix 7 series in terms of new features, since the two watches have almost identical software features. The only differences in software are those related specifically to power savings for the AMOLED display.
Starting with the number of models here, there are two different ones: Non-Sapphire and Sapphire. Just like the Fenix 7, they denote whether or not a watch gets not only the sapphire display, but also the expanded storage and multi-band GPS. Here are the differences:
– Garmin Epix base ($899): Music, Garmin Pay, WiFi, downloadable maps, 16GB storage, AMOLED touchscreen, plus all software features – Garmin Epix Sapphire in White or Black Titanium ($999): Base + multi-band GPS, 32GB storage with pre-loaded maps, Sapphire glass, titanium bezel
There is no solar or flashlight edition/options in the Epix series. While Garmin is free to go with the $899 pricing (it’s equivalent to the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar), however, I think it’s a bit cheap of them not to include at least multi-band GPS at that price point, if not also the full 32GB of storage. Given the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar has it at the same price.
In any case, all units get all software features, and all units get mapping. The difference is that only the Sapphire/Titanium units have the maps pre-downloaded for your region (e.g. North America, Europe, etc…) – whereas the base & base solar units do not. Instead, you simply connect to WiFi and download what you need for your region. That’s because pre-loading all the maps per region would add too many SKUs for Garmin to deal with, primarily on the Fenix side, but they’re carrying it over here too.
Anyway, here’s what’s new in Epix. Note that size/case-wise, Epix is identical in size to the middle Fenix 7 unit (Fenix 7, not Fenix 7S or 7X):
– All Epix units now get free worldwide downloadable TopoActive maps using WiFi (Sapphire units have pre-loaded maps for your region)
– All Epix units now have pre-loaded Skiing & Golf Maps
– All Epix units now have music, WiFi, and Garmin Pay support (previously base Fenix 6 Series did not have this or maps)
– Added full-color AMOLED Display
– Added touchscreen (and can still use buttons for every function)
– Added multi-band (aka dual-frequency) GPS to Epix Sapphire units
– Revamped ‘GPS only’ mode for far more battery life savings
– Added Garmin ELEVATE GEN 4 optical HR sensor
– Switched to glass-covered optical HR sensor (versus plastic with a coating), which increases durability
– Added Garmin SkiView, now includes resort names & slope names
– Added Cross Country Ski Trails to maps
– Added new “Map Manager” feature for managing/downloading maps from your wrist
– Added ‘Up Ahead’ feature for distances to predefined markers like aide stations, climbs, etc…
– Added Realtime Stamina feature, which is used during runs & rides to try and leave nothing in the tank (or, properly manage a workout)
– Added Race Predictor historical trendlines (to see if you’re getting faster or slower)
– Added new Kiteboard Sport Type
– Added new Windsurf Sport Type
– Added new SpeedPro function for Windsurfing (primarily for speedsurfers)
– Added new graphical charts as data fields
– Added scrolling charts in a variety of places, including widgets
– Added finally, for the love of all things holy, the ability to configure activity profiles and data fields from your phone
– Added Garmin Connect IQ store on wrist (well, a limited version of it anyway)
– Added Health Snapshot feature (includes HRV data)
– Added New Sleep Manager Settings for customizing what the device does while you sleep
– Added HIIT workouts (meaning, they’re giving you structured workouts, not just a sport mode)
– Added Automatic Run/Walk/Stand graphing within a workout (see sports section for details)
– Revamped the user interface a fair bit (not a major overhaul, but definitely far cleaner)
– Added ‘button guards’ around all buttons, which reduce accidental presses with things like jackets
– Added metal/titanium (depending on model) lugs covers – see unboxing section for details.
Got all that? Good. Here are two charts to help you make sense of it. First up is the battery comparison chart:
And then a relatively simple chart that easily shows which features which watches get:
Now, there are some notable omissions here, especially coming hot on the heels of the Venu 2 Plus release two weeks ago. There is no voice assistance, or speaker/microphone for making/receiving calls. Even more, despite Garmin releasing the FR945 LTE last spring, there’s no LTE edition of the Epix either – a seemingly odd omission. In the case of the microphone/speaker, Garmin says that the higher waterproofing standard of the Epix series (100 meters) versus the Venu 2 series (50 meters), makes this challenging at this time. On the LTE front, I asked Garmin why there was no LTE option given it’s been a while since they launched the theoretically inferior FR945. It was the singular item they provided a ‘no comment’ on, out of the arguably 50-70 questions/details I’ve asked over the past two months.
Undoubtedly, Garmin will eventually come out with an LTE Fenix/Epix series. Where that’s just an Epix LTE, an Epix Plus LTE, or down the road in a Fenix 8 or Epix V3 (or whatever they call it). I don’t know, but as you’ll see – what’s here today is undeniably cool. But it’s also hard to reconcile this missing bit with one’s purchasing considerations.
In the Box:
The box for the Epix series mirrors basically every other Garmin watch in the last half a decade or so. It’s grey and simplistic, and lacking…err…epicness. While all the box contents for all four units I tested were identical (Fenix 7S/7/7X/Epix), keep in mind that some higher-end fancy-strap editions do have secondary straps in them. I didn’t have any fancy-strap editions. Thus, rather than repeat a series of unboxings, here’s just one sampling.
First up, once you remove the lid, the watch is hanging out looking at you, complete with a sticker of what it imagines it’ll look like:
Inside you’ve got the watch, a standard Garmin watch charging cable, and a safety manual + quick start guide:
The charging cable is identical to virtually every other Garmin Fenix, Forerunner, and Vivo/Venu series device made in the last number of years:
And the manuals are equally as unexciting. However, here’s a pretty shot of the watch before I slaughter them for 6-7 weeks. After this point, any scratches on them are probably well earned in my testing.
The band itself can unsnap easily to be swapped out, if you perhaps want a fancier band for non-sport usage, and then quickly swap to the silicone one for sports. They feature the standard Garmin QuickFit system, and matches the middle band size which is a 22mm band. But you can use any 22mm band you find.
You’ll notice the new protected lug design on the Epix series, where those top parts are covered up better now. Here it is side by side with a Fenix 6 series watch:
There’s also the new button guard on the start/stop button, which Garmin says will reduce accidental starts/stops by jackets or such. It’ll probably take you a day or two to get used to this (at least it did for me), but now I don’t even think about it.
With that covered, the Epix series retains the same case sizes as the Fenix 7 does, which are:
Fenix 7S: 42mm case Fenix 7: 47mm case Epix: 47mm case Fenix 7X: 52mm case
However, they are now slightly thinner in most cases, being:
Fenix 7S: 14.1mm thick (was 13.8mm for Fenix 6S, and 14.7mm for Fenix 6S Solar) Epix: 14.5mm thick Fenix 7: 14.5mm thick (was 14.7mm) Fenix 7X: 14.9mm thick (was 14.9mm)
I spot-checked the Epix Sapphire I had, and it weighed in at 71g:
Ok, with that, let’s get into the AMOLED display bits briefly, before going through the fundamentals
AMOLED Display:
The singular reason you’d get the EPIX over the Fenix 7 is the new AMOLED display. The display is actually the same 1.3” display as found on the Venu 2 & Venu 2 Plus, which boasts 65,000 colors…versus a whopping 64 colors on the Fenix 7.
Up until this point, we’ve never seen an AMOLED display on an endurance sports focused watch. Be it from Garmin or otherwise. The closest we’ve gotten is the Suunto 7 watch, based on Wear OS, but given the significant GPS battery constraints there, you’re only looking at half a 6-7 hours of GPS battery life. Other offerings from Garmin, Apple, and Samsung (and others) have all played around with battery life, but either it’s mediocre GPS on-times, or at most 2-days of always-on smartwatch times.
But with Epix, that changes significantly. Due to the larger size compared to most mid-range watches, they’ve simply got more battery capacity. The size of Epix is identical to that of the mid-sized Fenix 7 (not the S or X). In doing so, Epix, based on my testing, can get about 6 days of smartwatch life in always-on display mode, and with about 1 hour or so of workouts per day (GPS or inside). Further, the company claims up to 30 hours of GPS on-time in always-on mode, and even more in gesture mode. Gesture mode is when the screen turns off when you’re not looking at it.
In my case, I’ve almost exclusively used always-on mode for the past 6-7 weeks. That means that the watch display is always on, but slightly dimmed when not looking at it. When I raise my wrist, the watch face goes to full brightness. It’s identical to what Apple does on their more recent watches, and for the first time ever, I’m not complaining about Garmin’s wrist-raise detection. Partially because it actually works now, and partially because even in dim-mode, the screen is easily readable (both in darkness and direct bright sunlight).
Now in this scenario, ‘always-on’ does have a very slight caveat to the 6-day claim, in that Garmin, by default, puts the screen into a battery-saving mode while you sleep. So in that case it turns off the screen unless a button is pressed, and then once pressed it’s a low-brightness time screen that’s easily read in the dark (versus staring into a super-bright AMOLED screen at 2AM). This can be easily configured/changed in the new Sleep Mode settings (I discuss that in the next section).
Again, I’ve had zero issues with this arrangement, and this also mirrors what other companies do at night with an AMOLED display. And if you don’t like it, you can certainly change it too – obviously, there’s an impact on battery life there. But frankly, the visibility is arguably better than a Fenix 7 at night. With a Fenix 7 (or any other Garmin watch that’s not AMOLED), if you’re sitting in bed/darkness, the screen isn’t visible unless you tap the light button. So, it’s identical here.
Now as noted, the display is easily visible in both darkness, half-dark (aka winter in Amsterdam), and bright sunny days atop a tropical island volcano. It blows away the Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar display (any variant, 7S/7/7X) in every scenario I can think of. It’s more readable from a brightness standpoint, and it’s more readable from a clarity standpoint. Here, some complete unedited out-of-camera comparisons.
First, a pro tip – the Epix has a red button. I tried to keep Epix always on the left in comparison photos, but sometimes I’m inconsistent. First, Epix on the left and Fenix 7X Sapphire on the right. Very thin clouds, but moderately sunny:
This one, direct sun on screens. Epix at *RIGHT* here, note the color depth. Both backlights on in default configuration.
Here mid-day, light cloud cover, Epix left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar right. Note in this case, the popularity maps were enabled on the Epix, hence the purple lines.
Here in the late afternoon. Epix at left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar at right, both with default backlights enabled:
Here’s just a solo Epix shot, this one in as harsh sun conditions as you can get, mid-day sun in the desert:
In all these cases, the settings are configured identical (default), and I even matched whether the backlight was enabled on both units at the same time. Beyond that, throughout the interface, there are subtle tweaks to take advantage of the display. Whether it’s the background behind the sport menu, or the increased clarity within the maps, it’s often not immediately noticed until you switch over to a Fenix 7 on the other wrist.
After wearing Epix, it’s incredibly difficult to go back to the Fenix 7 screen. At this point, you’re probably saying: Ok, this sounds great, but what are the downsides?
Well, really just one: It has less overall battery than a Fenix 7, both GPS and smartwatch modes. It’s as simple as that. That’s the single downside I can come up with in 6-7 weeks of usage. Plus of course it lacks the nifty flashlight of the Fenix 7X, as well as solar magic.
The Basics:
In this section we’ll detail all of the non-sport features of the watch. I’ll touch on basic usability, with a look at all the daily fitness features such as sleep, health, and activity tracking. If you are the more visually-inclined type or you just want a more in-depth walk-through of these features,take a few minutes to watch the video linked above. Though this blog post touches on all the features of the Epix, the video goes beyond that and presents more of a long-form tutorial/guide/user interface deep-dive of the entire watch. Step by step, feature by feature. Go ahead, press play.
We’ll start with the hardware features here first. As with all of the Garmin Fenix series watches, we have five buttons on the Epix, that’s three on the left side and two on the right. For most purposes, the button on the upper right side can be considered a confirmation button, whereas the one on the lower right is more of a back/escape button. And the left-side buttons are for navigating within the various menus. And you can generally long-hold any of the buttons to either access different menu items, or assign quick-access buttons.
Aside from the physical buttons, you can swipe on the touchscreen to view and tap menu items just like you would on any other touch device. I’ve found that the touchscreen performs reasonably enough while sweaty or in the rain, though with some impact on precision. But, as you can see in the video, it is fairly responsive for the most part.
Keep in mind that none of the functions absolutely require you to use the touchscreen, so you can always accomplish the same tasks purely with the physical buttons. This is a nice option for those rainy, sweaty, or winter-gloved times. On the other hand (no pun intended), you can get away with mostly touch if you prefer (except when starting or stopping an activity, and when you want to end/start a new lap).
When you first start using the Epix you’ll find that almost all of the sport profiles have touch disabled. But, you have the option to re-enable the touchscreen functions within each profile if you prefer. And one thing I’ve found particularly useful is the new Sleep Mode settings options, which gives you the ability to disable the touchscreen when you would normally be asleep, as well as a slew of other customizations – even down to the day of the week:
Speaking of which, at night, within sleep mode, this is what the Epix shows as a reduced screen interface. You can of course change this, but this is the default, and then the screen goes entirely off unless you tap/touch it. Which I’ve found works perfectly fine.
So, now let’s take a look at the watch face features. The Epix comes to you with bunches of built-in watch faces but you also have access to literally thousands of additional watch faces from the Connect IQ app store. Generally you can tweak and customize the data fields and complications on a watch face to personalize the data you want to see and where you want to see it. In the world of watch faces, this is your oyster.
You can even create a custom watch face using your mobile device camera or photos from your library. You’ll use the Connect IQ app for this, and then the Face It tab.
As we saw a couple of weeks ago as a new feature on the Venu 2 Plus, you’ll also now have the ability to long-press any data item on your watch face and delve deeper into that specific widget for more detailed data. So, for instance, pressing on Steps takes you straight to the Steps widget and all that it has to offer. This new feature can now be found on all Fenix 7 series watches.
Widgets are awesome because they expose all kinds of data from your watch, such as steps, the weather, your sleep, training status, etc. You can also install 3rd party widgets too. You’ll simply swipe or press down from the watch face to access the widget glances:
And then from there, you can tap into any given widget to see more detailed information. For example, here’s the steps widget, which in turn has 2-3 more data pages on it with more detail.
And, as usual, all of this data is ultimately synced to Garmin Connect (desktop and mobile) where you can research and compare your data going back days, weeks, months, and years. It’s all there, for your ADHD viewing pleasure. For example, here’s my steps data on Garmin Connect Mobile (the smartphone app):
Here’s a wide-ranging gallery of widgets and my data from them:
If you’re like me, you find it mildly interesting to see your step tracking, stair tracking, and all the other metrics that these smartwatches measure and track for you, but heart rate tracking is really where these devices shine. The Epix uses Garmin’s Elevate V4 sensor that was introduced on the Venu 2 last spring, and is now found on a variety of other watches including the Fenix 7 and the Forerunner 945 LTE.
This sensor accomplishes a huge assortment of tasks, everything from round-the-clock 24×7 HR monitoring, to workout-only monitoring, to blood oxygen monitoring. A close look reveals a couple of LED sources, green for regular heart rate detection, and red for pulse oximetry (blood oxygen levels).
All of this constant data-gathering drives a slew of data points, for example stress and breathing rate. In general, I actually find the stress estimates reasonably accurate. That stress level is based on heart rate variability, where minuscule fluctuations between heartbeats are algorithmically crunched to give you a trending level. For me, it’s an easy way to glance at how the day might have gone thus far, or how it might contribute to my Body Battery. Body Battery is basically your energy level. It’s based on a combination of HRV, stress, and activity. You recharge it every night, and then decrease it during the day, or during periods of relaxation (like sitting on the couch watching TV).
While Garmin is not perfect in this area, I find generally good correlation in most cases between my perceived energy levels and what it estimates. Over time, I’ve found that several hours of sleep does not necessarily equate to getting a full or even substantial Body Battery recharge. In fact, that’s exceptionally rare. Sleep quality is a major component of recharging. The scenarios I find it tends to have trouble with are exceptionally hard/long days, or days with exceptionally poor sleep. It’ll usually estimate correctly on the poor sleep, but then has challenges figuring out how to give you a crap score, and then still give you an even crappier score by the end of the day. You can’t go below zero. Still, I think at that point both you and the device are aware of the situation: You feel like crap.
The good news is that it also tracks the quality of your sleep, and does it fairly well, giving you detailed information about how restful your sleep really was.
I’ve been impressed with Garmin’s continued improvements in the written explanations of how your night went:
Take this one from a few nights ago, this is about as succinct an explanation of my sleep as I could write myself. It’s literally spot-on perfect. Yes, it was long-ish sleep, but it was crap sleep.
While I’m not an expert on sleep research, I do have a lot of experience in comparing the accuracy and idiosyncrasies of some of the major players in the market. For example, I’ve spent considerable time the last few months comparing side by side a slew of sleep trackers for my Whoop 4.0 and Oura 3.0 reviews, not to mention the latest Garmin devices. So I can say that, in general, for me, Garmin almost always nails the time I go to bed and when I wake up. However, the downside is that it does not track naps in any way, which is very unfortunate for me, since naps are good!
But beyond that, I’ve found that it can occasionally have trouble with cases where I fall back asleep after being briefly awake, like between 6-9AM. It’ll often just end my sleep at say 7:10AM if I was awake/up for a couple of minutes, rather than realizing I’ve gone back to sleep for 2-3 hours. In terms of the sleep phases, I’m less convinced there. In general, even medical-grade devices aren’t crazy accurate/consistent in those areas. And in many cases, there’s few real-world actionable things you can do based on the tracking of such phases, other than being aware that the lack of restful and deep sleep can affect your overall sleep quality. So improving both your sleeping habits and environment are key here.
Now, to briefly touch on Pulse Ox, which is Garmin’s term for blood oxygen readings. There are a couple of settings here that you can individualize. You can configure this to be off at all times, measuring during sleep only, or measuring 24×7. Pulse Ox readings have two basic purposes in a Garmin wearable, one is around sleep (as potentially an indicator of sleep-related issues), and the second is in high altitude environments as an indicator of acclimation (or, in extreme cases, an indication that something is about to go horribly wrong). Two totally different use cases (note: medical folks and such also monitor blood oxygen levels too for other reasons). For the first one – sleep – you can track your Pulse Ox readings each night. It’s the red LED that’ll light up on the back of the watch.
Be aware that using Pulse Ox while sleeping will consume additional battery resources, lowering your overall battery reserves a bit. But that is almost inconsequential compared to the 24×7 mode, which consumes a crapton of battery. I don’t use either due to battery draw, but only utilize it in spot-checks with respect to Health Snapshot (more on that in a second). However, in terms of accuracy, I find that if you treat it the same way you’d do an actual blood oxygen test with an approved/medical-grade device, you’ll get good results. Which is to say, sit still while taking a reading. It’s as simple as that (below is a certified device):
And that’s the exact same way the FDA certifies blood oxygen medical-grade devices: Sitting still. If you swagger around, fidget, or generally don’t follow the recommendations, you’ll either not get accurate readings, or Garmin these days won’t even give a reading. They (and others) have gotten smarter with just giving you a warning that there’s too much movement for a valid result.
Now as I mentioned earlier, there’s the new Health Snapshot feature. Well, new to the Fenix 7 series and Epix that is. This was introduced on the Venu 2 last year, and it takes five core metrics and distills them down into a single 2-minute measurement period. All you need to do is sit down and relax.
During the 2-minute period it’ll measure your heart rate, blood oxygen level, respiration rate, stress, and HRV (heart rate variability). The overall idea is that if you can consistently do this, ideally at approximately the same time each day, you’ll start to get a bit of a snapshot of how things are trending. All of these metrics are already tracked by Garmin more deeply in the app/platform, but the Health Snapshot feature is a way of serving it on a single plate (so to speak).
Once the two-minute test period is over, it’ll give you a summary of that info:
And then you can also see this in Garmin Connect Mobile afterward, which is where you can spit out a PDF copy if you like:
The one downside here is that ostensibly the main reason you’d do a Health Snapshot on a regular basis is consistency in the timing of the readings. Meaning, everything except for HRV is automatically captured 24×7 anyway, and plotted 24×7 up to monthly and more if you like (assuming you’ve enabled SpO2). However, HRV is not. And arguably the ability to trend just these Health Snapshot readings by themselves would be pretty useful. Unfortunately, there’s no way to do that currently. You can only look at a single reading at a time.
As we round home here in The Basics section of this review, it’s worth noting that the Fenix 7 and Epix series watches are the first to have the new on-watch app store. This is a huge advantage in that you can now install Connect IQ apps directly from the watch on your wrist, as opposed to having to wait until you can find time to grab your phone. Garmin outlined this feature last fall as part of the Connect IQ Developer summit. And, as outlined then, it’s pretty darn basic.
To access it, you’ll simply go into the sports menu (I know, it’s technically the apps menu, but honesty, this doesn’t make much sense for it – it should probably be in the widgets area). Once opened it will load up some recommended apps. Five at the moment, plus showing the two music apps I already have installed (allowing me to uninstall those):
I can tap on one of the 4-6 total recommended apps, and then install it. Again, this is super basic at this point. But as Garmin outlined previously, it is merely the starting point here, with room for future growth.
Finally, while it probably won’t matter to many people, be aware that in general, virtually all of the functions that involve a smartphone, also require having an internet connection to function. Meaning that while the watch will happily collect data without internet, and do so for a very long time, it won’t sync to the phone without internet. That’s because the Garmin Connect smartphone app itself is merely showing data from the Garmin Connect online platform. The exception to this would be if you use the Garmin Explore app (also free), which then does allow syncing of some data (namely tracks/routes) back and forth to a phone that doesn’t have internet. And again, this has no impact on viewing any of these stats on your watch itself. But, if you were spending extended periods of time without internet, analyzing your stats on the smartphone Garmin Connect app would not be possible. You could however still plug in your watch to a computer, and download the workout file and analyze that.
Sports Usage:
Much like the Fenix 7, there’s literally no watch on this planet that has as many sports features built-in as the Garmin Epix series does. Perhaps if one were to download every app on the Apple Watch store you might come close, but you still wouldn’t match every last nuanced sport and fitness feature that you’ll find on the Epix. But, of course, that’s one of Garmin’s trademark features in a smartwatch: having a gazillion features, of which realistically you might only use 2-5% of them.
But, that’s all good, because everyone’s 2-5% features are different. I use sports features every day that others would never use, and I’m sure others swear by features that I would find “Meh”. This vast catalog of features is fundamentally why Garmin leads the sports watch field. And perhaps more importantly, over the last few years, the software quality has increased substantially, largely through the use of open firmware beta programs that go on for months and months. They know that feedback and bug resolution lead to improved software.
In any case, the Epix introduced a handful of new sport modes as noted earlier on, but no matter which sport you choose, it’ll all start by pressing the upper right button, which brings you to the sport listing:
Looking at the sport modes available, here’s your full listing. Note that some of these aren’t technically sports, but that’s how Garmin categorizes them, everything under an apps bucket:
Run, Hike, Bike, Bike Indoor, Treadmill, Open Water, Navigate, Expedition, Track Me, Map, Map Manager, Connect IQ Store, HRV Stress, Health Snapshot, Multisport, Trail Run, Ultra Run, Virtual Run, Track Run, Indoor Track, Climb, MTB, eBike, eMTB, CycloCross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, Road Bike, Pool Swim, Triathlon, Swimrun, Adventure Race, Strength, Climb Indoor, Bouldering, Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry Ski, XC Classic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, SUP, Surf, Kiteboard, Windsurf, Row, Row Indoor, Kayak, Golf, Tempo Training (Golf), Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Project Waypoint, Walk, Cardio, HIIT, Yoga, Breathwork, Pilates, Floor Climb, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Jumpmaster, Tactical, Boat, Clocks, Other
You can customize this sport listing on the watch, or from the smartphone. In fact, now’s a good time to talk about that new phone-based configuration. Historically, this is the first time we’ve seen Garmin introduce this level of customization that can be done from the phone instead of the watch. You’ll find that you can tweak almost every setting on the Epix from the phone. This applies to sport/activity profiles, data fields/pages, as well as things like widgets or deeper system settings. All told, there’s only a handful of things remaining that must be done specifically on the watch – for example, actions like downloading maps, or adding new sensors. As with before, you can always change all the settings on the watch itself if need be – a useful fallback when you find yourself out on the trails without a phone.
For example, on your phone, when you go to the device settings, you’ll be able to uncover a slew of settings, much deeper than before. Some of the new settings features are shoved into the existing categories (for example, Connectivity now includes details on smartphone notification settings), whereas there are totally new areas like the ‘Activities & Apps’ section, where you can choose which sport profiles are listed, and then tweak them:
A good example of where Garmin seems halfway on this is the Sensors & Accessories section. You can see here that you can tweak all the onboard sensors (like whether or not your heart rate broadcasts), but you can’t pair any external sensors from the phone, you’ve still gotta go to the watch to do that. But, based on past experience, I’d imagine over time these will converge.
Overall, acknowledging that this is a good first stab at this change in direction, I think it is a good move toward implementing phone-based settings. I’ve argued for years that Garmin needed to stop trying to boil the ocean on this, and instead, just start somewhere. Anywhere! Sometimes it’s good to forget the past and just move forward as they’ve done here. Just pick a newly launching watch and add phone-based configuration. Start small and build up. For example, you still can’t import/migrate settings from other devices (like you can on a Garmin Edge device), but that’s ok for the here and now. And similarly, for the most part, the settings here just feel like Garmin built all the plumbing behind the scenes, but it’s sorta a maze of depths to find them all. But again, for now, I’m good with that. Boiling the ocean never works, perfection is the enemy of progress. I’d rather progress.
So, moving right along, after you’ve got your settings all sorted, head back to the watch and pick said sport. In this case I’ll go out for a nice run. But backing up a minute, and looking at this from a higher level, keep in mind that various sports have different profiles for a slew of reasons. Those can be specific data fields for a sport (like strokes for paddling, or cadence for cycling), as well as such nuanced metrics as sport-specific calorie burn, or the sensor types that you’d consider connecting to for a specific sport.
On this screen here you’ll see the upper portion of the screen showing the current sensor status, as well as GPS status. Your data pages are displayed behind it. Also note that by default, all sport modes have touch disabled, and then you can individually re-enable it, or, do it across the system.
If you tap the left-side up button you can add a course (or other routing, more on that later), structured training, or change the power profiles. I mean, frankly, you can change anything from this point. For example, here you can see how many hours of GPS life you’ll get with your current settings, and then there are some pre-canned options that show higher GPS levels if you realize you’ll need them. Or, you can go rogue and create your own battery profile:
(Note: At the moment I took this photo, this unit had 38% battery remaining, as such, the estimated hours are obviously lower than a full tank.)
But, for now, we’re gonna accept all that the way it is and do an interval workout. This will be a straightforward way to show the new Stamina features. By default, Stamina will be shown for running and cycling activities. Conversely, it won’t routinely be found in all activities; for example, you won’t find it in hiking, but will find it in trail running. But, on with the run. Once we press the start button, the watch will start gathering data from our workout, showing pace, distance, time, and any other data fields we’ve added:
As an aside, but a notable absence, on this watch you won’t find wrist-based running power, like COROS and Polar have. If you want running power, you’ll need some sort of external sensor – either from a 3rd party (Stryd), or paired with Garmin’s HRM-RUN, HRM-TRI, HRM-PRO, or RD-Pod units – for Garmin’s own running power data field. Nothing has changed there.
As we begin our workout, we can switch to the Stamina page to see how much energy potential we have for this workout. The top portion of the page, titled Stamina, is your short-term potential. In other words, how much can you give right now at this second. Whereas the middle-left one is your Potential stamina, i.e., your long-term potential. In other words, how long can you maintain this interval workout, or in an endurance event – how much gas is in the tank for the entire day ahead of you. In either case, this will steadily decrease over the course of the workout.
So at this point, all of these are 100% – albeit, they won’t always be 100%. It’s tied to your recovery time, which is in turn tied to a thousand other things (sleep, activity, workouts, etc…). All of this is based on a blend of your estimated VO2Max, thus it’s kinda important to get at least a few good hard workouts in on the watch beforehand as a base so that it can approximate your VO2Max. Else, the data will mostly fall apart those first few times.
However, you’ve also got two additional data fields you can add: Distance and Time till empty. This is good if you have trouble doing simple math when you are exhausted, as these two fields look at your current intensity and then figure out when you’re going to collapse. So here we are a few minutes into the warm-up, and you can see it’s projecting I can go an hour and 45 minutes at the current intensity, or 22KM, whichever comes first.
Fast forward a ways into the intervals, and my long-term potential has dropped to 62%, and my immediate potential mid-interval is 52% and declining.
And a few more intervals later, and it’s projecting I can pull off 8.5KM more, and 45 minutes more. My short-term stamina is at 46%, however, my longer-term stamina is actually still at 46%. You can see that white-line in between the red and black sections on the chart, that represents the gap there. At this point, I had just finished an interval to start walking.
And you can see a few minutes later, as I go into my cool-down, my short-term stamina is back up to 52%, and it’s projecting at this light jogging pace I can do an hour and 5 minutes, or 12.5KM.
If we see how this played out afterwards in Garmin Connect, we can see that for each interval, I dropped – some more than others, depending on my body’s ability to hold the interval (which in this case was semi-poor, given I just had a monster week of rides, runs, hikes, swims).
Now, as much fun as it is to do this for short-term high-intensity workouts such as 8×800’s, the real intent here is longer-term endurance workouts or races. The idea is to help you figure out if the pace/intensity you’re currently exerting is sustainable for the required duration. For example, check out this 7-hour ride I did last week (well, it was a 7-hour total time, there were some momentary food/photo stops along the way):
Yes, I seriously managed to turn down the road to my hotel with 1% Stamina remaining, and 1% Potential. Here’s what the watch said:
So how close was that to reality? Well, in this case, reasonably close, for a couple of valid reasons. Here the ride finished on a 1.5KM 12% climb, which I dutifully hammered with what I had left in me. So by the time I got to the finish point, I was baked. But was I absolutely literally at 0%-1% remaining? Probably not. But, as any endurance athlete will tell you, much of sport is mental as much as physical. In my case, I was shot, but I suspect if push came to shove I could physically have done another 5-10KM (after doing 118KM with 10,000ft of climbing). Granted, that probably would not be done at any meaningful intensity. Still, overall, I was beyond-done mentally, and certainly in most other respects too. So to that end, it got things more than close enough. Overall a useful metric to have on those longer endurance workouts and races.
Next, going back to that interval workout, there’s a new feature that shows up on Garmin Connect afterwards, which is walk/run/stand detection. This will automatically detect, during a workout, what you were doing. You can see how that looks here:
This is one of those things that at first glance didn’t make a ton of sense to me. I mean, yes, it was spot-on accurate, but why bother to spend the time on this was quirky to me. In asking Garmin, they said the intention was that for certain racing/training, such as steeper incline training, it allowed folks to start to analyze whether or not the pace/HR tradeoffs were worth it on walking versus running. Since you can overlay all those stats atop it, I can see the logic there.
Ok, so wrapping up the workout, you’ll get a new set of summary pages. They aren’t drastically different than in the past, but they do add some polish and make things like the display of heart rate zones more clear.
Here’s a simple gallery of them:
As usual, all your workout stats can then be displayed on Garmin Connect or the smartphone app (Garmin Connect Mobile). Here’s a slate of those screenshots as a sampler:
All of these workouts are also then transmitted to any 3rd party apps you’ve configured/authorized, including Strava, TrainingPeaks, and other platforms.
From a sports standpoint, every workout you do is being tracked from a training load standpoint. You’ll have seen how that given workout contributes to your load in the workout summary screens above. There’s both a specific training load value (e.g 110), but also a given training effect focus, such as base or VO2Max. These all get algorithmically worked into whether or not your training is actually productive, and if not, what you’re doing wrong. You can see this from the widgets menu quickly:
Then you can look at your VO2max value (for running and cycling), as well as your 7-day load. I find the 7-day load one of the best ways to quantify how much I’ve been working on over the past week (trailing 7 days). Especially where I might not have a set schedule I’m following.
You can then look at the 4-week load focus to see how those numbers trend, where it also shows your a break out of the core workout type areas (anaerobic, high aerobic, and low aerobic), with optimal target ranges for each:
I think in general, as much as it pains most of us endurance athletes to admit this, Garmin is usually right here. When it says I’m short in a given category, the reality is that if a coach had laid out the plan, it’d have been more balanced than my ad hoc workouts. The scenarios where I find it gets things wrong is when I’ve had a quiet week of training, and then quickly ramp up. In these scenarios, it will often say I’m ramping up too fast.
Part of me knows that’s true, but part of me also knows that my body can usually take it. Most of the time anyway. Similarly, there’s the recovery hours:
I’ve long found that Garmin tends to overshoot here. Though, there’s also some misunderstanding on this from many users. This item isn’t actually saying not to train, it’s just saying not to go out and do a hard workout. Thus, within the context it’s usually not too bad, though I think it still tends to err on the side of keeping you healthier rather than pushing your body closer to the breaking point. Not a bad philosophy, but you do you.
Ultimately though, that’s no different than any other coaching relationship. Some coaches push athletes closer to that edge, and sometimes it works, and sometimes it doesn’t. The results range from winning a race to getting injured. Everyone has different things that do or don’t work for them.
Speaking of structured workouts, each day the watch will offer up structured running or cycling workouts, as a suggested workout, based on your current training and recovery. It looks at your recent load and training focus areas, and figures out what the next logical workout should be to slightly increase your fitness. Then, it suggests that daily workout…which, seems appropriate for today:
These workouts can be downright beastly when Garmin chooses to get spicy. Seriously, I’ve seen multi-hour interval workouts show up. Inversely, if you’ve had a hard few days of training, or, really poor sleep, it’ll simply tell you to rest. In fact, if you really get it upset, it’ll actually flash a warning to you mid-morning that your day isn’t going well and that it’s going to basically cancel your planned workout. In general, I’ve found that when the watch gets this upset, it’s almost always legit. Usually something like back-to-back poor sleep nights combined with a hard workout tossed in the day prior, and maybe showing high stress.
In any event, if you do go ahead and choose a workout, it’ll iterate through each step with the exact targets displayed on the screen in real-time. None of this has changed from how it works on past Garmin watches over the last decade or so.
With that, we’ve covered the majority of the core sport-specific features. It’d be impossible for me to outline every single nuanced sport feature. For example, I could dive into things like the metronome, or PacePro, or pre-canned interval workouts, or Strava Live Segments, or Lactate Threshold tests, or racing past activities, or training calendars – the list is endless. And all of these features have even more features within them. But none of which are new to the Fenix 7, so for now we’re going to keep cookin’.
Mapping & Navigation:
Mapping and navigation-related tasks are a big part of the Epix series, which contains an unbelievably rich set of mapping/navigation features, definitely more than you’d likely ever use. For example, there are common ones like following routes, less common ones like creating one-off spontaneous routes, and then even lesser-used features like calculating the area of a plot of land. Like I said, unbelievably rich mapping features here. But in the interest of time and brevity (i.e., keeping this post under 15,000 words) I’m going to focus on the core route-following components of the new Epix series, including features like the new Up Ahead function, Map Manager, ClimbPro, and other map/route-following practical features.
One of the most notable of these is the new Map Manager feature. This feature allows you to download Garmin’s TopoActive maps onto the Epix watch for your specific region. Previously you had to pay $20-30 for these maps, and downloading them from Garmin was cumbersome at best and required a desktop computer. Alternatively, you could download free maps from 3rd party services, but that was also cumbersome. The new Map Manager features puts this functionality all directly on the watch, and makes it as easy as connecting to WiFi. Oh, and all the maps are free.
In the case of the Epix, the non-Sapphire editions include 16GB of storage, and the Sapphire includes 32GB of storage. On non-Sapphire units, the actual usable space is 13GB that you can do what you want with. For Sapphire units, they’re already conveniently preloaded with maps for your region However, they aren’t pre-loaded on the base units so you’ll need to download the maps directly on the watch by going to Settings > Map > Map Manager:
Here you’ll see two sections: TopoActive Maps and SkiView and CourseView. TopoActive Maps has the main maps that you want for sports/adventure navigation. The SkiView and CourseView (golf) maps are preloaded on all units, because they’re relatively small (23MB for SkiView, and roughly 200-500MB for each continent’s golf courses). You’ll also see a vert basic worldwide basemap, but it’s pretty much useless.
So definitely TopoActive Maps is where the goods are. When you open that, it’ll show you which maps you’ve installed as well as the size. Or, you can choose ‘Add Map’, and it’ll connect via WiFi and show you additional map regions to download.
For context, here are the current sizes of these maps. These will undoubtedly change slightly over time, but shouldn’t change too dramatically over the years:
TopoActive North America: 8.9GB
TopoActive Europe: 11.6GB
TopoActive THID: 2.5GB
TopoActive MENA: 1.4GB
TopoActive Australia & New Zealand: 1.8GB
TopoActive Africa: 4.4GB
TopoActive Japan: 3.8GB
TopoActive Hong Kong & Macau: 17MB (yes, megabytes)
TopoActive South America: 6.0GB
TopoActive Taiwan: 96MB
TopoActive Korea: 213MB
TopoActive SGMYVNPH: 1.3GB
TopoActive China Mainland: 663MB
Remember that the size of the TopoActive map is less about the size of the region, and more about the density of things in the region (roads/trails/cities/POI’s, etc…). You can also update a TopoActive Map from there as well. Now, once you choose to download a map, you’ll select it, and then select ‘Download’. But it won’t download until your device is plugged in, so your selection is basically put in a queue until then. Also, note that plugging in means to regular USB power port, not to a computer.
Be prepared to wait – downloading takes a long-ass time. For instance, to download the 11.6GB TopoActive Europe map takes somewhere between 4 and 4-1/2 hours, trust me, I timed it (I went to bed at 4hrs with it at 90%). Seriously. You can alternatively use Garmin Express on a computer, which tends to be a crapton faster since it’s transferring via USB (10-25 mins). Remember that, in general, the watch uses a lower-power consuming WiFi chipset, so it’s not downloading things as fast as a phone or computer. In other words, do this the night before you leave for a trip, and let it sync overnight. Or, let it sync while you make a 12-course dinner or something.
Note, that in February (a month after this review went live), Garmin has now split it out into three different regions, to allow you to pick just one region, saving you space – especially notable for non-Sapphire SKU’s. This is only available when using a computer with Garmin Express, though, that’s massively faster than WiFi (most of these took less than 10-15 mins for me to download, compared with hours on WiFi, since the Fenix/Epix units don’t have very fast WiFi connectivity).
I don’t know why individually these add up to way more than just downloading Europe as a whole, but, that’s the actual sizes on the watch, listed on Map Manager for the TopoActive Europe region, within the watch itself, after the download of each Europe region. I’ve added all of these regions below in a gallery, so you can see exactly which countries are part of which regions:
Note, bizarrely, you can only toggle one of the Europe regions, or all of Europe. So it’s either all of Europe, or just a single region. I suppose since two regions takes up more than the total download, I guess that’s why.
Ok, with the maps downloaded, let’s set out on an adventure! In today’s case, I’m using a route I created on Komoot. But, likewise, you can also create routes in Garmin Connect directly, or many other 3rd party apps, or even from files. For example, if you have a GPX/TCX/FIT file of a route, you can import that directly in. But, the easiest thing to do is import them into Garmin Connect, which then allows you to sync them to the watch. But, in this case, to show you the new Up Ahead feature, I need to use Garmin Connect to tag the waypoints with standardized icons. So I’ve imported this Komoot route to Garmin Connect:
Now, I’m going to add a few waypoints here for on-course navigating. Waypoints in files, of course, aren’t new. They’ve been around for a decade or two at least. But as you’ll see here, Garmin calls them Course Points, just because…Garmin, but it’s effectively the same thing. You can tap at the appropriate location on your route and add these points from a list of about 50 different standardized icons.
And you can conveniently give them any names you want, to make life easier once underway:
You’ll continue adding your waypoints, er…Course Points, until you feel good about it. Garmin says that they’ll soon support enumeration within Up Ahead (explainer in a second) from 3rd party files. But in the meantime, you need to use either Garmin Connect or Garmin Connect Mobile to tag these locations.
With that all set, we’ll head out to the trail and load up the course. You can choose any GPS sport mode you want (hiking in my case), and then from there choose Navigation and Courses. It’s here that I can load up my course. When I do so I’ll see map options, elevation, as well as ClimbPro. Note that ClimbPro isn’t enabled by default on all sport profiles, so you may want to check that and enable it if necessary within the sport settings (I do almost always because it’s one of my favorite, and most useful, features).
The ClimbPro pages will automatically figure out each climb (both ascending and descending, though descending also isn’t enabled by default), and you’ll get the distances/altitudes for each. Then, as you climb, you’ll see your position and related data till the end of the climb.
Meanwhile, Up Ahead is the new Fenix 7/Epix feature that shows your upcoming waypoints (aka Course Points) in a glanceable page. You’ll see the next closest waypoint listed (distance), with its name and icon. After that are the next three waypoints.
It’s simple. This isn’t some crazy complex feature. And in fact, it’s roughly like what COROS added for navigation. The difference is a bit more polish. Garmin added standardized icons, and the fact that you can easily glance at it on a single page, versus having to scroll through a list. No matter who does it, I found this incredibly helpful on my recent hikes. Mainly just for quick context. The distance is, as expected, using the course route.
Now as you move along the route you’ll get turn notifications as well as any off-course notifications. On a hike like this I turn off turn-notifications though, because otherwise every switchback my watch is beeping, and that gets old fast. Whereas off-course navigation is pretty straightforward, and a feature you will appreciate.
One thing that I’m finding annoying is the lack of arrows or chevrons on the Fenix/Epix series routes. If you have an Edge bike computer you’ve hopefully noticed that in the past year Garmin added arrows for the route direction, similar to what other vendors have had for years.
While this doesn’t matter for many courses that are clear-cut, it does matter for courses that may intersect, like a figure-8 course I did on Thursday. In that case, when I got to the crossing point, I tried to decipher which way to go, but Garmin wasn’t clear. In fact, it seemed to tell me to go one way, but as I’d learn some time later – that was the wrong way. Unfortunately, because I was technically on the course, I never received any off-course warnings. And because of that, ClimbPro was also broken because it kept thinking I’d be turning around going the other way. Now again, I’ve also gone years without this functionality, but it seems time to at least have the option for arrows. After all, Garmin has approximately 9,238 other routing-related options. In any event, that largely self-owned failure aside, I’ve had no issues with navigation across a wide variety of hikes, runs, and bikes over the last 6-7 weeks.
Next, speaking of that map, we have the new touch capabilities. By default, all sport profiles have touch disabled. And unfortunately, there’s no separation between touch in the rest of the sport profile, and touch in just the map. So you’ll need to enable that for map touching. Once enabled on that sport profile, within a map you can touch to move around the map, or double-tap quickly to zoom in.
Alternatively, you can also use the buttons next to the + & – on the left side to zoom in and out. Responsiveness is very solid here. It’s not quite instant Google Maps on a phone, but it’s pretty close – far faster than either the Fenix 6 was, or the COROS Vertix 2 is. I show this in my user interface video.
Remember also that you can personalize the map sets shown. Within the TopoActive map, there are different map layers, including high contrast ones, night ones, even popularity routing (heatmap) ones. I find I tend to prefer the popularity one the most, but the one titled ‘System’ is the default. Below is showing the purple popularity routes:
In terms of details offered, the maps between the Fenix 7 and Epix are technically identical. What’s not the same though is the visibility of features at different levels. Meaning, due to the better display of the Epix series, you’ll see more details at a higher zoom level. You can see this in my earlier AMOLED display section with some comparisons.
Plus of course, the Epix display itself is far brighter and more clear (even in direct sun) than the Fenix 7 display. That’s even more true at night/dusk, when the backlight is more crispy on Epix. Still, I used both just fine and didn’t get lost in the jungles, mountains, or volcano lava rock.
Music & Contactless Payments:
The Epix contains virtually identical features to prior watches in terms of both music and contactless payments. In order to play music, you’ll need to pair up some sort of Bluetooth sound device, either headphones or a Bluetooth speaker. Then, you can download music and play offline Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, as well as any of your own MP3s. Meanwhile, on the contactless payments side, that continues with Garmin Pay, where you can load your bank cards – assuming they’re supported. Fortunately, unlike the early days, more and more of the biggest banks in the US and many other countries are coming online with Garmin Pay, though in my case it’s a bit of a mixed bag as you’ll see below.
Starting on the music front, you’ve got a couple of different ways you can access music. In my case, I primarily use Spotify, so it only took a few seconds to link up my Spotify account. Note that a Spotify Premium account is required to play offline music on your watch (thus, no phone required). Once connected though, you can choose which playlists you want to sync.
You can pair/save multiple headphones/Bluetooth audio devices if you want, such as a pair of sporty headphones and then non-sporty ones. The music menu will automatically prompt you to do this, or you can always manage headphones in the sensors menu (the same place you’d manage heart rate straps).
You can also use Spotify to download podcasts, which is a handy way of doing it versus the regular Garmin podcast feature that requires a computer to sync the podcasts. Regardless of the particular streaming service you use, it’ll use WiFi for this synching. You’ll just choose which playlists you want and then wait a brief bit. You can estimate it taking about 5-10 seconds per song to download, so about 10 songs per minute (speed varies based on the length of the song and other factors). And looking ahead, as long as the Spotify app checks in once per 30 days, your music stays valid.
Behind the scenes, the Spotify app will also update the music list over WiFi when you connect your Epix to a charging cable, so that it’s always in sync for dynamic playlists that get regularly updated. You can download multiple playlists from multiple services (plus manually load music on the watch using a USB cable, such as MP3 files. The base model of the Epix has 16GB of space, and the Sapphire has 32GB. However, keep in mind that you’ll lose space for mapping, plus some internal Garmin stuff (like your workout storage).
Once you’re ready to play music, you can access the music controls a few different ways, such as a shortcut button, the controls menu, or the music widget. Once inside of that, you can choose the playlist you want, and skip songs. You can also play/pause a track, change volume, and change the play order (e.g. shuffle, repeat, etc…). This is accessible both within a workout and outside of it in regular smartwatch mode (such as just sitting at your desk or just goofing off in general).
I haven’t had any skips or dropouts in either casual listening to music at my desk, or in workouts using the Beats Studio Buds. While I’m not a huge listening-to-music-while-working-out person, I find in general these days Garmin and others seem to have resolved the connectivity issues from the early days of wearable music support.
Now, switching gears a bit you’ve got contactless payments. These use NFC, and in Garmin’s case their payment platform is called Garmin Pay. It’s essentially no different than Apple Pay or other payment platforms, and is generally supported anywhere you go as long as the card itself is supported by that merchant. And in fact, that’ll likely be your main limiter in terms of usage: Whether or not your credit card is supported.
For this, you’ll need your bank to be supported by Garmin. That’s many of the big banks in the US, but beyond that it varies quite a bit. It’s hit or miss. A full list is here.
In my case, my Netherlands bank (ING) isn’t supported (still). However, my US Visa credit cards (Chase) are supported. My French Bank account (HSBC) isn’t supported, nor are some of my US local banks. Ultimately, this requires Garmin going to every single bank worldwide and get them onboarded. It’s not just a blank Visa/AMEX/Mastercard type thing. Hence why it’s hit or miss.
In any case, adding a bank takes about 2-3 minutes, so I added my US Chase card instead. As part of the setup process you’ll create a pin code to use when making a payment. You can access the wallet either from the controls menu, or by assigning a shortcut key to it.
This pin is only used when you actually go to tap and make a payment, so it’s not something used throughout the rest of the day. And as long as the watch stays on your wrist, it won’t ask you for the pin for another 24 hours.
After which you’ve got 60 seconds to complete your transaction by tapping the NFC reader:
After which it’ll give a successful green ring of win, indicating the payment completed.
While you won’t get any payment receipts on the watch, you can see it later in the Garmin Connect app under ‘Recent transactions’ within the Garmin Pay details.
For most people, they tend to use this type of functionality on their watches for well-known establishments that support contactless payments. For example, at a certain café or coffee shop they might stop at after a run (skipping bringing a wallet or smartphone). As always with contactless payments, I wouldn’t depend on an unknown shop/merchant supporting NFC payments – since ya never know what will actually be available. Inversely, this is also handy simply as a backup in case your phone dies and you don’t have a credit card on you.
Multi-Band Satellites Overview:
I had considered placing this section within the GPS & Altimeter Accuracy section, or perhaps even within the Sports Usage section. But both of those sections were already pretty long. So with so much to cover, this now becomes its own standalone section. You can consider this a shorter primer to the slate of changes Garmin has made around their GPS technology in wearables. There’s actually more than just the addition of dual-frequency (multi-band) GPS here. Garmin has also revamped pretty significantly both its base GPS mode for big battery life savings, as well as gotten rid of the GLONASS/GALILEO options. Sorta.
We’ll start out by taking a high-level look at what multi-band GPS actually involves. At a non-technical level, it’s been touted as the holy grail of GPS accuracy. But technically, GPS is the wrong word. That’s because GPS is actually a ‘brand’, whereas this is officially GNSS’s (Global Navigation Satellite System). But we’ll set aside the Kleenex argument for the moment. The operational theory behind dual-frequency GPS is that you can leverage two different frequencies to communicate with the satellites. This is desirable because if one frequency is having connection or visibility troubles you have the option now to mitigate that by providing not just a secondary frequency to validate against (L5), but a frequency that’s 10X greater. So where you would normally have a reachable constellation of perhaps 20-25 satellites, you would now have well over 60 satellites that your watch can see. And by seeing more satellites, in addition to increasing the signal and varying the frequency, it allows your watch to better mitigate signal obstructions and ultimately increase accuracy.
Garmin is hardly the first company here in this space. While Garmin did roll out multi-band GPS to some of their hand-held devices a year ago, the Fenix 7 & Epix are the first wearables from Garmin with the technology. Prior to Garmin’s Fenix 7 & Epix, the first endurance sports watch to add multi-band GPS was the COROS Vertix 2 this past summer, and then more recently Huawei has touted it in their GT 3. In my testing of the COROS Vertix 2, I unfortunately did not see holy-grail-like results. It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t the promised land either at the time of launch. Of course, the tech is new, and thus we’re likely to see (and have seen) firmware updates quickly released that’ll improve the accuracy issues over time. More on that in a minute. In the case of COROS, they’re using the MediaTek/Airoha chipset (AG3335M), and Garmin confirmed they are also using Airoha as their supplier. Prior to confirmation from Garmin, this made sense in my testing, as in almost every scenario over the last 6-7 weeks, the Vertix 2 and Epix/Fenix 7 units made the exact same errors in virtually identical ways (and inversely, did things correctly in near-identical ways). Garmin also confirmed that both Sapphire and Non-Sapphire units across all Fenix 7 and Epix units are using the same chipset supplier (Airoha).
First though, on the Fenix 7 and Epix series, Garmin has revamped the GPS selection process. There are two places you can change satellite things:
Entire watch (System): This is a system-wide setting across all sport profiles, and is considered the default for any sport profiles unless otherwise specified Per-Sport/Activity Profile: This allows you to increase (or decrease) GPS accuracy on a given sport, likely in exchange for battery life.
So the idea here is that you can perhaps use higher-level dual-band accuracy on an openwater swim or a mountain-bike ride through difficult terrain, but then go with less-battery-draining options for a road bike ride, which is typically one of the easier things to track GPS-wise.
Next, there are now four GPS settings you can choose from (only Sapphire/Titanium editions have Multiband):
GPS Only: This is the base GPS-only option, however, Garmin says they’ve drastically increased the battery life here compared to the past GPS-only option, and indeed, you can see that in the battery chart. All Systems: This confusingly named option is dealer’s choice between GLONASS and GALILEO, and Garmin is the dealer. As a user you can’t choose which one to use, but instead, Garmin is now switching between GPS< GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS based on the quality of the satellite signals from each, determining “which to prioritize” All Systems + Multiband: This is the new dual-frequency option that everyone has been waiting for, which combines the All Systems option, and then makes it multi-band across both L1 and L5 satellites. As a result, this burns a boatload more battery, and in theory is the most accurate. UltraTrac: This setting is for crazy-long adventures, whereby it reduces the GPS update rate significantly. Do not ever use this setting unless you absolutely need it, your GPS tracks won’t be pretty. Think of this as the emergency option.
Note that the usual smart-recording or 1-second recording option is still in the settings (and still annoying defaulted to ‘Smart Recording’), but that has no bearing on the GPS reception timing/display, it’s purely what it writes to the recorded file. Also, technically there’s Expedition mode, but that’s only recording a GPS point once every hour by default.
Here’s the battery chart for what each of these options do, depending on which model you have.
Keep in mind that this chart is really just a starting point for battery optimization. Using the Power Manager feature, you can get crazy-detailed on which features you care about (for example, toggling off optical HR sensor and connecting to a chest strap saves a boatload of battery), and thus can easily extend these battery times. Or, inversely, doing crazy things like turning on the flashlight while playing music will decrease them. Use your powers wisely.
For super-simple context compared to the other top-dog in the battery space, the COROS Vertix 2, their key claims are:
GPS-only: 140 hours All Systems – GLONASS/GALILEO/BeiDou/QZSS: 90 hours All Systems GPS + Music: 30 hours All Systems + Multiband: 50 hours Ultra mode: 240 hours Day to day smartwatch: Up to 60 days
One thing to keep in mind is that Garmin does track vastly more health stats behind the scenes than COROS does and does so at a higher rate, which certainly has a big battery drain component. You can turn off some of these though, which would increase the battery life further on the Garmin.
Though, the GPS battery life one-upmanship is quirky. From a sport standpoint it largely only impacts the upper tier of Ultra competitors. However, from a practical day-to-day standpoint, it simply means you charge your watch less frequently.
GPS & Altimeter Accuracy:
There’s likely no topic among ardent sports-wearable users that stirs as much discussion and passion as GPS accuracy. A watch could fall apart and give you dire electrical shocks while doing so, but if it shows you on the wrong side of the road? Oh hell no, bring on the fury of the internet!
GPS accuracy can be looked at in a number of different ways, but I prefer to look at it using a number of devices in real-world scenarios across a vast number of activities. I use 2-6 other devices at once, trying to get a clear picture of how a given set of devices handles conditions on a certain day. Conditions include everything from tree/building cover to weather.
Over the years, I’ve continued to tweak my GPS testing methodology. For example, I don’t place two units next to each other on my wrists, as that can impact signal. If I do so, I’ll put a thin fabric spacer of about 1”/3cm between them (I didn’t do that on any of my Epix activities however, all workouts only had a single device per wrist). But often I’ll simply carry other units by the straps, or attach them to the shoulder straps of my hydration pack or backpack. Plus, wearing multiple watches on the same wrist is well known to impact optical HR accuracy.
So, we’re going to start with a feast of watches on a route that’s both easy and extremely challenging. I start off along some canals and farms, and then eventually wind my way down through a long skinny street of 12-18 story buildings on both sides. For this test I had the Fenix 7S on my left wrist, and the Fenix 7X on my right wrist. Then, in each hand I was carrying a COROS Vertix 2 (right hand), and an Epix (left hand), plus also a FR745 in the right hand. All these were separated and stable, as to not impact each other. I carry them the exact same way companies themselves do GPS testing:
So, here’s that data set, and at a high level, things look pretty similar. All Fenix 7/Epix/Vertix 2 units were set for multiband GPS, and the FR745 was set for GPS+GLONASS. All the units had no problems in the openness sections:
However, as we approached the first set of light buildings and bridges, the impact of multiband GPS became apparent, with those units plotting slightly clearer tracks. For example, the FR745 in pink turns way too early under the bridges, whereas the rest got it right.
I’d also see some minor differences between the COROS Vertix 2 and Garmin units. For example, here the COROS Vertix 2 incorrectly gets frisky while going under a tunnel, sharply meandering off to the side. However, a short bit later, the Fenix 7X then did some less sharp but longer bushwhacking away from the path. Which is interesting because in general I saw that most of the time if the Vertix 2 made an error, then the Fenix 7 and Epix repeated it.
Fast forwarding into the downtown sections with tall buildings on both sides, we can very clearly see the FR745 struggles slightly more here, it’s the unit without multiband. Which however, isn’t to say it was horrific, nor to say that the others were perfect. The multi-band ones were simply a *TINY* bit better. But all the units traded having GPS tracks that blasted through the sides of buildings. Let’s be clear about that, this isn’t some holy grail we hoped for (just as it wasn’t and still isn’t on the Vertix 2).
The rest of the run was largely boring and consistent. In one other scenario where I passed under a giant chunk of the Hospital, the FR745 zigged, while all the other units zagged. Practically speaking, neither was perfectly correct, they were just wrong in opposite directions and the multi-band units were clearly just very slightly less wrong. Barely.
That said, do understand I’m nitpicking here. I’m finding some of the most challenging scenarios I can, and then criticizing their performances. There’s also some interesting nuanced patterns with slight differences depending on which side of my body the units were on, relative to buildings I passed. In every scenario, the units on the more ‘open’ side of my body did better than the units facing the building side, regardless of brand.
Next, let’s head into the jungle for a hike/trail run. This one had it all! From deep woods, to dense trees, and towering cliffs. Here I was comparing the Garmin Epix on my left wrist, the Fenix 7 on my right wrist, plus both a COROS Vertix 2 (right hand) and a Forerunner 745 (hydration pack).
And as you get into the weeds, literally, of the jungle, it’s hard to see much difference. Meaning that the three units are nearly identical in every scenario (within 1-2 meters of each other, wobbling along), except that the COROS seems very slightly more smoothed. That has pros and cons. The benefit is that it tends to clean-up the GPS tracks a little bit in tougher areas, but the downside is that it also incorrectly cuts some corners and such that you actually hiked – as it doesn’t seem to be 100% certain between a short switchback for a couple of meters, and a GPS error.
I’m not saying Garmin is right here, but I am saying that based on all my test data both over the last 6-7 weeks, but also from this past summer/fall with the COROS Vertix 2 and multiband, that it tends to over smooth in areas where the going gets tough. That in turn tends to result in lower overall distances. On a tree-dense route like this, or frankly, any ultra route, it’d be nearly impossible to know the exact actual distance you went. Even a measured trail course isn’t going to know whether you took each corner a foot or two wider (which would add up considerably over a longer route).
In a lot of places though, it’s just virtually identical:
It is also true that both the COROS Vertix 2 and Garmin Epix/Fenix 7 units in multiband, outperformed the FR745 (using just GLONASS). One can see that in numerous occasions. However, keep in mind that extra unit was largely on my backpack shoulder strap, which has body-blockage effects.
Meanwhile, if we look at the elevation profile of all those units, they’re scary similar.
The total spread in ascent between all those units is 27m (out of 1,341m), which is a max spread of 2%. The COROS Vertix 2 seems to start off however about 20-25m higher than the other units, but over the course of five hours, drifts closer to the other units. Given there was no absolute known good reference point along the trail to compare against, it’s hard to say exactly who was perfect. But I think it’s fair to say that any unit would have been more than sufficient in this scenario.
Anyways, enough of that, let’s look at a long ride with extended very tall pine tree sections, plus some cliffs and such. This ride was 118KM long:
The best way to look at this one is random spot-checks along the course. For example this particularly dense section of trees and switchbacks:
Or up against large rock cliffs:
Or fast descending switchbacks in the forest:
Or down through small towns with plenty of turns and power lines at reasonably high speed:
All of this is spot on. However, it’s not as if they’re on the correct side of the road (or consistently on any given side of the road). So that’s where we need to park the Holy Grail GPS Bus, and remember that hasn’t arrived yet:
Then we’ve got an openwater swim. This is pretty impressive for both Epix & Fenix 7, though we see slight differences. For example, the Fenix 7 seems very slightly more smoothed than the Epix, though it’s not clear why, as both were on identical settings. My guess here would be this is actually a stroke difference in how high up my right hand/wrist goes compared to my left wrist, which could definitely have a slight impact. But still, there are astoundingly close GPS tracks here to the reference units on the swim buoy.
Here’s another openwater swim, this time directly comparing the Epix to the COROS Vertix 2 on opposite wrists. Sure, no Fenix 7 here, as I only want one unit per wrist. You can see the Vertix 2 is slightly more wobbly, and the Epix also overshot very slightly on the corner. Though, this was also a month ago, so things have undoubtedly changed in GPS performance (as we see above):
No matter which sets I pull up on the Epix or Fenix 7/7S/7X from the last 6-7 weeks, the overall GPS tracks look very good. Are they absolutely perfect? No, but they’re on par or better than anything else I’ve seen lately. And as I alluded to elsewhere, I thought it was interesting that if I compare the most recent Vertix 2 tracks to the most recent Epix/Fenix 7 tracks, they’re nearly identical in many cases. Both making the same errors and non-errors at the same time when worn together on workouts. The only difference being that it appears COROS applies slightly more smoothing in a variety of situations, which has the previously outlined pros and cons.
Altitude-wise, everything is virtually identical between units, and seems to correctly lock onto the right altitude (when known – such as at the beach). All of the linked sets can be opened up and you can peak at the altitude graphs further. Also, I’m going to add more sets today and over the following days. Some comparison sets are not included here for devices not yet released, whereby the secondary device was still unreleased. Hang tight!
(Note: All of the charts in these accuracy sections were created using the DCR Analyzer tool. It allows you to compare power meters/trainers, heart rate, cadence, speed/pace, GPS tracks, and plenty more. You can use it as well for your own gadget comparisons, more details here.)
Heart Rate Accuracy:
Before we move on to the test results, note that optical HR sensor accuracy is rather varied from individual to individual. Aspects such as skin color, hair density, and position can impact accuracy. Position, and how the band is worn, are *the most important* pieces. A unit with an optical HR sensor should be snug. It doesn’t need to leave marks, but you shouldn’t be able to slide a finger under the band (at least during workouts). You can wear it a tiny bit looser the rest of the day.
My test workouts include a wide variety of intensities and conditions, making them great for accuracy testing. Basically, they’re my day-to-day activities for the past 6-7 weeks. Swims, bikes, runs, hikes, indoor workouts, and more.
Meanwhile, for HR accuracy testing I’m typically wearing a chest strap (either the Polar H10 or the Garmin HRM-PRO), as well as another optical HR sensor watch on the bicep (mostly the Polar Verity Sense, as well as the Whoop 4.0 band). Note that the numbers you see in the upper right corner are *not* the averages, but rather just the exact point my mouse is sitting over. Note all this data is analyzed using the DCR Analyzer, details here.
We’ll start off with something relatively basic to get warmed up, in this case an indoor 45-minute treadmill workout, compared to a Polar H10 and the Fenix 7. As you can see, it’s virtually identical. The only bobble actually comes from the Polar H10 in the first 30-40 seconds, with what appears to be an incorrect half-hearted spike ahead of the warm-up, and then it corrects. Here’s that data:
Looking momentarily at a relatively steady-state 5K outside, the Epix has no issues, and actually slightly outperforms the Polar H10 – which is interesting where you see that dip in HR in blue, for which there was no valid reason since pace stayed the same, and towards the end, a sprint up a hill, the Epix and Venu 2 correctly did that, whereas the H10 seemed lost. Unusual, but notable. Here’s the data.
So, with that being easy, we’ll step it up a slight bit, with a bit more intense trainer ride, on RGT, to see how it handles with flex on the wrists:
Again, as we can see, no problems at all. So, let’s add some hard intervals, this time on the Peloton Bike, versus the Polar H10 chest strap:
Now as we see, this time there’s the tiniest bit of lag, about 2-4 seconds in general, but hardly worrisome. Most use cases would never notice that, and it’s really only on the recovery of each interval versus the increase in HR.
So, let’s break things a bit and head outside. Here we’ve got a 75-minute ride, starting off relatively easy, then a bunch of climbing, before looping back around again. You can see that anytime I had intensity, things were great with Epix, but when I stopped or was descending – in particular the descending, it got messy. This is pretty common for optical HR sensors – but was worthwhile noting here. Here’s that data:
Thus, increasing complications again – a 7-hour ride up and down a volcano. This is notable because it shows how things handle in particular ascending versus descending, but also some longer sustained periods. At a high level, things look a bit fuzzy, but clearly we’re seeing some trending alignment between the chest strap and the Fenix 7 & Epix units on opposite wrists. Here’s the data:
I want to zoom in though on one of the longer sustained climbs of about an hour or so. Here you can see the Epix has a bit more wobbliness than I’d ideally like to see. Notice how that green line spikes and drops a bit here and there, whereas the yellow line of the Fenix 7 is far more tame.
Now there isn’t in theory a good reason for this, given that these are identical sensors in virtually identical casings. But, it can just go to show some of the challenges of measuring optical HR even on different wrists of the same person.
Meanwhile, while descending, things separate pretty considerably, which is pretty much my experience across most wrist-based optical heart rate sensors. Especially given this was an hour-long descent in relatively cold conditions up top.
Finally, here’s a long hike/trail run, which had some larger sustained efforts that more easily show up on the charts:
You’ll notice that for the first 2 hours and 42 minutes, things are generally very close, with only relatively minor disagreement when walking downhill (moderate in that we’re at 100-110BPM, so it frankly isn’t going to matter much if one is 103BPM and the other 107BPM). For virtually all uphill/moderate/intense segments, it’s identical. That straight-line section is when I was filming, so things are a bit wonkier there – don’t worry about that. Then after that, things snap right back to it. The drop-out line around the 4:30 marker is simply me taking off the watches to take a few photos of the displays.
Oh, and lastly note that while the cases are different, this is the same sensor as the Fenix 7 with the same firmware, so you can also check out that in-depth review to see how things handled there, since in all likelihood it’ll mirror it here.
Thus, ultimately if I look at all these sets, plus a boatload more indoor trainer/treadmill sets, they’re all very consistent across the board. As usual, and as expected, the main quirks were around descending. But as long as there was some intensity applied, the responsiveness and accuracy seemed quite good for my skin tone/wrist placement.
Fenix 7 vs Epix:
About this point, you’re probably trying to decide which watch might make the most sense for you (if either). I’ve got an entire dedicated video on that above, but an even more crazy-detailed post that’s constantly updated with all the silly differences that might be discovered down the road.
I go through everything from real-world side-by-side battery life on long workouts, to how the screens differ in real-life usage, plus aspects like map differences, graphing details, and more. It’s more than just the display! You can find the full Fenix 7 vs Epix post here.
Summary:
For years, folks have wondered when we’d see a “pretty screen” Fenix series device. And finally, today, it’s here. While it’s called Epix, it’s ultimately a Fenix 7 with an AMOLED display. The two sibling units share the same core software versions, and carry all the same functions and features. Except, Epix simply looks prettier in virtually every light. Though inversely, it can’t quite go the same distance as the Fenix 7 units can.
Of course, that presumes you need to go that kind of duration. While the ultra-long battery life of those units isn’t purely the ability to run for 100 hours non-stop, it’s a big part of it. It’s fundamentally how these companies like to market these watches, even though 99% of us won’t use them that way. However, the ancillary benefit for the rest of us is we simply charge our watches less for more regular workouts. But I think most of us are able to “get by” with 20-30 hours of GPS runtimes and 6 days of real-world battery life for an always-on display that looks like it’s from this decade.
In my testing across a wide range of environmental conditions, I’m seeing virtually no usage downside to Epix compared to the Fenix 7 (setting aside battery). The singular scenario I where had some troubles was back in early December in desert-sun bright conditions with shallower ClimbPro ascent gradient coloring specifically, where certain shades of dark-blue on a black background was near-impossible to see. However, that’s since been changed to easily seen lighter blues. Undoubtedly, there will be other edge-case quirks that I didn’t see, though, I feel like I’ve seen the vast majority of data pages/fields in the watch. Similarly, on the final production firmware, I’ve had no outstanding bugs. There are some fit and polish things I see (for example, certain map regions have graphical cons and others don’t, depending on which part of the interface you’re in), but my guess is those will quietly be resolved and nobody will have noticed except me. As for the hardware, it’s been in production for months.
Looking at components like the multiband GPS (in Sapphire editions), it’s clear that GPS chipset maker Airoha is making progress over the past 6+ months, and I see that comparing my COROS Vertix 2 tracks from this past summer to what I see now (they use the same supplier). It’s improving for not just Garmin, but COROS too. While it’s not the holy grail yet, it’s definitely equal and in some limited cases better than non-multiband. However, I still think we’re probably talking 6-12 months+ before we really see these gains. Just as we saw with when Garmin switched to Sony years ago, it was that mass-unit impetus (or massive corporate whip) that took rough performance from when only Polar & Suunto were using it, to when Garmin jumped onboard. Which isn’t a slight against either of those, but the simply reality that when a company as big as Garmin comes along with millions of units per year, they can tell other companies to jump higher and faster. And hey, all vendors ultimately ended up benefiting.
Ultimately, as I said in my my Fenix 7 review, if I’m going to decide between purchasing either the Fenix 7 or Epix, it’s going to be the Epix. Any day, all day. It looks sharp, actually works well, and fits my battery usage needs.
With that – thanks for reading!
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Hopefully you found this review/post useful. At the end of the day, I’m an athlete just like you looking for the most detail possible on a new purchase – so my review is written from the standpoint of how I used the device. The reviews generally take a lot of hours to put together, so it’s a fair bit of work (and labor of love). As you probably noticed by looking below, I also take time to answer all the questions posted in the comments – and there’s quite a bit of detail in there as well.
If you're shopping for the Garmin Epix (Gen 2) or any other accessory items, please consider using the affiliate links below! As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. It doesn’t cost you anything extra, but your purchases help support this website a lot.
And finally, here’s a handy list of accessories that work well with this unit (and some that I showed in the review). Given the unit pairs with ANT+ & Bluetooth Smart sensors, you can use just about anything though.
This is a dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart cycling cadence sensor that you strap to your crank arm, but also does dual Bluetooth Smart, so you can pair it both to Zwift and another Bluetooth Smart app at once if you want.
This is one of the top straps I use daily for accuracy comparisons (the others being the Polar H9/H10). It's dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, and in fact dual-Bluetooth Smart too, in case you need multiple connectons.
Seriously, this will change your life. $9 for a two-pack of these puck Garmin chargers that stay put and stay connected. One for the office, one for your bedside, another for your bag, and one for your dog's house. Just in case.
This speed sensor is unique in that it can record offline (sans-watch), making it perfect for a commuter bike quietly recording your rides. But it's also a standard ANT+/BLE sensor that pairs to your device. It's become my go-to speed sensor.
This wifi-connected scale will track your weight and related metrics both on the scale display and in Garmin Connect (plus 3rd party apps like TrainingPeaks). It'll also then sync your weight to your watch/bike computer, to ensure accurate calorie data.
The HRM-PRO Plus is Garmin's top-end chest strap. It transmits dual ANT+/Bluetooth Smart, but also transmits Running Dynamics & Running Pace/Distance metrics, stores HR data during a swim, and can be used without a watch for other sports. Also, it can transmit XC Skiing Dynamics as well.
And of course – you can always sign-up to be a DCR Supporter! That gets you an ad-free DCR, access to the DCR Quarantine Corner video series packed with behind the scenes tidbits...and it also makes you awesome. And being awesome is what it’s all about!
Thanks for reading! And as always, feel free to post comments or questions in the comments section below, I’ll be happy to try and answer them as quickly as possible. And lastly, if you felt this review was useful – I always appreciate feedback in the comments below. Thanks!
What are your thoughts on the Epix versus the 945 or 945LTE? It ooks like the Epix might have the battery power to get somebody through an Ironman. The Epix does weight about 20g more, but that may be more than worth it for the extra screen life. Would this now become your triathlon watch of choice?
I had this same question! Currently have a 945 and would consider the upgrade to the Epix for the fancy screen and extra storage for music (sapphire), among other upgrades. Anyone have any thoughts?
one thing Garmin have always had issues with on the GPS front – it “pushes” your track out to the side you wear your watch on. So if I run down the left hand side of the road – with the watch on my left hand – the actual track is more often than not – about 3-10m to the left of me.
If I then do a 180 and run back – my track is then 3-10 meters to the left again (so total distance between tracks about 6-20m) – it has been a pretty consistent “nag” for years and multiple Fenix generations.
So is that better on F7/Epix?
And for anyone in the UK – Jura Watches / C W – have both 7x and Epix Sapphire Black in stock for next day delivery (at least right now) – I got an order in for Epix (Garmin have 3-5 weeks delivery time on the Epix Black Sapphire)
I ordered an Epix Black Sapphire from Garmin yesterday and it arrived today (Jan 19th).
The website did say it would ship later but they must have just wanted to lower arrival expectations.
I currently have a Titanium 6X Solar and D2 Air and my initial impressions of the Epix make me think I’m going to give the 6X to a buddy and give the D2 Air to my daughter. I was worried about the Epix screen in the Phoenix AZ sunshine but Ray’s review is right on. No problems there.
Just an update on this, and unfortunately Jura have let me (and themselves) down. I ordered from Jura with their website suggesting 4-5 days delivery last week. They just gave me an update of end of February for earliest delivery so I’ve cancelled the order and put them on my naughty list as I consider that pretty deceitful. Their website still says 1-2 weeks even though they say the earliest they might get stock is 16th Feb. Total shambles.
With regards to the AMOLED downsides, I’d like to add one. I had an original Venu watch with AMOLED screen. After about 1.5 years (which amounted to about 2300-2500km of running) I had horrible burn-in. And when I say horrible, I really do mean horrible. I checked with a fully white background and could make out quite a few features belonging to data fields that I usually have on while doing long runs. I’m talking about the standard data fields included on the watch, so no third-party trickery. Also I never used the AOD feature. So the burn-in didn’t come from non-standard usage. When searching around, I find a few similar comments although it doesn’t seem to be widespread. But yeah, I had the issue so something went wrong for me at least.
I’ve added a picture of my Venu with the burn-in. Note, again, the picture is just the clock (and nothing more) on a PURE white background.
Now, I sent back the watch for repairs and got a new one back, so I have no complaints on that. But it did make me lose my confidence with the Venu for my runs so I sold it and got a temporary FR 945 until the Fenix 7/Epix would be out. By extension, I’ve lost confidence in Garmin AMOLED screens for now and I don’t feel secure in buying an Epix, no matter how fantastic it may look. I’ll first need to see the AMOLED devices prove themselves over a few years before I try my hand at them again. And I’ll go for a Fenix 7X for now.
Garmin has made such a tough call. My Fenix 6 gets 16-18 days of always-on battery. Stepping down to 6 days is a big deal – charging goes from a weekly thing with more urgency at times, to a “couple times a month” thing.
Thanks for the information and picture. Was your watch under warranty when you sent it in for repair and if not, did Garmin charge you for the repair or just sent you another watch for free?
Wow that is pretty bad (Reminds me of my LG OLED TV… the one where they said screen burn was a a thing of the past. Yeah right!).
I’ve got a Fenix 5 and it’s lasted really well. I’ve been waiting for the Fenix 7/Epix, and had decided on the Epix, but it needs to last probably 3 years. If it looks this bad after 18 months then that’s going to be a problem!
Hi Michael. My watch was under warranty (bought in March 2020) so I wasn’t charged. Just received a whole new unit, and I immediately sold it.
I’d like to add that the screen was very nice indeed and I was very happy with it for quite a long time. The burn-in seemed to kick in quite suddenly starting in September 2021 and got progressively worse very very quickly.
Hey Ben – indeed the Epix looks fantastic but given that I also want this watch to last for a few years, and given my experience with the Venu, I just don’t trust it now and I won’t pay up €1000 for it. It could be that they solved whatever issue there was with the Venu, it could be that some faulty software update accelerated the issues I had and it won’t be present for the Epix – I have no idea. But I’m not going to test it out myself :)
Hi Winter – at least it’s a confirmation for me that my watch wasn’t a solitary case. I can only advise you to also send it in for repairs. And maybe sell it after that, like I did… My conclusion was it’s a good hybrid sports/smart watch and stylish too, but not suited for doing too much running.
Hope buyers of the Epix won’t experience the same especially given the price of the device.
This sucks as it removes one of the main reasons for a buying Garmin. The hardware is solid and will easily last you 3+ years. Even with a degraded 3 year old battery, you can get by with charging twice a week. That $899 is not looking like good value if the screen cannot last 5 years.
Keep in mind that AMOLED displays have changed a lot in the 2.5 years since Garmin introduced the Venu, and also, how Garmin deals with mitigating display burn-in. For example, aspects like how they do pixel shifting, or even the fact that the latest CIQ always-on display guidance only applies to the Venu 2/2 Plus and Epix (meaning, those watches have different ways of handling it).
That said, it’s exceptionally rare for me to hear about any sort of burn-in on Garmin AMOLED devices – and I’ve never seen something crazy like that (don’t disagree that’s real, just saying that’s nuts and super rare).
Hi Ray, thanks for the reply. I’m not sure AMOLED displays themselves have changed that much (after all, the technology has been around in consumer devices like smartphones since 2007) but I do agree that Garmin’s implementation and handling of them might have considerably changed. The Venu was (IIRC) their first attempt at it and they might not have gotten it fully right. Or, my device might have been one of a few freak cases and the problem might not even be widespread.
So I think that there’s validity to the idea that this problem won’t affect the Epix at all.
It’s just that for me, it’s hard to now do a leap of faith to buy a €1000 device and just pray I won’t have the same problem again :)
So for me, for now, I’ll go for the Fenix 7 and wait out the general experience with the Epix. After all I’m perfectly OK with my FR945 display as well, even after having experienced the Venu display.
Same problem is present on the Suunto 7 with AMOLED. I thought that WearOS should already handle this, but it doesn’t seem so. I hope Garmin does it better – i’m waiting for a watch with maps and AMOLED and much better battery-life than the Suunto 7.
Yeah, that would be annoying but it kind of depends on your usage. I generally upgrade every year (except for Fenix 6, which I kept for 2 due to nothing new available) so I don’t really care about long term issues like that – though of course and I 100% get that a lot of people definitely do and should.
For me (and probably some other nerds who spend too much money on this) the fact that a) seems Garmin is very liberal about fixing/replacing for issues like this even out of warranty and b) I’ll probably sell this for an Epic 2X in a year makes the burn in a very small issue.
But, again, I understand that many people are wiser with their money than I am and keep things longer lol.
I really want the Epix, but I also like to have a metal band for smart days in shirts. For some reason Garmin didn’t release a single Epix SKU that goes with their metal bands. Black doesn’t go with carbon grey DLC and the silver ti has white plastic. That leaves the steel version which is a basic model.
It shouldn’t be too much to ask for a $1000 watch to have a smart look available, surely?
I also find it odd how few SKUs the Epix gets. I agree with you Ray that given the battery life this is a no brainer over the F7. My partner recently got the Venu 2s and I’ve been blown away with how much nicer it is than the Fenix. I get that they are just testing the water, but surely they take your feedback into account when planning capacity and SKUs. With such a decisive statement that you’d go Epix all day every day I can’t see the F7 being as popular.
I think that Garmin may think that if you’re willing to spend $999 on a watch you won’t blink at an overpriced watchband but sometimes that’s where the line is drawn.
Ray, what size wrist to do you have? I am afraid the Epix might be too large and need to go for the smaller (very similar but different) Fenix 7S. All of these pictures are great references, but only if I know the relation/size of your wrist. Great detailed review as always!
You may have missed the point. I am happy to spend the money. I had the 3 Sapphire (with metal band), 5 with metal band, 5+ with metal band, and the 6 ti with metal band. I bought the 6 simply because I fancied it in silver.
There is no fancy metal band available which goes with any of the Epix models. Epix comes in black DLC which does not match the carbon grey DLC (also, I’m kind of over dark watches after so many years). Or it comes in titanium which has a white plastic bit which doesn’t go with the Ti metal band. The only one that does is the stainless steel model which is silver with the grey plastic. But that’s a low end SKU which I don’t want since it’s heavy, doesn’t have much storage, doesn’t have Sapphire glass, doesn’t have certain features.
Every reviewer seems to agree Epix is the future. I assumed it was when Ray referred to “legacy displays” in the annual review on YouTube. For some reason Garmin lack confidence.
I agree they made some weird SKU choices on EPIX, but I wouldn’t overlook the steel one. The weight difference is only 6 grams (vs. an 11 gram difference on the F6 titanium models), which is pretty darned hard to notice. Sapphire is a debatable feature, even at price parity, as it severely reduces the brightness and contrast of the screen, and Gorilla Glass DX is awfully scratch resistant anyway. 16 GB vs. 32 GB of storage? That seems like a nice to have, not need to have. I certainly don’t need global topo maps on the watch at the same time (one region is enough, and I can always add one before a trip), and that’s more than enough music storage to keep me happy for a couple of weeks until I decide to switch it up. The dual-band GPS seems like the only really unfortunate omission from the base model, but that seems to be banking on future improvements, as the current performance is apparently unremarkable.
You’re right, but then the Epix and Fenix 7 are nice to haves too. I already have the 6 Pro which already does more than I need. Having scratched various Gorilla glass devices including an iPhone screen previously the sapphire is a definite want for me. I use music and maps quite a bit on the watch so storage is quite useful. Once you’ve been to a remote island with poor wifi and forgot to load the maps you realise the value of having things preloaded! I’ve also been on a plane without music preloaded and same story there. Stainless may not look much heavier on paper but it’s a noticeable difference on the wrist and any weight loss is a definite bonus once your arms start to move on a run.
I think I’m mostly annoyed that Garmin have put this situation out there. All of the reviews have basically said don’t buy the Fenix 7 unless you’re that one person in a thousand who needs to do a double ironman followed by an ultra marathon. And yet here we are looking at 4 distinctly non premium looking options for Epix! I’m hoping Garmin quickly realise this mistake and ramp up the SKUs for Epix. After all, the parts are identical to the Fenix ones so should be easy to change out.
My wrist is 16.5cm/6.5″, measured about 3cm/1″ away from the wrist bone.
I’ll get some good wrist shots of both myself and my wife wearing all the units in a little bit. Just…umm…digging out still (and for better or worse, this week is very much not done with new releases).
Taking photos of watches whilst wearing them usually means having to use a wide angle lens which exaggerates the size of the watch relative to the wrist – the closer the camera, the more pronounced the effect. If I take a wrist shot of my MARQ or Instinct with my iPhone’s normal lens, it looks like it overhangs my wrist. However, if I use the optical zoom (not the digital zoom) and hold the phone further back, the photo gives a much better representation.
Yes they’re compatible. No they won’t go with the colour. There’s no point having a premium watch band if it looks terrible. I already have the titanium watch band in grey and ti colours as well as the grey DLC steel band. None of these are black, and the ti one won’t look right with a white watch.
I caved and ordered the Fenix 7 in Ti silver with leather band which will go with the Ti band I have. Hopefully Garmin won’t see this as a vote for Fenix 7 over Epix as I really wanted the Epix screen and would have ordered one if they’d had a suitable colour option. The new features over the 6 were very compelling though so I definitely wanted to upgrade.
For whatever it’s worth, the Specs chart on Garmin’s website for the Epix says the “Black Titanium” watch actually has “carbon gray DLC titanium” bezel. This seems accurate to me based on Ray’s photos as the side-by-side comparisons of the Fenix to the Epix don’t appear to show any distinct difference in bezel color.
Perhaps the “Black Titanium” branding may be referring to the case color of the watch rather than the bezel since neither of the other two Epix options have a black case? If so, that seems like a somewhat confusing choice as I second guessed whether I wanted to buy an Epix over a Fenix since I preferred a carbon gray bezel and was worried about the Epix seemingly not having DLC coating.
Yes, I would agree. I ordered the “Garmin QuickFit 22 Watch Band – Carbon Gray DLC Titanium” for my Sapphire Epix and it is a perfect match color wise to my eye.
Dave—how did you order the Fenix 7 in TI silver? This is the one that looks best to me but I can’t seem to find it anywhere (at least here in the US).
I agree on the Epix though, it’s surprisingly compelling though lack of color choices and I think a few more days of battery in always-on mode will probably push me to stick with tried and true instead of embrace the new.
Hi David. I have worn a Fenix 6 Sapphire for the last 2+ years with the Carbon Grey DLC band. I just received my Epix Sapphire Black Titanium. The Epix case color is almost identical to the Fenix 6 Sapphire and the Carbon Grey band is still a great match (to my eyes at least).
@Dave, if you check the specs of the Black Epix you will see that it is in fact a carbon grey version. If you check onder general -> bezel material you will see “Sapphire Edition: carbon grey DLC titanium or pure titanium”
In fact, both titanium options match perfectly with the titanium band options.
aarrgh.. thanks for the great reviews as always! So difficult to chose.. i really want the epix! But i also would love a LTE version, but i am to impatient to wait half a year :(
In the video DCR says that multi-band makes little or no difference to GPS accuracy right now. However in the fullness of time software updates may be able to improve accuracy for multi-band equipped watches.
It’s a shame that it doesn’t come in various sizes, as I have straps from Fenix 5X/6X I’d want to reuse and I prefer the bigger screen. I thought LTE would be a feature and that is potentially holding me back, as I’m sure it will be added down the line. It’s just how long until it is.
I see that the screen is higher resolution that the Fenix line. Were you able to check how many data fields you can add to an activity Ray? That’s one of the features I like most about the 6X.
I was wondering this too. I just noticed a YouTube review that had the Epix 2 next to the F7X on a run activity and they both showed 7 data fields (2 rows of 3, plus one at the bottom, plus the battery indicator at the top).
Thanks for the excellent review as always Ray! Major kudos!
Only issue I see is the price!
A 899 price point with Sapphire would be more convincing. However street price in 2/3 months may fall into that, although I suspect that Fénix is gonna sell much more than this one and as such depreciate more.
It is clearly a Fénix 7 for the non-outdoor only people, and can be easily used in casual scenarios (that screen🤩). Most of my use is indoors (I use 830 for cycling outdoors, rarely run, some walks a day, Yoga and some indoor gym sessions at home) so the MIP screen is not my favourite. AMOLED really makes sense!
This may as well be my next watch (coming from a AW7).
Unless… In September Apple wakes up and gives us a watch instead of a computer on the wrist (round form format and at least 4 days battery).
Someone on Reddit pointed out that if you download the “Miles” app you basically get a 20% off Garmin Wearables coupon for free. (1000 point bonus for signing up, coupon costs 300 points).
Hi
Thanks for the review
Have Garmin explained why Epix do not come with the solar charging.
Do Epix/F7 support WIFI 5GHz or still only 2.4GHz
In the future will the same updates for Fenix 7 sapphire comes to Epix.
I did not get a reply in the Fenix thread, but I see in the Garmin Forum reported that it is a 2.4GHz chipset, which is disappointing. I would not mind the 2.4 GHz if it actually worked with my network. I previously had an Asus AX Wifi Mesh Network and Spotify syncs would always timeout. I later moved to a Linksys Velop Wifi6 Mesh network, with similar problems with both a Fenix 6 Pro Solar and the FR945LTE. I finally gave in and bought a cheap $30 2.4GHz Wifi extender for the sole purpose of syncing with Garmin. Kind of disappointed, really. Now it may be it’s a new chipset or new GarminOS Wifi driver update that actually has broader compatibility. I used to work in embedded software and fully realize that there are trade-offs in BOM cost, low-power targets, and TTM impacting software development.
So take this for what it’s worth (one guy’s experience over one day), but the speed of syncing on the Epix is at least an order of magnitude faster than on the 945 LTE. I’ve had zero timeouts, and the range is great. With every Garmin I’ve had before this, I always had to plug the watch in, basically set it on top of the router, and then go do chores or something, and I still had occasional sync failures. Also, the Epix doesn’t seem to blow through the battery while syncing either.
Thanks as always, but… If I might humbly suggest, your reviews of GPS performance always completely miss the point. People generally want to know one or two things accurately: (1) How far did I go? (2) How fast am I going currently?
Zooming in on recorded tracks on a satellite map doesn’t do anything to evaluate the performance of the watch according to either metric. Could you perhaps find a way to start evaluating the accuracy of total distance & current pace measurements? I am always baffled and slightly disappointed by this omission.
Ehh… People running next to water LOVE to complain if their GPS track looks like they were swimming. Distance, while arguably the more important feature, seems secondary in the complaints dept.
I agree it’s probably not as important to the “mass market” consumer, but I would hope that Ray would focus more on what athletes need from a GPS device. If you go to the Garmin forums you can find plenty of people complaining that their Fenix 6 recorded their half-marathon as 12.X miles, while their friend’s Apple Watch nailed it.
The practical challenge with doing total distance tests is actually doing them correctly. It’s almost impossible, except on super boring/straight courses. At least to the degree that matters.
The reason is that most of the routes that have verifable/trusted measurement are simple paved running paths/cycle paths, and usually, these don’t have considerable GPS trickiness.
For most non-paved paths, even when marked, I’ve long found (all over the world), that these are at best, casual summaries of distance. Because it’s far easier on a trail to say it’s 1KM/1mi, then say it’s .92KM or .92mi. Except that 80m matters for what I do.
Ironically, the DCR Cave actually sits on a 10KM marked route, with markers every 5-20m (seriously), that I presume are reasonably well marked. Which in this case would make it semi-easy to try and run the exact same dot to dot to dot path, but honestly, most people are more interested in whether the GPS track aligns with what they ran, which is 99.99% of cases means the total distance also aligns.
People do however want to know about pace stability, and I usually include a note somewhere on that, though forgot to this time. I haven’t had any pace stability issues in my interval runs, with things being super easy to pace off of. It’s a bit trickier now to get video of that, because watches use the accelerometer data as part of it these days, so holding it up really still for long periods of time for video skews that.
> but honestly, most people are more interested in whether the GPS track aligns with what they ran, which is 99.99% of cases means the total distance also aligns.
The real problem is that above isn’t always true, at least not for Fenix 6 series. I am actually quite satisfied with the quality of tracks – it is reasonably good. But the device distance is always shorter than the sum of point-to-point distances. For me the discrepancy often reaches 5% (when running on trails) or even greater. Clearly, Garmin doesn’t take the distance from the track.
The same applies to the pace. Device pace often deviates from the distance travelled over time. I understand that the GPS speed in incredibly noisy, but still if we look at the average Fenix 6 pace from an activity and compare that the total distance from the same device divided by the total activity time, there is always a noticeable discrepancy.
Ray. Yes! I want to know about *Pace Stability*
Ran side by side today with a friend, both of us wearing Fenix6P’s, both on left wrists. Clear sky, no trees. Our instantaneous paces were typically 10-20 sec/mi different at any one tiime.
I pace races. Improved performance here would be a selling point for me.
I would assume it doesn’t, since that uses the backlight for the transflective display which the AMOLED displays don’t have. The absence of the flashlight tool was one of the first things I missed on the Venu.
I confess I didn’t read the Fenix review, so I missed that the flashlight I was asking about is only on the ‘X models. So it seems case size is the issue here.
We talked about it a little bit, and they kinda talked around the gap a bit without directly answering it. My gut was that it sounded like this was, as is typical, their first go at the feature, and wanted to try it on the X series to see what folks thought real-life.
It didn’t sound like there were any immediate blockers tech/etc wise.
I’m using the backlight of my Fenix 3 as a pseudo-flashlight to avoid bouncing into stuff when it’s pitch dark. It’s very dim but just enough to navigate while not waking up family. From JR’s comment above, I gather that the F6 has a dedicated widget for just that purpose? Does the Epix 2 also have that widget? I suppose that the Epix’ display should be far brighter than what you can get with the backlight of the F3?
I’m using the F3 as a pseudo flashlight all the time so that the lack of a flashlight (pseudo or real) on the Epix 2 would be a deal breaker for me.
Zero issues there. I did a 7hr+ ride last week with it. I swam openwater the next day with it, and I’ve done more running than I’d care to admit with it.
Thank you for both the fenix and epix reviews, after going through (most) of them I am ordering the epix 🎉 for me the display is next gen, this way I’ll skip the mip displays altogether.. It will be a huge update over my Suunto Ambit3 and a complete switch to Garmin echo-system (finally)
I notice the Elevate sensor looks a bit more, well, elevated from the back surface of the Watch. If that is indeed the case, can you confirm whether it works with those pick style chargers from Amazon?
Did Garmin say anything about why Solar was not included as an option for the Epix? I could understand the AMOLED display may not allow the lower efficiency solar charging via the display itself but I would think the higher efficiency ring could co-exist either the AMOLED display and it would have been nice to get the additional boost of solar.
Thank you for the thorough review. I am a bit confused about the colour. The titanium is listed as black on the Garmin website for both of the available dark titanium models (plastic strap and chestnut leather strap). However, the Epix model you have appears to be grey, which is how it is listed on a different UK retail website. There are clearly two different versions of the darker titanium case as the chestnut strap version does not have a red button: it is all black. This is clear from the Garmin site. You obviously won’t have both versions to compare, but would you describe the Epix you tested as being black or grey? To your knowledge are there any other differences in the two watch bodies apart from the red highlight on the one that is supplied with a resin strap?
I was always a fan of raw titanium look of the F5 and F6 versions. I don’t really care for these blacked-out titanium versions. If it’s a coating (even DLC) then it looks terrible when it scratches, plus they hardly look like metal unless you’re up close. I actually think the slate steel is the most handsome F7/Epix SKU on Garmin’s website, but unfortunately it doesn’t have the top specs.
The DLC is crazy scratch resistant. I’m on 2.5 years of a DLC coated f6 with zero visible damage, after 1,000 accidental smacks of the watch against my work desk, door frames, excetera. The sapphire screen is also scratch free. The base models on the other hand are scratch magnets.
Weird. Experiment of one, but my DLC looked terrible after a few months. I agree it was more scratch resistant than the base models, and it didn’t scratch from things like desks (which shouldn’t scratch any metal). If it bumped a brick or concrete wall (happens on occasion when running in a dense city) it got big silver scratches that stood out against the black finish.
Can you post up some pics of the two colors you’re seeing?
I want a grey version, but disappointed that’s only the steel on this range. Otherwise it’s jet black I think.
Yeah, I’m not sure about the grey vs black EU/UK SKU’s. Garmin always does a few extra wonky versions for Europe. I’ll try and get some clarity on that in my next volley.
As for the unit I have, it’s definitely black (titanium). At least, it matches the black of both the Fenix 7/7X I have, as well as the black on my Lenovo Thinkpad I’m typing this on. :)
The (us) black titanium epix I have is definitely different in color from the black dlc titanium fenix 6 I have. As AJ mentioned above, on garmin’s website the specs section mention the epix is carbon gray dlc titanium. Also, on garmin’s website, the epix is listed as “black titanium” whereas the fenix 7 is listed as “black dlc titanium” or “carbon gray dlc titanium”.
If you compare the pictures on garmin’s website for the black titanium epix and the carbon gray dlc titanium fenix 7, they look the same whereas the black dlc titanium fenix 7 definitely looks darker. Holds true for both the bezel and the band’s buckle.
Smart (business) pricing here by Garmin. 32GB is really a must if you are going to have maps for more than one region. I will be shocked if the Sapphire version doesn’t outsell the regular glass version.
Only the continent of where you bought it is preloaded. So for example, if you buy the Fenix 7 solar sapphire in Europe, only the Europe maps are preloaded.
Weird thing- my Sapphire only has North America on it. When I got it I connected to Garmin Express to update the firmware before I did anything. GE also said that there was a map update available which I installed. After all this was done I started looking over the device, found the map manager, and looked at the maps- only North America was there. I don’t know if GE deleted the rest of the world as part of the update or if it was never there in the first place.
Perhaps a minor point for some, but how long is the charging time ?
( if/assume liniair, how much % / hour )
When almost empty, will it need to be an entire evening of my wrist, of “just” an half an hour ?
( trying to disturb the bodybattery & sleep monitor at less as possible etc )
I agree this is important. If it is fast (less than one hour), you can basically just charge it when needed, if much longer you need to plan and think about it much more.
What?!
How the hell can you charge the bloody watch during an activity? It’s in your hand…
Unless you strap a battery pack on your arm and wear the watch inside out. Weird question.
There are ( non-garmin?) chargers for fenix connection on a baseplate, so “for instance” you can put it between the watch and wrist, but the OHR will not function then “obviously” ( external heartrate if needed ?).
But then you will also have a powerbank etc etc , so only really needed/usable/worthwhile for ultra-events ?
Charging during an activity was a super common annoyance for the very small minority of Garmin users who compete in longer ultra racing events. Newer watches like the Enduro, and now Fenix 7, make that a moot point, but I could see how someone would want the screen on the Epix, but on rare occasion might need to charge up during a super long ultra. I’ve seen people strap it to their hydration vest and plug it in to a portable battery pack while others would try and somehow wear it during charging.
Yeah, it is an ultra-fringe feature, but the people who want it are very noisy about it. I say if you can’t finish 100 miles in under 30 hours, you should spend more time training and less time worrying about your watch ;)
Have had to charge my F6 during 200mile + ultra’s many times and usually just hook the watch around a pack strap while hanging onto the battery pack or putting it in a pocket.
Would love to try the Epix due to decreasing vision,but the battery life is a big drawback.
I’d love to see some real life battery data on the Epix 2. My F5+ promised “up to 19h of battery life” in GPS mode. In reality (Ironman racing for me) with a bunch of sensors connected (HRM-TRI, Vector 3, Stryd) the watch chews through 10 percentage points of battery per hour so I get about 10h of actual run time which is approx. missing 30 – 45min to finish an Ironman for me.
You definitely have to check your settings. My F5, which is VERY old, had ~35% of the charge leff after 9h of Ironman (swim leg reduced, don’t worry). HRM-Tri&Powermeter connected.
– Compared to the Fenix 6, is there any significant difference in GPS and HR accuracy (and related to the latter, Stress / Body Battery / Recovery)?
– You mention HRV not being automatically captured 24×7 but I would imagine it is being captured periodically as an input into Stress and Body Battery measurements
– Given touch is disabled by default for activities (which I agree with), is there an option to leave it on only for map viewing during activities?
– Can watch settings be saved as a profile that can be restored if needing to reset or replace the watch?
Hey Ray, thanks a lot for your expansive coverage on F7/Epix2 releases.
Question on Epix 2: how do you think AMOLED burn-in will affect the screen long term? Would you say it’s something to be concerned about?How was you experience with Venu/Venu2 in that regards?
Hi Paul. If you scroll up you’ll find my experiences with the AMOLED-equipped Venu, picture included in my post. I wish I could say go for it and it’ll be fine – but I’m not so sure after what I saw with my Venu after 1.5 years of running 3-4 times per week.
I need Garmin to prove long-term viability of their AMOLED devices before I’ll have the confidence to buy one again.
Thanks Matt, I saw it and it looks worrying. I know Ray mentioned pixel shift technology that Garmin uses to mitigate the risk of burn-in but it doesn’t seem to have worked in your case. I was wondering if epix 2 does sth differently in that regards?
Hi Ray, All Fenix so far were showing wrong HR-rates when “hiking” or doing “functional trainings = using arms somehow” (no physics issue due to color, hair, geometry …). Tested many (also clean versions as pushed by Garmin support) in many situations.
Apple Watch nails HR-rates in 99% of the conditions. But would love to buy a proper Epix2 with all cool functions and a longer battery time.
Is the new sensor as good as AW? In your review you hinted that it is not.
If AW is 99% – what percentage does the new Garmin sensor get?
Thank you!
I think I’m sold. I have a 6X and the bigger screen is nice as more detail on the maps are shown by default.
Does the higher resolution on the amoled screen get used to show more detail or just “nicer” representations of it?
I have a 6X and got the Epix.
The Epix screen while being 0.1″ smaller is actually much sharper, clearer, easier to read in sunlight and the maps show more detail at the same zoom level as the 6X.
One critical question: Will the AMOLED screen with always-on catch unwanted interest of my toddler when I will try to make him sleep in the dark (but outside of my own sleep time)?
Great review Ray! Quick question regarding stock watch faces. Does the Epic have the same watch faces as the Fenix 7? I tend to like the Fenix 7 watch face that is on all the marketing photos but wasn’t sure if it’s built into Epic. I know you can typically find lots of 3rd party watch faces, but many of those can’t pull various metrics from the watch (ie. body battery…).
Thank you for all the hard work! You’ve converted me from a Fenix 7 to an Epix!
I was hoping for the mountain bike metrics (jump, grit, flow) to be included. Maybe they are not possible on a wearable?? Any idea if we might ever see them?
It will be interesting to see the reactions from the F6X battery life purists, and the touchscreen haters, to this watch. (I’ve seen some already on FB and it’s as you’d think – uninformed bashing of anything new). For me, the Epix represents the best of all worlds – I’ve used a touchscreen Garmin (the original square clunky VivoActive and also the VA3), in addition to 235, FR645 and now a F6ProSolar, and there are absolutely certain instances of the user interface where a touchscreen is IMMENSELY easier to use, to navigate through choices and things, and of course there are times when a touchscreen is less than ideal – since the Epix and F7 have both, the user is allowed to navigate the watch in a way that makes sense for that person. AND – having the AMOLED screen on the Epix is awesome – can’t wait to get one. I am not one of those users who refuses to charge out of pride or principle – like so many are (and that’s fine, for them). I’m more than willing to charge my device every three or four days. Not a problem at all for how I use it.
Bottom line – more choice is a win for the consumer and for Garmin. Can’t wait to get an Epix!!
Is there a difference in effective screen size between Epix and Fenix 7X? I.e. is it worth considering the Fenix 7X for the size of the screen? From the pictures it seems like the solar part of the screen on the 7X eats so much screen that the screen sizes are practically the same when the Epix does not have the solar ring.
No matter what I do, I can’t configure Data screens or alarms within an activity via Connect on iOS. The screenshots Ray took can’t be replicated by me.
Nor do I find that sleep mode manager wich is shown.
Yeah, essentially units are shipped with old-stinky software as they were manufactured months ago.
Your watch would have updated by the end of the day, as the firmware is transferred to it in the background (slower on Bluetooth Smart, far faster on WiFi and near instantly if you use a USB connection to setup).
I think Garmin needs to do a better job there in making it clear that a firmware update is required. Apple, GoPro, and even Garmin’s own Venu 2 Plus all do better jobs there.
Thanks for the great rundown on the new watches. My Fenix 3 is literally dying and I’ve been waiting for this new series to upgrade. Given how ancient my existing watch is, I have no experience with the music/podcast capability of current day Garmin watches, I do have two questions.
1. When listening to a podcast can the “rewind” & “fast forward” buttons be configured to skip back or forward a certain number of seconds rather than going to the previous or next podcast?
2. Can an external Bluetooth remote control (e.g. https://www.chubbybuttons.io) be paired with the watches? I use this when winter cycling and Nordic skiing as it’s glove friendly.
Thank you. These are hardly primary features which would keep me from considering the new watches, but its better to know ahead of time. Guess my phone remains my music/podcast device.
Hi dc rainmaker, I’m quite interested in the epix over the fenix 7 as I now own a fenix 6 pro and don’t see anything really worth the extra pounds I’d have to invest to get a 7, I’d rather go for a nice screen.
I used to have a 6s and there is seldom a time I go for a week without charging, so the battery life is fine with me, however I am very interested in the recharging time of the epix.
I would prefer not to have to charge it overnight, is it a case that you can recharge it quickly?
I can’t seem to find any info re this online, since you’ve done loads of teayo g, I hope you can give me an answer on this. Thanks.
Great to hear that the screen works well under direct sunlight!
What’s the display clarity like with polarized sunglasses?
I found that with polarized sunglasses, Samsung display doesn’t work quite well in portrait and similarly iPhone screen is not very clear in landscape. Any impacts of this on the Epix screen?
I’ve taken the plunge, had the 945 since launch & the Epix is enough of an upgrade to persuade me, Amoled, touch & software overhaul being the main drivers.
Screen diameter size question vs 7X:
Is the screen diameter on the solar versions measured from inside the solar strip or does the diameter measurement include the solar strip? In other words is the actual viewable screen size of the 7X less than 1.4″, in practical terms making it more like 1.3 on the Epix or regular 7? (Trying to decide between the Epix and 7X, want the Epix but value screen size above all – although it seems like they might be the same depending on how they’re measured?)
Great Review. I’ve been using the Forerunner 935 for four years now, but really want the AMOLED screen. With it not being on the Fenix7, will EPIX be the only way to get the better screen? I was going to wait for the 955, but now don’t think there will be an AMOLED version of the 955. Any chance we see the better screen on the 955?
I would buy that in a hearbeat. But I don’t think that a 955 with AMOLED is going to happen in the near future. Seeing that only two models are offered and Fenix is a seperated model without AMOLED, Garmin does not really seem to be sure about the success of the model at the moment. I hope I am wrong though and a top line Forerunner with AMOLED ist coming…
But, Garmin has made it very clear AMOLED displays are the future. How they handle that choice, if any in a FR955 type device is an interesting question.
I’m also intrigued by the Epix’s display while simultaneously being put off by the larger bezels and heft of the F7/Epix compared to a 745 or 945 LTE. For a watch you wear all day and night, comfort is really important. I love OLED displays, yet I do wonder if the 955’s smaller battery would be insufficient. Personally, I’d be fine charging every 5th day for something with a greater than 240×240 MIP display, especially now that we have touchscreens with the ability to reply to text messages (Android user here).
Frankly, Garmin’s feature fragmentation between Sapphire and non-Sapphire models makes me a bit pessimistic regarding the FR955. Dual-frequency GNSS and AMOLED could both be features reserved for €900+ watches, though we might see the debut of native running power. I don’t think which GNSS chipset you get should be SKU-dependent. Does Garmin deem the benefits too small for the technology to go mainstream, or did they simply want a way to upsell Fenix users now that the Pro moniker is gone? Gorilla Glass DX is enough protection for most people and I believe it’s less reflective than sapphire. I care more about sunlight legibility than scratch protection.
One nitpick regarding your excellent review: “It’s all there, for your ADHD viewing pleasure.” – did you mean OCD?
This is the one for me.
The perfect trio for my needs.
1. buttons for use during exercise
2. touchscreen for rest of the time looking at notifications and stats
3. AMOLED display. I charge every time I shower which is twice a day so should keep it between 30% and 70% range mostly.
Thanks Garmin
Thanks Ray. Awesome coverage of the Launch. YouTube videos rock.
DO you think they’ll make a larger Epix.
I prefer the larger watch band of the Feinx 6X pro Solar I have, in have a few Nick Mankey watch straps that won’t carry over to the new Epix due to thinner watch strap…
Also how quick is the watch to charge? This would be useful information…
Cheers
Undoubtedly they’ll make bigger displays in time. Whether that’s a year from now or two years, I have no idea. It’s clear this is the future, and Garmin themselves literally said those words during one of my meetings (talking broadly about their watch displays, not a specific model).
It seems reasonably quick to charge, I’ll try and get a complete full-charge test done. Gotta let it burn down again first.
Awesome review here, as always (F7 review also superb). But comparing the Epix to the F7 and saying the only difference is the display misses a fact – the $200 upcharge for that display. Since the comparable F7 is $700, the Epix screen is a 28.5% increase. Take a very expensive device and make it more expensive by far. I love the Epix (and I love the F7, but a little bit less). I’m using an FR920 and am ready for a new device. Not either of these…maybe the F6 prices will drop…
Whoops – fouled the comparison across review pages and can’t edit. ‘Only’ a $100 diff, 14% increase for Epix over the equivalent F7. Still spendy. Just not as spendy as my 1st post!
My main question is about AMOLED displays and burn-in. I know there are ways to mitigate this, but did Garmin give you any sort of intel or have you found anything in your testing with other AMOLED devices that gives an idea of when this could become an issue? Are we talking about 5-6 years before it would be an issue, or within 2 years?
By default, the watch settings are optimized for battery life and performance (Maximizing Battery Life).
Image persistence, or pixel “burn-in,” is normal behavior for AMOLED devices. To extend the display life, you should avoid displaying static images at high brightness levels for long time periods. To minimize burn-in, the Venu® 2 series display turns off after the selected timeout (Customizing the Display Settings). You can turn your wrist toward your body, double-tap the touchscreen, or press a button to wake the device.
One more thing: can you explain more about how the ‘All Systems’ GNSS setting works?
Does it use select just one of the GNSS systems for any given activity based on available signal or can it chose more than one? Are the systems selected only at the beginning of the activity or is it dynamically adjusting during activities? Is it likely worth the battery hit vs the GPS-only setting (i.e., how significant are the potential accuracy gains)?
It actually dynamically adjusts throughout the activity, between the different constellations. I was curious about that myself and had asked over the weekend, but didn’t have a chance to fully integrate that into the review yet. It doesn’t sound like there’s any meaningful battery hit there, so it’s basically just a lateral switch.
I haven’t done any testing yet of the new/revamped GPS-only setting. I’ll probably give it a whirl shortly though. Garmin’s engineering/product folks seemed exceptionally excited about that feature. Almost to the point that I have a funny feeling it may be a feature that is far cooler than they’re giving it credit for, because marketing told them people wouldn’t think it’s cool.
I have a GPSMAP 66sr which is multiband. My understanding is that it receives all the signals, all the time (gps, glonass, qzss…L1, L5 etc), from whatever sats are in view. Then the gps chips analyzes and process all the signals, and detect which are good, best or erroneous to filter out multipath error, etc.
As far as battery consumption, it seems negligible. But keep in mind, battery size. The battery in the gpsmap is probably eq to at least a couple dozen epix/fenix batteries. Taking a drop of water from a cup will be far more signifcant hit than taking a drop of water from a bucket.
As far as accuracy, just in gps mode, I tend to get 10-12 feet accuracy, and in multibband it’s usually 6ft. And that’s even sitting INSIDE my house.
It seems the only real benefit to having multiband is when you are in challenging areas, such as canyons, dense foliage, etc.
Do we think we will get Running power from the wrist eventually, or as predicted it will only come when the 955 is released?
If it will be a software update for the Fenix and Epix, then I am sold, if not might just stick with my Vantage V2.
I suspect if they release running power in the next 2 years, that any Fenix 7 or Epix would get it. Of course, I would have thought they’d have released it 2+ years ago….so…
I just did a quick charge test, 15 mins exactly, and it went from 50% to 65%. One minor note is that I realized after a few mins that the map downloader had kicked in, so not sure how that would have impacted it. Also, generally Garmin has faster charging for the first 50% or so, and then the last 80-100% tend to be slowest (like most companies).
Like the Venu 2, it does pixel shifting to protect against burn-out. Plus of course simple things like the display turns off while you’re sleeping (or, if left on a table).
Thanks Ray…awesome write up, as always!
I was waiting for F7/EPIX like everybody else and I was ready to get the EPIX even though it’s an expansive one…however, I am a bit disappointed that the EPIX doesn’t have the flashlight, a gadget I find way more useful than ECG and it doesn’t do the Venu 2+ phone connection. So I guess I have to wait a bit longer for these updates in hardware. Let’s see what upgrades, if any, the older generation now gets.
I wonder if the Marq, Enduro, Tactix and all the other Garmin watches that are based on the Fenix will be upgraded in the near future.
Hi
First i like to say once again a good review
I`m planning to buy a new watch and this one is one of them on my radar.
In your review and your video you show the battery life times given by Garmin but for a guy like you how far of are they?
I mean all watchmakers give you battery life times which in normal day life you never get.
So in real life for a sporty guy like you how is the battery life for this watch ?
And how does the real life battery life compare to the Venu 2 plus ?
Also the 32Gb memory would you say it is the same with the 32Gb of my Fenix 6X pro ?
What i mean is my Fenix came preloaded with maps already and what i understand is with the Epix and Fenix 7 you need to download them your self.
Not sure but does that mean the Fenix 6 series have more free memory then the Fenix 7 and Epix ?
Will you make a comparison video and or review between the Epix and the Venu 2 plus ?
I think you made a little mistake with the two pictures comparing the Fenix 7 and the Epix.
“Here mid-day, light cloud cover, Epix left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar right” i think its the other way around?
Awesome Review (as always)!
Regarding the LTE. As you stated above, really sounds like the next iteration option for the model, they kept back some ammunition, to have a decent reasons why an upgrade could make sense (not sure what else they should/would introduce).
That said, i wonder if the next FR955 (or whatever they call it) would have the AMOLED AND LTE version on board. I don’t expect that to have Solar, but AMOLED could make sense.
If that would be true, the next FR would be my GO-TO watch (having the 945 now).
Amoled alone as an upgrade reason feels… expensive, but still it tickles.
LTE and AMOLED would be a green light :D
Last tings more out of curiosity:
Does Garmin built and develop those units independently,
Like FENIX/EPIX in Garmin CA and the Forerunner at Garmin EU (or wherever they do that).
Could those tech-differences also caused by those different locations?
I’ve had garmin watches for a while now and I’ve seen that sometimes updates don’t come for a watch but do for another one
I’m interested in the epix but i’m worried it won’t receive the same software updates as the fenix 7
What is your opinion on this ?
Generally speaking, as long as I’ve setup WiFi/Bluetooth – and have the Garmin Connect Mobile app hanging out in the background, I get updates pretty consistently. The one caveat is that Garmin does phase updates, so even if they release yesterday, updates can take a week or more depending on the significance of the update.
If 6 days of battery life is enough for you, try to think 2-3 years ahead (if you wear an expensive gadget for such a long time :-). The Battery won´t live forever, will you still be satisfied with 3 days of runtime??? For myself I think “shiny new” is great, but on the downside there will be severe aging like shorter runtime and burn-in of oled-display. I would go for Fenix 7x if at all.
Depends on quantity of charging-cycles. Epic will have definitely more than a Fenix 7 in the same period. Moreover, Fenix 7´th battery will deteriorate much less due to smaller current driven out of it. I think the best value above time is on the Fenix side, but yes no one can deny about the display of the Epic… as long as there is no burning-in :-)
First impression: UPDATE before you do anything. I could not press OK on Wi-Fi or Altimeter calibration before the update.
Apart from that it is the first time ever with a Garmin watch I have been able to get a GPS fix INSIDE in my office (default GPS settings – have not changed anything)
Apart from that, coming from a F6x Pro Solar – the screen is smaller so watch face looks a bit cramped compared to what I’m used to. But I’ll probably get used to it quick…. But screen just looks great. So far gesture on/off works perfect.
To make it easy for those who want to see: A watch that looses battery over years, e.g. 6d use to 3-4d, and another that looses from 28d to 14d, its obvious that the second one is easier to go with over the years. Especially if regarding the price-tag :-)
I have 2 questions. Like you I like small watches – 245 and 745 are plenty big for me. Will you be staying with the larger Epix due to its display or going back to a smaller watch? Does your wife like the Epix or will she stay with a smaller watch?
I am a runner, on the roads, and many features of watches above the 745 do not interest me. Do you think the next versions of the 745 and 245 will have —
1. Amoled Display – it sure is pretty
2. Elevate generation 4
3. Real time stamna
4. Health snapshot
5. Ability to configure many more settings through the phone app.
Question for ray / others about screen burn in. Was all in on this watch until I saw all the comments about AMOLED burn in on previous Garmin watches. I’m still wearing my Fenix X, so am planning on keeping the Epix (2) vs F7 for a while. Don’t love the chances of bad burn in, though. Have newer Garmin watches solved the burn in problems?
Ray, has Garmin said anything specific about how they’ll approach burn in replacements?
It will be difficult for anyone to answer this as the Venu 2 is less than a year old, while the Venu 2 Plus just came out this month. Reviewers will also be less likely to experience burn in as they do generally switch between watches instead of using a single watch 24/7 365 days?
The Venu 2 also has much poorer battery life than the Epix so most will not switch on AOD, meaning less chance of burn in? Things are obviously going to be different on the Epix with 6 day battery life? People that buy the Epix are also more likely to partake in long runs and rides.
If you planning on keeping the Epix for more than 2 years while using it with AOD, it might be better to wait until Black Friday to see how the Venu 2 ages?
I was quite sure to order a Fenix 7 X. After reading your reviews I have ordered the EPIX and I am really curious now about the battery. I hope it can satisfy me for a few years.
Can anyone explain the logic behind introducing this terrific lineup of watches right after the holiday season which is when most people purchase these type of products? So many Apple watches purchased that could’ve been Garmin watches I would think. What am I missing?
Well, Apple Watches certainly aren’t Garmin watches is one thing you are missing. I understand Apple is striving to be more than a lifestyle watch, but they are not there yet in comparison to a high-end Garmin.
For sure they are different watches. But Apple introduces their products in September for delivery during the holiday season which is purposeful. As do most major retailers. Garmin decided to skip Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas to launch in a random week in January. I’m just wondering what’s behind that.
My guess is that for this category of watch, Garmin see the seasonality of demand being driven by Spring and the leadup to racing season (especially as people start selecting target races, and their training plan around that), rather than “gift giving” season.
By default, the watch settings are optimized for battery life and performance (Tips for Maximizing the Battery Life).
Image persistence, or pixel “burn-in,” is normal behavior for AMOLED devices. To extend the display life, you should avoid displaying static images at high brightness levels for long time periods. To minimize burn-in, the epix™ display turns off after the selected timeout (Changing the Screen Settings). You can turn your wrist toward your body, tap the touchscreen, or press a button to wake the device.
When I buy a thousand dollar watch, I expect it to last at least 4-5 years. After using previous Garmin watches I don’t see myself switching off AoD. So it’s quite obvious witch Garmin’s own info on AMOLED displays that Epix will eventually get a burn-in. It’s just a matter of time. Thankfully there’s still Fenix 7 :)
Well Apple only recently started to offer Always on Display, hard to judge. Plus, they have tech that moves the pixels in a way you don’t really notice it. Older watches you may be mentioning didn’t have AoD. Hopefully Garmin implemented some pixel shifting tech to prevent it from happening but even they say that burn-in is normal AMOLED behavior which doesn’t sound too optimistic :/
Just purchased the Epix and looking to buy a hook strap to replace the band. I can’t figure out if the watch has removable spring pins. There seems to be a bit of give to the bars, but I can’t seem to remove them. On the 6 Series Fenix and The Tactix they were removable. Any idea if we can remove the spring bars?
As always, superb review. What is the battery life when heart rate 24×7 and pulse ox 24×7 enabled? My Fenix 6X Pro solar lasts that way about a week. Interested to find out how long the Epix lasts.
I have a Garmiin Fenix 5x Plus.
Interested in the EPIX but …………………………
Have size 26 bands for the Fenix – will they fit the EPIX?
Can I take my current Fenix settings file and upload / transfer to the new EPIX?
Thanks!!!!
Great review! I have a tactix delta and cannot for
The life of me get it to connect to my Wi-Fi. I have recently found out that I’m running on Wi-Fi 5 instead of 2.4. Will the epix support 5? Thanks! (Don’t want another issue with loading music)
Quick question. It looks as though the black ‘dead area’ between the bezel and the actual display has increased in size vs the Fenix 6 (Non solar). Is that right Ray? It’s hard to tell without seeing in person.
How is battery life affected by navigating a route you’ve imported onto the watch? I’ve got the Fenix 5, and notice that my battery gets used up significantly faster when navigating a route than when I’m just recording a run (about twice as fast). If the stated battery times are based on navigating then I’ll likely go for the Epix, if not then it’s likely the 7X for me.
Interesting topic right there. Fenix’s MiP screen only refreshes pixels that change. Hence great battery life and a lot worse when displaying constantly moving map. AMOLED refreshes the whole screen so theoretically it shouldn’t drop as bad while navigating.
Constantly re-rendering the map screen while you move along is processor and battery intensive.
If you leave it on a data display most of the time, and just scroll to the map screen when you need to (eg. to do a navigation check at a trail junction), then navigating a route shouldn’t use any materially more battery.
Hey Ray,
Perfect as always. Helped a lot to decide on which sku to pull the trigger. Epix – but I do line the watch face of the Fenix 7 advertised everywhere. Is it possible to have that watchface on an epix?
Was going to get the Fenix, but after reading this review I’m going with the Epix. Thanks!
Spotted a couple of typos:
“graphical cons” should be “graphical icons”
There are some fit and polish things I see (for example, certain map regions have graphical cons and others don’t […]
“which consumers” should be “which consumes”
But that is almost inconsequential compared to the 24×7 mode, which consumers a crapton of battery.
Ray, many thanks once again for a really useful review. Unusually I actually ordered a new Garmin before reading one of your reviews (you were clearly working under an embargo – and stuck to it, unlike some others!). But I was pleased to subsequently read your thoughts.
It arrived this PM and I have to say I’m very happy with it – and so I should be given the £££!! The screen really is amazing, I just can’t imagine anyone wanting a Fenix after you’ve seen an Epix. I’ve patiently waited to upgrade from a FR935 so this feels like a decent upgrade but I recognise I’m going to need to get used to charging the Epix more frequently,
I’ve explored all the menus and done a couple of activities and it works just fine. The only minor niggle is I can’t seem to find the data fields on Garmin Connect, when I go into an individual activity say Running, the options start with Metronome rather than the Data Fields shown in your review.
LTE isn’t a big one for me so that’s not missed. Personally I would have found the ECG functionality very useful (instead of carrying around a KardiaMobile with me) but I’m hoping that if Garmin can get FDA approval then it will be an OTA update at some point in time in the future.
will this pair with all of the sensors that Fenix 6 does? I use my 6 as a bike computer and it pairs great with power meters, varia radar, varia display and SRAM shifter. I don’t want to lose functionality
Even though the Elevate V4 sensor is the same, the window over it is clearly different between this watch and the Venu series. Any word on whether it’s still epoxy that’s guaranteed to eventually crack in the presence of sunblock? I’ve been through multiple FR935s despite always waiting at least 30min between sunblock application and wearing the watch (which is in itself insane).
Which firmware are you on? Should be 7.20 (same as I’m on). Double-check that, as I’m hearing reports that some folks are one crazy-old-stinky November firmware (like 6.XX). You can update firmware by connecting it to your phone and waiting, or to WiFi and waiting.
Or, the fastest ‘known good’ way is to simply connect it to a computer and use Garmin Express. It’s not super 2022, but hey, it gets the job done instantly versus waiting.
Among the 3 options, which bezel is the most durable and scratch-resistant? I have banged my 945 around countless times and it doesn’t have a single blemish! If I’m going to spend $1000 on this one, I want the same durability. Which do you recommend?
As usual the DC rainmaker review’s are the best in the business, love reading them over a few days, read the summary and decided to go for Epix instead of Fenix 7. I would have ordered the 47mm anwyay for my wrist, so this was perfect.
Curious about your opinion on the display of the 955 (let’s say next triathlon specific watch).
An Ironman race has a 17h (sometimes 16) time limit so i think that an amoled display could be a good choice. Maybe something less bright than this epix one…
I have a question about synchronization into garmin connect between fenix/epix and edge.
At the moment I use a FR 645 and Edge530 and pretty much it is like I have two different personalities, two separated training load, statuses and so on.
For example FR645 was used primary for run, hike, ski but in my case they are very rare, the edge unit is for MTB and road bike which is 2 or 3 time per week, so FR told me every day that I am in status detraining even if it was sync and show last activity -> “today 100km”.
US buyers: epix 2 just popped up and is available on bestbuy.com 12am 1/20/2022. Model number is 010-02582-10, Sapphire – Black Titanium. Also note: the Fenix 7 is sold out and on backordered now.
After som reflection, I cannot understand Garmins selection device line-up.
Looking at number of Fenix watches sold in the world, my guesstimation is that >99.5% are not superultraenduranceadventure individuals, that really needed the EXTREME barrery life they now offer. And The AMOLED Epix (true Fenix) with software smartness (recoding, screen time out etc) really also gives extreme battery life with the AMOLED screen.
Garmin should treat Fenix as the premium watch it should be. Now its just, meh. And if they release Fenix 7v2 next January with all AMOLED. The 2022 Fenix buyers will feel cheated. And also some of the Epix buyers.
Fenix should have been ALL AMOLED. If solar was not possible because of that, then they should have made that watch the odd one out. The adventure watch. Maybe Epix should not have been the name, but rather a Garmin Enduro 2. Fully focusing of that niche of advenurers.
Touch with maps really would benefit from the X-models larger screen. Still, if that was not one’s main focus, you could go with the S, or normal models.
I’m sure Garmin could have made a model lineup that still would have allowed them to hike prices for what would be the “Epix-X”. They could play with different versions of GPS, Size, Sapphire, wristbands, pre-installed maps, etc.
Now they have chosen to devalue the Fenix lineup. All, really all, beforehand reviers, like DC, desfit and others, conclude that the AMOLED is so superior.
None of the 99.5% of Fenix buyers that are not superutraadventurers, could have accepted AMOLED. None would consider it a no-go item.
Yesterday, I really felt like I need to order Epix. And maybe I will do. But I would have preferred an Fenix. With AMOLED.
Why not accept the fact that Epix is now a more flashy Fenix? I don’t want Fenix to replace MIP screen with AMOLED. I mean they could make a Fenix Plus with AMOLED but just leave that always on battery efficient screen in the offer.
I Understand that. I think they could have achieved the target within the AMOLED-Fenix line-up.
Now they just have a “resurrected from the dead” product name with Epix. That they will have to manage.
It’s not a problem for me as a user. Althouh I would have liked an “Epix-X”. I think it’s more of a problem from Garmins perspective. When they will do ads for Fenix, they sort of will have to say “and then there’s a de-luxe version. But that has a different name”.
Customer: So the de-luxe versions of Fenix (notAMOLED) are not deluxe?
Garmin: No.
And come next January. There will be an Epix-X. For sure. Maybe even earlier. But Garmin still have their Fenix 7 problem. The MiPdisplay will for the vast majority of picky customers be unsellable. Competitors will go AMOLED. Garmin knows they have to.
When they do that for Fenix. Epix is shot down. Again. And then they will have to live with a fenix 7 with differenct screen resolusitons….. A problem in updating firmware. So they will have to rename it Fenix 8.
Does not make sense.
But as I wrote, I will most likely order the Eqiz anyway. It is a Garmin problem. Not a consumer problem.
It just depends what you call “premium”. AMOLED or superior battery life. Honestly, if I look at the Epix battery usage with good GPS and music, then that doesn’t give me that much confidence and I cannot call that “extreme” battery life. It’s good, no doubt, but I’m ALWAYS running with music and that means for a standard weekend I’ll start with 100% and by Sunday noon I’ll be left with 40% or so. Then use AOD and you’re charging 2-3 times a week.
Which again is not that bad, but I would rather have more. I hate to have to plug in my current watch 2-3 times per week. I can be confronted with wanting to go on a run but quickly having to charge a bit first.
Claims for the 7X look far better and more reassuring to me and I’m happy they kept it MIP.
(and that’s aside from my burn-in adventures with the Venu that keep me from buying an Epix altogether)
The Fenix is still the Fenix. There’s now just an alternative with a different screen.
Having bought and taken delivery of my Epix, and seen them consensus of the reviews, I think Garmin should have used OLED for the all the Garmin Fenix 7 range and made Epix the watch with MIP screen for the real hardcore ultra runners etc who need the long battery life. That seems more logical to me as Fenix is a recognised sub brand and has always showcased the best new Garmin tech.
Hi Ray, thanks for the review!
The only thing I am really disappointed about is the very large solar ring which is not worth it to support an unnecessary feature.
And even more disappointed on the Epix, with the same bezel and screen as Fenix 7, meaning just a huge black ring for… nothing, as there is no solar charging on Epix. Very much looking like an old Fenix 5x..
What are your thoughts about this? Thanks
Ben
Yeah, I do agree a non-solar-ring-sapphire would have been nice.
I think in respect to the Epix and bezel, the bezel coloring probably makes a difference a little bit. For example, with your silver edition, you see the bezel far more obviously because it goes from silver to black to screen. Whereas on the black one I have, it’s basically just a continuation of the metal color, visually.
That said, I find that some folks hate extra bezels, and other folks don’t really care a ton, to a degree. I tend to fall in the second camp. The bezels here don’t bother me at all – because the screen is overall pretty large. Whereas something like the Suunto 5 Peak (review up shortly), the bezels are basically half the size of the screen, so it’s more noticeable/notable. Especially as the screen itself is rather smal.
Mh the bezels. Considering Apple solved the bezel issue in the apple Watch at half the price it simply feels a bit odd and to be honest, outdated already. I would not complain at 400€. AMOLED is certainly the future, now we want more of it. Especially at this price point.
Burn-in has not be an issue for me so far (I use the 130€ Huawei GT2e since it came out and I considered switching to the Epix). The Garmin display seems to be a bit better/brighter in comparison. I will wait until prices drop into sane territory.
I hate unused screenspace with a passion. Hard Pass on Fenix because of Gameboy color Display. Hard Pass on epix because of unused screenspace. Hard Pass on both as an incremental Product Update Must Not cost the Same as my Bike.
If I look at the Epix as a smart watch I sadly get the same feeling as I got when saw the Lumia phones with Windows Phone in 2012: A nice device that passes all requirements and have some aces up its sleeves. But isn’t the dominant manufacturer in the segment and major third party software developers will not support the device if Garmin doesn’t pay them.
Could you comment on battery life settings. I am particularly interested in the impact of multi band. How much does it impact battery life. I am primarily a road biker who loves to golf and ski. I am definitely an always on with dimming kind of guy. Is it worth the impact to use multiband for these activities.
I think a video/article on battery life tradeoffs for the Epix would be amazing!
In all my testing thus far, I think Garmin is actually being too conservative in their Epix & Fenix 7 battery numbers. By a considerable margin. There’s the charts in the review of course.
But looking at a long-activity, here’s a 7hr ride, with:
– Always-on display enabled
– Optical HR enabled (on wrist)
– Course following enabled
– ClimbPro enabled
– Multiband GPS enabled
– Power meter connected
You can see the attached graph, but basically, it puts it above Garmin’s estimated battery life for multiband mode on Epix. It also puts it above Garmin’s estimation for Fenix 7 (though, sunny day may have helped more on solar). And Garmin’s numbers typically don’t include course-following, since that eats more battery.
It’s static. I just did a screencap of Strava’s personal heatmap and then made the face using Connect IQ’s “face it” feature. You can only have one at a time, and it takes a long time to transfer.
I experienced BT audio dropouts on my Epix Sapphire (while using the Spotify Music app for a podcast), using Beats Fit Pro’s. Occasional BT disconnects also. Changing from Stereo to Mono didn’t improve the situation.
I’m wearing the Epix on my Left Hand, and may try switching to my Right to see if it makes a difference. That said, as these are each wireless, I’m not sure that will make a difference. I may also see if the my PowerBeats set, which are BT but wired together, do any better. It’s a shame though, as I’ve really been enjoying the Beats Fit Pro’s… finally an in ear that doesn’t fall out while running…
I’ve just contacted Garmin Support via email about this issue. Hopefully I’ll hear something back that’s useful. Otherwise, sadly, it’s a return from me.
I tried my Beats Fit Pro ear buds yesterday and they worked perfectly for the hour or so that I listened. I wasn’t doing any hard exercise. Just walking the dog. But not a single dropout.
Can somebody please clarify for me if the “black titanium” version on for sale on the Garmin website has a DLC coating? It’s very confusing that they don’t specify if the coating is DLC carbon gray or “bare titanium”. I very much want the DLC coating to protect a $1000 watch! Can’t get in touch with Garmin customer service by chat.
Right, I’m not confused about whether it’s black or silver, just whether the black has a DLC coating. Is what you have the same as the carbon gray on the Fenix 6 Pro?
See my and AJ’s posts above. From garmin’s own website and the black dlc titanium fenix 6 and black titanium epix I have on hand, I believe the black titanium epix has a carbon gray dlc titanium bezel. But it’d be great to get official confirmation on this.
I’m still rocking my Fenix 5 plus, and one key feature I love is a watchface with a seconds hand. On the fenix 5 plus it’s always visible also with backlight off. How is this with the epix? The video’s online offcourse show the beautiful screen on… but I’m really wondering about the dimmed always on display in combination with the seconds hand. Can you say/post something about this?
When the display dims, the secondhand disappears (at least with the default watch faces). However, the moment you move the display to face you (like twisting your wrist), then it apperas.
For as nice as this screen is, are there any analog watch faces that aren’t awful looking? I was just browsing though Connect IQ and even the highest rated ones all look bad. Some of the digital ones are okay, but nothing that doesn’t loudly scream sport watch.
Nothing that comes close to looking as nice as even the simplest ones I use on WearOS like Odyssey or my preferred one, Marine Commander. I know that Garmin prioritizes other things than WearOS (and I want those extra features), but if I’m going to spend $1000 on a watch, I wouldn’t want its primary view to look so gaudy all the time.
Until a few months ago I was using a Fenix 5+ and before that pretty much had every Fenix generation as soon as it got released. When my Fenix 5+ developed some connectivity issues with my iPhone and Garmin Support was no help, I decided to give the Apple Series 7 a try. While the Apple watch struggles with being a ‘serious runner’ watch, the seamless integration and interoperability with an iPhone is so smooth and simply very impressive: notification handling, replying to messages, snoozing an alarm, unlocking a phone with just the watch (because Face-ID doesn’t work while wearing a mask), etc. All in all, miles away from the very rudimentary capabilities of a Fenix. So to finally get to my question…. has the level of integration/interoperability between a Epix/Fenix and an iPhone since improved and if so, how? (Note: I am not referring to the now extended feature for setting up a Garmin watch with the phone app.) TIA!
Apple doesn’t give third party apps privileges to most of the items you mentioned, so there’s not much Garmin can do. The Android/Garmin experience is much closer to what you described.
Incredible review(s) as always, Ray, thanks so much.
One question about all the new health metrics. Due to weather limitations, I spend a great of time on TrainerRoad/Zwift, and so it was great news last year when Garmin changed its system and allowed training load to be updated on Garmin devices for workouts done in other apps like TrainerRoad without using a Garmin device to record them. How many of the amazing new health metrics are processed only on the watch, and thus you would lose (or at least not have as much accuracy) unless you go back to wearing them on all TrainerRoad/Zwift, etc. rides?
At the moment, additional maps – such Transalpin or the Alpenvereinskarte – are not available for the Epix. However, for Fenix 7 models they are. Got the Epix yesterday, display is awesome.
Thanks DC for the great review, as always.
Great review and it convinced me to get the epix. Quick question re editing/tweaking options on the app – I followed the pictures above but I don’t get the option to edit datafields, alerts or power mode – my options start at metronome – any idea why that is?
Double check your firmware on the watch (should be 7.20), and double check your phone Garmin Connect app. I’ve heard closing and reopening GCM should kick things over.
Very cool thank you that did the trick! Finally Garmin allows you to amend settings on the app.
Now just waiting for native power and perhaps wrist power too.
Have the 6 Pro Sapphire, and was intending to upgrade to the 7X, but now I’m torn. The only thing really holding me back on the Epix is battery life.
Here’s my typical “worst case” mission: drive 2 – 3 hours up to Breckenridge/Keystone/Vail for a day of skiing. Ski the full day using All-Sat GPS using ski tracking, perhaps some mapping. Apres ski for an hour or two. Drive back. Driving/idle time on wrist and off charger ~6 hours. Acitivity (skiing, snowshoeing, etc.) ~ 6-8 hours, plus apres. That’s a 14 – 18 hour day with at least half using GPS and activity tracking, along with email and phone notifications, etc…
Would this use case max out the battery each day? If we go out to eat afterward, that’s pushing 20 hours until it gets on a charger. This would not be a once in a while thing. Am I looking at just murdering the battery after two seasons?
I so want the AMOLED screen on the Epix, but if I’m going to kill the battery in a couple years, it’s off the table.
I think you’ll be fine, I’ve set up a ski profile which is display off but everything (including multi-band) on. That’s going to give me 20 hours with GPS on, of which realistically I’m going to have the GPS on for no more than half of that time. Once the activity tracking stops the watch will be somewhere around 40-50% charged and will be in smartwatch mode which is 16 days with display off if needed (in reality I’d go back to alway on at that point).
If you’re really worried plug it into a battery pack at a coffee stop to top it back up again but I honestly don’t think it’s going to be needed.
I did 7hr 11 mins min ride last week, using always-on display enabled, a power meter via ANT+, a route loaded for navigation with ClimbPro enabled, and multi-band GPS enabled (highest setting). I started at 92% and ended at 59% (a 32% decrease). A Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar on a sunny day but with lots of forests configured identically started at 98% and went to 77% (a 21% decrease). Projected real-world battery life’s in the highest possible battery burning configuration are 21.7hrs for Epix & 34.1hrs for Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar. So, you could do two full ski days plus all the rest of the 24×7 stuff without charging.
And, if you didn’t have routing loaded, didn’t have multi-band GPS loaded, and didn’t have sensors connected, and so on, you’d probably get three full 7-8hr ski days.
Hi! Honestly did not go through all the almost 300 comments plus answers so if already discussed sorry, I did miss it since I am lazy :)
The screen comparison pics with the feix 7 make this one look very bad, and after a long while make me think about getting an amoled watch again (though I can’t stand either a black screen on the wrist or a “always on amoled” since looking “unnatural” to me since producing in any case it’s own light… being in love with traditional watches I very much like the “passive” look of a screen visible without any kind of “active lightning” from it.
This being said, the comparison is made always with a “solar Sapphire” F7, correct? That would be the worst readable in my little experience due to both sapphire and the additional solar panel layer over the display; would love to see compared in same light conditions a solar sapphire to a base model (or possibly… triple comparison Base-vs-Solar-vs-SolarSapphire).
Curios also considering my only experience in the field… I had gotten a fenix 6 solar (which had no sapphire lens, of course) but compared with the regular screen of my friends’ fenix 6 pro it looked like crap. I returned it and got a regular F6 – not even pro – which looks MUCH better than the solar did. Granted, this is based on only these devices, could have been luck of the draw for the specific screens.
One note for garmin… why not loosing the display overlay part of the panel and just keep the edge ring, internal part is already at crappy efficiency level (though big surface…) so… give the below display a chance, at least!
Anyway, thanks for the usual very deep reviews, this site is the point of reference for any sports gadgets, particularly Garmin stuff.
Received mine yesterday, the screen is a game changer, and the way it’s used with the various graphical data fields, makes it so much easier to read. Firmware needed updating to add the ability to tweak settings via phone, cheers for the tip on pushing it via Garmin Express, sped up the setup no end.
Is there any change in settings of phone notifications? Two vibrations for an incoming call is just not enough. Is it possible to choose different notification pattern?3 vibrations, 5 vibrations, vibrations until picking up the phone call, etc…?
Would be good if possible but I think not.
I had one Sony SWR10 Smart Band for years ago and there this was possible (e.b. Vibration until picking up the phone)
Hi Ray, always appreciate your very thorough reviews! Do you have any thoughts when Garmin will start adding cellular (so it can operate as a standalone device)? Thanks! Yoeri
Ray, I’m seeing comments in the Garmin forums about inconsistencies in the buttons and I know this is something that has bothered people with Garmin’s watches in the past. Do you ever notice this ‘issue’ on devices that you are testing or are they all ‘perfect’?
Mine is fine. When I got my FR945 there was a lot of talk about buttons as well. My have always worked. Maybe not the best imaginable feel. But they have always worked perfectly.
mine sometimes click, sometimes don’t. with it all being touchscreen it really only matters during and activity. i don’t want to be aggravated at it, because otherwise the watch is great.
Review has picked up most of key differences – Epix 2 vs Fenix 7X Sapphire – for screen/display. i.e. Epix 2 has AMOLED, smaller screen dia 1.3″ (vs 1.4″). But does not discuss glass material. Epix 2 has “Sapphire Crystal” which the non-solar Fenix 6X Sapphire had, but the Fenix 7X which only has solar has “Power Sapphire”. I’d really like to know the difference. I suspect the Fenix 7X glass is less scratch resistant because it has solar (same as Fenix 6 solar model), but I have found nothing in the review on both new models to help me. If it was a choice between a solar 7X and a tougher glass Epix 2 – then Epix 2 wins for me!
As always, this is the place to come for great reviews – unless you prefer the videos! I hate to show my ignorance but numerous searches haven’t resulted in an answer. What does Ray think of the titanium case compared to stainless steel, with and without the DLC. We know scratches happen but will titanium look better given identical abuse? And the same question on the sapphire glass.
I’ve read lots of forum postings but figured with Ray’s deep usage on all kinds of Garmin watches I’ll get a reliable answer. Thanks!!
I got my Epix yesterday and as I play around in the activity settings I don’t see any option to customize data fields via Garmin connect. I’m fact, my settings list starts with the metronome setting rather than the data screen settings. I see the settings on the photos which appears to be above the metronome settings in the screen shots of the review. Anyone else notice this?
Epix / Garmin Connect connection w iOS 15 / iPhone 13 Pro connection / settings access unreliable?
I’ve noticed that Garmin Connect seems to be a little flaky maintaining a reliable BT connection with the my Epix. From time to time if I’m in Garmin Connect the watch Icon indicates it’s “connected” (green dot, although no sync progress on opening the app), but when I go to access the watch (to access settings), it just goes to an empty screen, rather than the list of watch settings.
Closing Garmin Connect and restarting the app, toggling phone and watch w Airplane Mode, or restarting the iPhone does not seem to fix it. It seems to require a watch power down / power up to return access to the watch settings via Garmin Connect. I’m running the latest 7.20 firmware.
Is this an issue others have seen with Garmin Connect / iOS? Everything else seems good, although (mentioned in another reply) I did experience frequent BT headphone (Beats Fit Pro) audio dropouts while out on my first run with the Epix.
I’ve just re-paired the iPhone and Epix to see if that helps at all, but it seems like a long shot.
Watching the latest DCRainmaker video indicates that if you leave the Epix on the table inactive even if you have the screen always on selected, it turns off after a minute of inactivity.
I would like to know if the Epix for indoor cycling connected to a chest strap and attached to the handlebar of the bike turns off the screen after one minute of activity?
Do you happen to know what type of pace is shown in the workout screen for a paced interval when doing a structured workout? I assumed it was the average lap (or step) pace but I am seeing a much faster average lap pace for an interval when I check later in Connect than I ever saw on the pace gauge on the workout screen when I was doing the interval. I do not think it is instant pace either as the pace was steady and did not seem to bounce around much. Of course, it is just about possible I am inadvertently speeding up enormously between occasional glances at the workout screen, but I think it is unlikely. I know I finished one interval with the gauge showing 7:25m/m but the lap pace shown in Connect is a good 20 seconds/mile faster. Very puzzled and wondering if there is a bug on the Epix workout screen.
Do you happen to know what type of pace is shown in the workout screen for a paced interval when doing a structured workout? I assumed it was the average lap (or step) pace but I am seeing a much faster average lap pace for an interval when I check later in Connect than I ever saw on the pace gauge on the workout screen when I was doing the interval. I do not think it is instant pace either as the pace was steady and did not seem to bounce around much. Of course, it is just about possible I am inadvertently speeding up enormously between occasional glances at the workout screen, but I think it is unlikely. I know I finished one interval with the gauge showing 7:25m/m but the lap pace shown in Connect is a good 20 seconds/mile faster. Very puzzled and wondering if there is a bug on the Epix workout screen.
Hello Ray,
i saw some threads on Garmin forum about a different behavior of the AOD after the latest update.
(attached a photo posted from Garmin)
Can you confirm it? In this case the AOD is not really an AOD anymore and looks a big change from Garmin.
Thanks :)
I‘m running the EPIX with FW 7.20 and have AOD active.
It depends on the Watchface on how it reacts after X seconds.
Certain WF have low level watchfaces (similar to the sleep screen) some are completely off.
But most of the Garmin ones have at least something showing, lots of the Connect IQ ones are completely off (and wake up with Gesture Mode on).
Thanks for this review. I bought the Epix. I also have a edge 530 and do a lot of cycling with a chest strap HRM. My question is regarding best practices while biking, and I can’t find the answer searching on the internet.
I want to 1) maximiser all functions like body battery, stamina/potential, etc, 2) minimize things I am wearing while biking, 3) use edge screen.
My current plan: dump the chest strap, use Epix on upper arm broadcasting heart rate, use edge 530 to record the activity. Rationale is that while chest strap is more accurate, upper arm is good enough and I want the Epix with me anyways. Also I use varia lights/radar in addition to power meter and other sensors, and I understand that the radar screen alerts don’t come through to the edge 530 if I record on the Epix and use the edge as a screen only receiving from the Epix.
My questions:
1. Given my scenario, is this the ideal arrangement?
2. Any major downsides to this?
3. Will the edge 530 be getting the stamina/potential data fields, would love to see these while riding
4. If I instead left the Epix at home and used my current setup (edge 530 + chest strap) do I lose any functionality/data on the Epix (like stress, body battery, HR variability stuff) or does the Epix pull everything from the edge 530 via TrueUp and there is zero benefit to riding with both the Epix and edge 530 (beyond dumping the chest strap, which annoys me sometimes; though who knows, maybe an arm strap would be just as annoying?)?
Thanks for all you do, appreciate you taking the time to read and reply to this.
So I don’t really understand. IMHO, you have the perfect cycling setup, so you’re going to use the Epix as a 1000 dollar HRM in place of a more accurate < 100 dollar chest strap? Or are you going to use the Epix to record activities as well? If it were me, the Epix would stay at home when I went cycling, like my 5+ does now (I have an 830). If you really want all of the new fluff on the Epix, I don't see any way but to use the Epix as a recording device all of the time, and toss the FIT file from the 530 when you get home when you go cycling. Then everything is the same as before, the Varia works as before, and it's just a matter of always using the FIT file from the Epix so you get everything you want.
TrueUp at the moment is pretty primitive. I just checked, and my Edge 830 knows that I used my 5+ to go cross country skiing this week, but what it knows is pretty basic.
I just received my Epix 2 Saphire to replace my Fenix 3 and am very happy with it so far. For the winter I have been spending a lot of time on my Wahoo Smart Trainer which through Zwift imports workout data to Garmin Connect, but I see it does not calculate VO2 Max data from the Zwift Imports. I also am using the indoor Bike feature on the Epix 2 connected to my chest heart rate monitor and the Wahoo Smart Trainer also. The mileage obtained by the Indoor Bike on the Epix was short 8 miles, but the Zwift Import does not have as much data as the Indoor Bike on the Epix 2 (missing Training Effect, V02 Max, Exercise Load, TSS). Which is the best way of obtaining indoor cycling data for Garmin Connect using the Zwift Import or the Indoor Bike feature on the Epix? I assume as it is now, it is double counting the workouts? DCRainmaker when riding indoors how to you collect your data for Garmin Connect? Thanks for the review and all the information!
Thanks! I don’t do any affiliate links directly to companies I review. This helps to reduce bias towards a company offering a higher affiliate commission. It’s not a perfect system of course, but it’s the one I’ve adopted.
And we appreciate your efforts to minimize bias! Your reviews are fantastic.
I just got my Epix yesterday and used it on a 3-hour XC skate ski today (with HRM Pro strap to try the new ski power function–thanks for your article on that a while back). The Epix is everything I hoped it would be, and a very big step up from my Fenix 5x. The AMOLED screen is wonderful (and I appreciate that it has 2.5x the pixels of the Fenix 7 screen, makes maps and all the displays more usable). Battery life seems excellent so far. Music on board is very nice. The only issue I had today is the watch crashed and rebooted when I tried to switch playlists in Spotify. But it resumed my activity and didn’t lose anything, so that’s excellent. Hopefully they will fix this soon if it’s a bug.
Awesome review Ray once again. After waiting a year for the Fenix 7 (happy Fenix 5 users) you’ve convinced me on the Epix. One thing I was wondering, which will apply to both the Epix 2 and Fenix 7, is what the swimming function is like. I have the FORM goggles and found them amazingly accurate for auto stop-starting laps – is the Epix/Fenix as good as the FORM goggles in this regard? Cheers mate.
I do have two questions about the new display:
Would it be possible to use always on display without it increasing the brightness on gestures? So if you would like to increase the brightness you have to tap the screen or a button?
Although there are only 4 levels of brightness, can you change the brightness independently from ‘back light on’ and ‘back light (semi) off’ in always on mode?
Hi Ray,
Have you done much Epix (or F7) heartrate testing while mountain biking? I seem to get not so good results results. Here is a MTB ride compared to a Polar H10. Ignore all the diagonal lines where I was stopping and waiting for people. There is one little road section where, once the H10 got wet and woke up, that matched really well. Pretty much the same as an indoor ride. However, the MTB sections, in green, are not super close. The general shape matches the H10 but the difference between the two is often 10bpm and in some places 20bpm. Is that what you’d expect? I am supposing that the watch is bouncing around quite a bit on my wrist.
I haven’t done intentional mountain biking, but I did do an hour or so of riding/hiking with my road bike on very much mountain bike rock trails by accident. :)
But I didn’t honestly focus on the HR on that one, because it was such a mess practically (constantly mounting/dismounting/carrying bike) – that trying to analyze it would have been useless.
That said, MTB is generally tough for most wearables. However, I get really solid (virtually perfect) alignment indoors on all my rides. I assume the Epix is nice and snug? And that the H10 is indeed full wet/moist the entire time?
Yes, the Epix and H10 match perfectly indoors for me as well and appear to match well on road rides. The watch is as snug as it gets without stretching the band. The mtb mismatch might be made worse by me having relatively narrow and bony wrists. However, the sensor is definitely on meat and not bone.
Sorry to interfere – I’ve also have narrow and bony wrists and was riding many rocky MTB some years ago – It could be very challenging for heavy massive watch to be stable on such wrist for correct measurement…
I was also hoping that ECG would be amongst the new features. Garmin are a bit behind in that regard.. Question is, does the sensor of the Epix not bring the needed functional support or does the limitation sit on the software side? Latter one could be solved and come later as an update.
Does anyone have more information or knowledge about this topic?
I’m pretty sure the Apple Watch requires you to put a finger on the bezel to take an ECG? Unless one of the buttons on the Epix is set up that way, it could be a hardware issue
That’s right. I have an AW series 7 and I rarely use ECG, and then only because I might as well because it’s there. You have to put a finger to the crown and sit still for 30 seconds, so this is not something you can do in the middle of an activity. If you don’t have a medical condition where ECG might help/warn you, I don’t see the need. (And if you do, why aren’t you using a medical grade device?)
Any chance we’ll see a GPS Only vs All Systems vs All + Multi-Band comparison for accuracy and battery life?
I know there are lots of variables but trying to decide which mode to use as default depending on the tradeoffs, especially given your report that Multi-Band doesn’t seem to add much most of the time compared to All Systems and I’ve seen others mention GPS Only seems just as good as All Systems
A question / comment on the relationship between VO2max and Race predictor.
Here is what I did: The Epix 2 has taken over the VO2max value from my Fenix 5 using Physio True-up. Worked all very well.
The race prediction is notably different though: the Fenix 5 predicts a much faster race time across 5km, 10km, half and marathon than the Epix 2 does. The Epix 2 seems quite a bit off in reality when I compare to recent race results I had. Timings seem quite a bit closer on the Fenix 5.
Are you aware to any algorithm changes? Any other hints?
Yup, correct! Starting in the Fenix 6 series, they introduced changes to the race predictor, specifically based on looking at your semi-recent history. Meaning, you can have a high VO2Max, but that won’t directly translate to a fast marathon time unless it sees the base running mileage to support that.
So think of a cyclist scenario. You can have a great cyclist with a huge VO2Max, but wouldn’t have done any meaningful amount of running to support going out and doing a half-marathon.
Hello there! Coming from a F3HR then VA4. Super happy about the E2, amazing display. But I have a question… Is there a reason why F7/E2 don’t have an auto activity start feature?
I understand it may affect battery life but if this is a concern, you could actually deactivate it.
I think it’s a pity…
Do you see the feature coming with an update?
As the new owner of Epix watch and old owner of Edge 830 i’m wondering what’s the best way to use them together.
During the winter I used to ride indoor using Wahoo Kicker Core + Wahoo TacX HRM + Zwift on iPad . Zwift paired with Garmin. I don’t think it worked very well for calculating Training status or VO2max (it dropped quite a lot). TrueUp was turnned on and power data and HR were transfered correctly. Last two rides I unpaired Zwift from Garmin, mounted Favero Assioma pedals on my indoor training bike and used combinaition of Epix (with wrist HR) + Favero pedals to track the training. I know it was only two rides and the watch is stil calibrating, but i can see already the VO2max up by 3.
For the outside ride my plan is to use Edge for the tracking/navigation with the watch on my hand but without running any activity. With Pysio TrueUp turned on. Is this the correct way? Will it sync correctly data like Body Battery, Sleep or Recovery Time?
Also one more question about Garmin Pay. According to the documentation entering the PIN should last for 24 hours. But in my experience I was asked to enter the PIN again aproximately after 1-2 hours. I didn’t removed the watch from my wrist during this time. I have read on garmin forums that some activities may turn off the wrist HRM and the whatch then comes to conclusion that you put it down from you wrist.
Thanks for another amazing review, but I’m still struggling to choose!
I have a FR935 which has given me excellent service, but I find the screen and resolution a bit small for my ageing eyes when using a bike mount on my handlebars, so I end up displaying only one or two items on the screen at a time. But who needs an excuse to buy a new gadget :-)
Initially it seemed like the Epix Gen 2 was made for me, with its AMOLED display having a greatly increased resolution and brightness. However, comments about potential burn-in have worried me, because I would be setting it at maximum brightness for a few hours on “always-on” on my bike mount.
I’m now leaning towards buying the Fenix 7X with glass (not sapphire) to try to get maximum screen size and clarity from its non-AMOLED display.
Any thoughts on the visibility and readability of the options on a bike mount would be welcome. Thanks
So it looks like the Epix is going to be useless for my bike mount needs. It appears that on a bike mount it will dim even when in “always on” mode – which is evidently not easily readable outdoors. Workarounds like setting triggers for the screen to brighten periodically don’t appeal to me at all. I want to see the screen when I want to! Maybe they shouldn’t be selling a bike mount for a watch that isn’t suited to it?
I simply scrolled through the list and typed them out. Remember to tap the ‘Add’ button, and then continue getting even more. Which ones are you missing?
there’s a ton missing from the ‘prerelease’ v6.41 that is on some shipping units, cyclocross,ebike,emtb, gravel bike, bike commute, snowshoe and more – updating to v7.20 from system>software update makes them available and adds the data field edit in Connect phone app too
Hi Ray. Do you know how/if I can change the device name announced for the Epix over Bluetooth headphones we they connect? With my old Fenix 6 the headphones would announce “Connected to watch “, but when connecting them to the Epix they announce “Connecting to [some really long indecipherable series of letters and number]”. I can’t find anywhere on the Epix or in Garmin Connect Mobile to change this name. Thanks.
Hey, maybe i’m too blind to find it, but i can’t change the Performance Widget to show the Running VO2 instead of the bike VO2 in the overview. In the options i can change the distance prediction (5k,10k,HM,M) but nothing else. I am sure i was able to change that on the FR945.
Anyone a clue?
I note your comments about there being little improvement in GPS accuracy with multiband from what you’ve been able to see in testing. For me, maybe not an accuracy improvement per se but in the ten days I’ve had my Epix, and as someone who has used Fenix / Forerunners for the last several years (including the FR945 and the Fenix 6 – yes safe to say I have a problem), I’ve found that the GPS in “All Systems” mode is getting a fix seconds after I walk out my door in a dense big city neighborhood with tall buildings all around. With my Fenix / FR I had to walk down the street to an open spot and even then it would take 30 seconds to a minute to get a GPS fix. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this? I haven’t even tried multiband yet. When it comes to accuracy of the GPS track, could possibly be performing better in areas with lots of buildings around but I haven’t done a two watch test like you do Ray.
So I wondered whether, even ignoring multiband, there is a difference in “All Systems” versus the Fenix/FR options of GPS Only, GPS+Glonass, and GPS+Galileo. Is all systems essentially GPS+Galileo+Glonass and could this explain the improvements I’ve noticed.
Otherwise, I’d just note that Strava does not seem to be picking up the device’s elevation data from activities yet. Strava will in this case just backfill elevation data using the GPS data and maps. Bit annoying but I guess we just need to wait for Strava to add the device to the database (presumably of devices that can pass along elevation data) as per this support article. link to support.strava.com
It’s funny, I didn’t have anywhere to put it logical – but I found it astounding that I could actually get/establish GPS signal over the middle of the Atlantic ocean in an airplane with multiband, in a matter of 10 seconds or so – from inside the cabin.
That might sound easy, but most GPS units actually really struggle with that significantly. In fact, it can often take dozens of minutes to acquire GPS on most watches (if at all), when trying to do it from inside a plane screaming along at 600MPH.
That’s cool, never tried on a plane before. Can you record an activity while you’re at it? Maybe nab a few Strava crowns by the time you touch down 🤣
It’s a pretty big improvement for those of us city-dwellers who live in the shadows of tall buildings. No more GPS acquisition ritual, wrist raised towards the sky in desperation. No more watching GPS signal indicator go yellow, back to red… It pretty much just goes straight to green now.
Yup, you can record on a plane. It’s also fun with the maps, because it allowed me to figure out where we were and rough estimate to how long to go (since this plane, being a budget carrier, did not have any inflight system or such).
I tried auto rest on my first pool swim. timing not very accurate. and when I was swimming with fins watches didn’t record distance accurately (showing 25m instead of 50m)
Anyone Else haveing trouble with skiing power (skate). Have å brand New HRM pro with newst sw and eipx with 7.2. Worlkes fine with 945 and old HRM pro (died yesterday and was replaced)
I was just wondering your thoughts on if / when Garmin may bring out an Expix 2s to match the size of the Felix 7s? I’m surprised they didn’t and wonder why they didn’t… Cheers.
When? that’s trickier. There’s some precedent for them doing a follow-up expansion to product lines in the summer (both Fenix 6 and Instinct got Solar additive expansions to other sizes). But those were both 1-1.5 years later, and largely done as stop-gaps instead of another major release.
Up till COVID, Garmin was on a pretty stable 12-16 month release cycle for the Fenix series, and I’ve gotta believe they want to get back to that type of cycle. So from that perspective, it’d be better to hold off till next year or so.
However, lacking an LTE version throws a wrench into all those things. I can’t imagine they’ll wait a year+ to do that. Both because there’s demand, and because it’s additive sub revenue.
Hi!
How will the Epix 2 display behave when mounted at the stem/handlebar at the bike?
Today I have the Fenix 3 mounted at the stem, and can just throw a short view to see the info (during daytime). Without pressing any button or screen. This way I can follow my cadence, power or whatever without any gesture with my hand.
In practical use at the bike,
will the Epix 2 screen shout off?
or..
Will it dim down a stay dimmed, because of small movement at the bike?
By this conserve battery.
or..
Will it be unstable and shift between dimmed, 100% and off?
Resulting in short battery life and an annoying screen.
or..something else..
I would like to see how the levels of detail vary on Epix vs fenix at the different map detail settings. I’m also wondering if the fenix 7x shows a larger portion of the map or the same portion of the map but slightly bigger on the screen. Obviously there are no chevrons on the course line but maybe if I make the wheel creak a bit…
I’m also curious about the map data itself. I’ve used a (bike) 530 for trail running and love how the trail I am on is shown highlighted on that device. Anything like that on the fenix line? The 530 has trail forks integration I believe. I wonder what comes from the garmin maps data what comes from trail forks. I assume the trail forks data is not on the fenix or Epix natively.
I personally would love to see how quickly it updates / refreshes.
I use the mapping / navigation for trail running on my 6X Pro Solar a lot, but find it at times it lags a lot, especially if zooming in and out, can be waiting for it to gather all the details (On medium Setting)
I think I saw you mention the mapping hasn’t really changed, so I’m hopping it the Epix, has a better processor as moving the map around and zooming by touch I can see being frustrating if it has the same lag, where you have to wait for the map to refresh.
Well done Garmin; introducing the new Epix and nowhere in Holland any availability. Sold out everywhere, incoming in 5-7weeks.
Why just not wait a few more weeks and have so much more in stock?
If you don’t want Sapphire, you can order the Epix from Amazon.de or Amazon.nl to a Dutch address, as it’s currently in stock for delivery this weekend: link to amzn.to
(From someone who lives in the Netherlands)
Sapphire units are in high demand everywhere, it’s not limited to the Netherlands. Just like any other high-demand product (e.g. see Apple products). Like Apple, they manufactured for months ahead of release, but it’s still not enough.
In Australia, you could get the black Saphire and the regular one. The White/Silver had a 4-5 week leadtime.
A bit of offtopic funfact:
While wearing the watch under the shower, the water is activating the touchscreen.
My shower switched the sorting of the widgets, not sure why it wanted weather back on top… probably trying to tell me that it’s freaking hot and i should drink more ;)
I now have deactivated touchscreen, and actually doesnt miss it… was used to the buttons through the FR.
Interesting on shower water. I noticed that Garmin appears to have done some clever stuff whereby it takes more touch intent to get “off” the clock-face to the widgets, but then once in the widgets, you can swipe more easily. Meaning, for me, water-droplets never caused it to go into the widgets.
However, if I had left it in the widgets and then got in the shower…well…things got exciting.
Ok, I’m excited….I’ve just ordered the Sapphire Epix and will get it early next week. After a week reading reviews I decided to pull the trigger. After a run this morning where my Fenix 5 struggled to pick up GPS and was way off, and struggling to see the screen in shade, I decided that was enough! I’m looking forward to see how it performs in the pool, and in open water. After discussing with support at FORM goggles, I’ll be helping them test it with the goggles in open water.
Stuart, interesting you said difficult to see in the shade.
I find with the sun in the foreground, or when in the car and with sun glasses on, the fenix 6x screen is difficult to see, its too dark.
Where as with the Epix, the screen is visible in any conditions.
Has anyone had problems with the Epix 2 not tracking pool swim lap distance? I did my first swim with watch today, started with 500 yard warm up go to hit the lap button, and watch has the time but distance is 0 (—–). discarded, then did another 500 but this time in the interval setting to confirming distance. Saved Started another swim work out and still would not track distance. Checked settings confirming right distance, swim detection, etc. nothing.
Any one have any insights. I did not try turning off and back on yet.
I am having the same problem as well. Got the watch yesterday. Did a Swim today and got no distance at all. I then did the same thing you did and swam a bit again to try to see if I did something wrong. Still no distance. In an internet search somone suggested a hard reset/the hold the button down for 20 seconds. I’ve done that, and when I’m back at the pool on Wednesday I’ll give it another try.
worked fine for me on first pool swim with auto rest ON. My watches are on 7.2 FW.
display’s visibility is great underwater. I was swimming before with SWIM 2 watches, Epix feels heavier, but easy to get used to.
So i love the Epix 2, coming from a 6 pro the screen really is amazing and I dont mind the gesture based turn on at all. Have had a few issues so far, my watch screen went all blurry and fuzzy and the watch started vibrating constantly till i held down the button and powered off, any one else see that yet?
Also have an open case with Garmin, on my Android phone in garmin connect the Activities and Apps tab completely disappeared from settings. I can adjust everything else except that. any one else with a android phone have the same issue? i did change a few settings from the watch itself, not sure if that caused an issue.
Does something have to be enabled to be able to edit data screens in Garmin Connect on the phone? On IOS Garmin connect v4.51 with my shiny new epix the option is not there – top of the list for the Run app settings is Metronome, Map, Routing, Autolap etc
perfect thanks – first batch does not seem to want to offer to upgrade automatically, option for update was there in system>software update on the watch. 👍
So i was able to figured out my issue, if anyone else uses Train As One app , it makes the Activities and Apps tab disappear on the phone and interestingly enough on the watch some times also. Gave the info to Garmin support so ill see what happens.
I’ve bought the Venu 2 last year after reading your review and I’ve been very happy with it. It’s stylish, not too thick and does a lot of things well. That said, I’m thinking about upgrading to the Epix Sapphire for a few reasons:
– I do notice a few small scratches on the display despite only doing cycling and day-to-day wearing, so I’m not sure how you don’t get any at all when you say you abuse the crap out of them :) I thought the sapphire might help with that.
– I want to start getting into running and it would be nice to have maps so I can follow routes. Same goes for city cycling really, too often I end up getting my phone out of my pocket which is a bit dangerous. The Karoo 2 only comes on “big” rides so having navigation literally at hand is a pro.
– The Venu 2 does not support pedal power meters (I knew this from your review but was swayed anyway). I’d like a device that does so I can get that sweet VO2 max/FTP info when going biking.
One thing has me hesitating, however, and I know it’s a personal thing, but how is wearing the Epix all day and night? The Venu 2 is very comfortable, but I have no idea what it’s like to keep a heavier and thicker thing on all day and sleep with it.
It probably comes down to personal preference. I’ve been wearing the Fenix 5 (bigger and heavier than the Epix 2) every night for the last 5 years and don’t notice it at night. Might take a bit of getting used to though. (My wrist is not big – 150mm)
Who has tested the optical heartrate monitoring for swimming?
– Is it accurate?
– can specific heartrate zones be set and taken into account for recovery, … ?
I’m coming from the Fenix5, that doesn’t have that functionality.
Anyone getting a deep sleep reading greater than 30 minutes for an 8 hour sleep? I’ve not had a reading over 20 minutes for my first four nights wearing the watch. I’m not sure how much the deep sleep reading improves the Body Battery score?
Also has anyone found a screen protector that covers the entire screen and doesn’t have a 2mm gap around the outside.
Coming from a Forerunner 935 I absolutely love this watch. Thank you Ray for the comprehensive review and great videos.
Generally speaking, REI won’t list a product unless it can be delivered within 30 days. It’s a pretty long-standing policy of theirs. So things will disappear if their estimated stock isn’t within 30 days.
Has anybody noticed bluetooth range to be worse than on the Fenix 6? The F6 wouldn’t disconnect from my phone till I was 3 floors away. The Epix disconnects in the next room. Not a biggie, but the longer range was helpful to find where I’d left my phone!
As more of a “basic” user, I find the enormous number of unused features a bit annoying and cumbersome. It would be a wonderful feature for the watch to be able to sync with a phone or even better a computer with a larger screen so that almost any feature could be disabled so that it no longer displays on the watch for the time being. For instance, if there are a potential of, say, 40 sport activities, but I was only interesting in running and swimming, it would be nice to be able to disable all but those so that I only had my chosen two to “scroll through”. The ability to disable screens, options, features, etc is something Garmin would likely never offer, but it would be quite nice in my opinion.
I’m actually quite sure whatever you want to do, you can do it. Unless Garmin have severely cut back on the customisability I see on my FR945, that is.
You can literally hide the activities that you don’t want to do, so that when you go for an activity you only have those that interest you. I have run, walk and bike on mine, and only see others when I go deeper in the menu.
You can limit the number of data screens during activities and choose exactly the data fields you want and nothing more. You can limit the widgets you see. You can make the watch face simple or loaded with data.
You can customise do much that I wonder you might not have found out how to do what you want to achieve?
Garmin released FW 7.24 and here’s the changelog:
Most noticeable / interesting to some users here:
Epix: Display will now never turn off when on wrist.
Change Log
Added the ability to tap the left side of an item in the alarm list to edit that alarm. Right side of the item still toggles on/off, and press and hold anywhere still opens edit as well.
Fixed potential shutdown when using Wifi.
Fixed issue where user could get stuck in saving spinner in Health Snapshot.
Fixed Satellites setting for “Max Accuracy” power mode (multi-band models).
Fixed potential shutdown in indoor climb activities.
Fixed potential issue with post activity summary for pool swim activities.
Fixed issue with Race Predictor watch face Pace and Time.
Fixed issue with button operation in Wallet pin entry.
Improvements made to on-device sleep detection and sleep staging.
Improved vehicle position on map.
Improved Wifi for some network types that previously had issues.
Epix: Display will now never turn off when on wrist.
Epix: Set display on/off as a default power control and added to the existing power controls if necessary.
Epix: Fixed a UI issue in InReach messaging.
Basically, some folks were upset that it wasn’t true always-on if the watch didn’t detect any movement. So for example, if you were *very* still reading a book, aft a minute the display would go off. For me, I never really saw it go off, I guess I’m just not still.
But I can understand why it’d be frustrating for more still people. My guess is that Garmin realized they were too conservative in their battery life estimates, and so enabling this probably didn’t reduce battery life meaningful in the end. And given it’s for the group of people that were already choosing ‘Always-On’, it’s not impacting the group of folks that were doing gesture-only.
Yes, you can charge mid-run no problem with any USB battery pack.
Technically following a track burns battery faster, but from the battery burn charts I included, all of the longer ones (more than 90 minutes) were with track following and it still beat expectations.
Thanks for the great review. I am coming from a Forerunner 745. Is there a way to get the race prediction times , VO2 max etc from the old device to the new device at all?
Ray awesome review. But when I go to garmin connect to configure the data fields , the data fields do not show up on garmin C. Appears I can do data fields from the watch. Help!
Sounds like your unit has old pre-production firmware. Once you update the firmware, you’ll be good to go. By now, your unit probably has already done it in the background (should be something like 7.22-7.24 I think). But the fastest way to quickly update your firmware on your own terms is with a computer and Garmin Express.
To be clear, the titanium (premium) version of the Epix 2 does not come with worldwide maps pre-loaded, nor can its 32 gb hold them all. It comes preloaded only with the map of your region. I’m from Canada, so I get the North America map preloaded. I now need to spend hours loading other maps.
Thanks, I had it clarified in most places that the pre-loading is for your primary region, versus all regions. But I added a few more clarifiers throughout the post.
I had also previously included the actual sizes of all the regions, so folks can figure out what they actually need (or can fit).
While the downloads are slow, I’d argue that on a Sapphire edition, most people can pretty much load at least two major regions (e.g. North America + Europe), or basically either of those regions plus numerous smaller regions). Plus, the actual selecting only takes a few seconds, and then you can just let it sync on your next charge (or, over the course of multiple changes).
That said, I’d really like to see Garmin offer them in smaller chunks at the per-country level if people want. So that if you realize the gap a few hours before a flight, you aren’t waiting 3-5hrs to finish downloading for a single relatively small country in Europe (e.g. downloading just Switzerland for a Swiss Alps trip).
One tip that I just found (maybe that’s obvious for you, I did not know it before) is that downloading maps via garmin express with watch plugged is much faster. C is doing heavy lifting when it comes to downloading data in such scenario.
HI – Recently upgraded to the Epix 2. Love it so far. So easy to read and I won’t mind the battery length as I have ample time to recharge between efforts.
I’ve noticed my running pace is always a multiple of 5 seconds. Is there a setting somewhere (watch / phone) to adjust for a more “real” pace? Yes, I understand it is approx as is and the laps will be more “correct’ based on those estimates. I’d just like to see a more “real” number.
Correct, Garmin switched to this method many years ago. In short, there’s basically only two days companies can do this:
A) Either overly smooth the real-time pace such that it displays a per-second figure
B) Simply round to 5-second increments.
Garmin has selected the 5-second option. Personally, I wish they’d add/have a 10s & 30s trailing option, sorta like Apple’s 1-mile rolling option. Many years ago, both Magellan and Timex actually had trailing options that were nice and short.
Alternatively, you can use laps, which is an exact figure (because of course, it’s basically smoothed).
Thanks for the response. Didn’t see it on my 935. As a numbers guy, I guess I’ll just have to get used to only seeing X:X0 and X:X5 for my running paces. First world problems.
Still playing with the watch faces for running in the Epix…
Is there a way to adjust the running workout pace watch face (?) that is used when running a structured workout? Currently, has the Pace Gauge on top with Step Countdown timer and Step distance showing underneath. I tried making a new face with the Pace Guage, but it doesn’t appear to be available for Custom Watch Faces. True (sad)?
It would also be nice to be able to show the current pace range and next pace range for running workouts (probably other workout types too).
I was surprised how much I like the Self Evaluation post-workout. It just takes a few seconds, but might be interesting to check down the road.
I agree, I found the self-evaluation at the end of a workout compelling even though I dismissed this as a feature in reading the reviews, as I usually evaluate using a third-party app.
Had the Epix 3 days now, so here are my initial thoughts:
Awesome watch. DC is spot on.
Display is fantastic – better than expected. Way better in the shade and full sun than my Fenix 5.
Very light – 20% lighter than my Fenix 5, and very noticable.
Works fine with STRYD (same as the Fenix 5)
Confirmed it works with the FORM goggles to use GPS in open water.
GPS and optical HR very accurate – I’m going to ditch the external HRM
Love having music on board – can ditch the phone for runs.
Love the fact you can toggle on and off the touchscreen.
Charging is fast. Charging for 15 mins a day while I’m sitting at my desk would be enough to keep it charged, otherwise, I’ll charge it when I go for a swim once a week (don’t use it for pool swims)
Just my first thought! Very happy.
Hey folks,
maybe I’m reading it wrong or I’m unaware of a feature
(like “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature” kind of thing),
but i noticed that the HR-graph, which is shown after a workout,
doesn’t have the same color-coding as my HR-zones on the next page.
Meaning,
the graph shows plenty of sections in yellow,
which i would indicate as HR-zone 4,
however, the HR/zone overview shows nearly no time in this section.
Bug, or feature that i don’t get?!
Can Epix measure VO2 Max for sports other than walking/running?
I would love to measure my cycling VO2 Max but with Edge 830 I was not able to do it without pretty expensive Garmin pedals with power meter.
Epic E[ix Fail when navigating during an activity.
Second time out, and just for fun, I thought I’d test the navigation functionality during a ride.
So I:
• Saved my destination as a saved location.
• Started a cycling activity
• Selected – Options
• Selected – Saved Locations
• Chose the saved location
• Waited while the watch calculated the route (which was not even close to the best route)
• Started the tracking
• Set off
• The watch crashed and restarted after a few seconds giving me the option to resume the activity from the 4 second mark.
• I selected resume and a few seconds later it crashed again and restarted and again it gave me the options to restart from the 4 second mark.
• Repeated again and again and again until I finally gave up and cancelled the activity – by then I was 1 km away from where I started but the watch only had a record of the first 4 seconds.
• I then started a new bike activity, this time without navigation, and that activity ran smoothly for the duration.
Not impressed finding such a serious bug so early in the piece.
Verdict: A good sports watch if you know where you’re going.
Is there a way to download only selected countries for Topo Active maps? I’m based in EU and bought non-sapphire epix last week. Device is great but the amount of remaining storage after downloading topo active europe maps is bit ridiculous, I somehow believe that there will be at least 1-2gb left and it’s much less. FR 945 did not have this issue, if I knew it before, I would probably go with sapphire, unless there is a way to manage maps selection better
OK I think I found a solution by myself – when connected to garmin express there is actually an option to select particular region for Europe (Europe is divided into 3 – west / central / east) which will significantly help my cause ;)
Altought I believe it would be still much more convenient to be able to select individual countries rather than macro regions
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First!
Error with new button guard photos.
New button guard photo used 2 times and photo of “new protected lug design” seems missing.
Thanks!
Great review (as always).
„free worldwide downloadable TopoActive maps“
Is the TA Russia map also available?
I just saw that the available TA maps are listed in the F7 series review
Any Asia map like Taiwan or Japan? Does it display the Chinese or Japanese characters correctly?
I sure would love that new screen technology in a garmin edge 1030 replacement!
Do you see Garmin moving this screen tech into the cycling line?
Oh yes, and would solar works on Edge too?
It’s not AMOLED but I have to say the display on the Karoo 2 is completely fit for purpose (in my opinion).
Epix it is. Order incoming!!!
What are your thoughts on the Epix versus the 945 or 945LTE? It ooks like the Epix might have the battery power to get somebody through an Ironman. The Epix does weight about 20g more, but that may be more than worth it for the extra screen life. Would this now become your triathlon watch of choice?
I had this same question! Currently have a 945 and would consider the upgrade to the Epix for the fancy screen and extra storage for music (sapphire), among other upgrades. Anyone have any thoughts?
SAME!!
+1
Hi Ray,
one thing Garmin have always had issues with on the GPS front – it “pushes” your track out to the side you wear your watch on. So if I run down the left hand side of the road – with the watch on my left hand – the actual track is more often than not – about 3-10m to the left of me.
If I then do a 180 and run back – my track is then 3-10 meters to the left again (so total distance between tracks about 6-20m) – it has been a pretty consistent “nag” for years and multiple Fenix generations.
So is that better on F7/Epix?
And for anyone in the UK – Jura Watches / C W – have both 7x and Epix Sapphire Black in stock for next day delivery (at least right now) – I got an order in for Epix (Garmin have 3-5 weeks delivery time on the Epix Black Sapphire)
Are Jura reliable? They always looked like a scam to me as they’re usually significantly cheaper
Honestly – I have no idea – but Jura watches are a dealer of some main brand watches – and they are “Garmin Marq” authorised dealers as well.
I’ll update tomorrow :) if I get the Epix as “promised”
Jura Watches are a legitimate business.
Thanks good to know they are cheap and generally have stock which probably shouldn’t raise alarm bells!
As promised and update – Got mine from Jura this morning – no issues at all.
Seems like they are sold out and stock will be back in 5-7 days.
/k
I ordered an Epix Black Sapphire from Garmin yesterday and it arrived today (Jan 19th).
The website did say it would ship later but they must have just wanted to lower arrival expectations.
I currently have a Titanium 6X Solar and D2 Air and my initial impressions of the Epix make me think I’m going to give the 6X to a buddy and give the D2 Air to my daughter. I was worried about the Epix screen in the Phoenix AZ sunshine but Ray’s review is right on. No problems there.
Just an update on this, and unfortunately Jura have let me (and themselves) down. I ordered from Jura with their website suggesting 4-5 days delivery last week. They just gave me an update of end of February for earliest delivery so I’ve cancelled the order and put them on my naughty list as I consider that pretty deceitful. Their website still says 1-2 weeks even though they say the earliest they might get stock is 16th Feb. Total shambles.
Assume nothing about ECG? Looks incredible.
Also under the summery, there is a typo I think you put “get buy” instead of “get by”
Thanks for the review!
Some typos I noticed:
synching -> syncing?
get buy -> get by
With regards to the AMOLED downsides, I’d like to add one. I had an original Venu watch with AMOLED screen. After about 1.5 years (which amounted to about 2300-2500km of running) I had horrible burn-in. And when I say horrible, I really do mean horrible. I checked with a fully white background and could make out quite a few features belonging to data fields that I usually have on while doing long runs. I’m talking about the standard data fields included on the watch, so no third-party trickery. Also I never used the AOD feature. So the burn-in didn’t come from non-standard usage. When searching around, I find a few similar comments although it doesn’t seem to be widespread. But yeah, I had the issue so something went wrong for me at least.
I’ve added a picture of my Venu with the burn-in. Note, again, the picture is just the clock (and nothing more) on a PURE white background.
Now, I sent back the watch for repairs and got a new one back, so I have no complaints on that. But it did make me lose my confidence with the Venu for my runs so I sold it and got a temporary FR 945 until the Fenix 7/Epix would be out. By extension, I’ve lost confidence in Garmin AMOLED screens for now and I don’t feel secure in buying an Epix, no matter how fantastic it may look. I’ll first need to see the AMOLED devices prove themselves over a few years before I try my hand at them again. And I’ll go for a Fenix 7X for now.
This single picture frightened me so much that I’ll wait and see for at least another year
Agree – that burn-in is terrifying.
Garmin has made such a tough call. My Fenix 6 gets 16-18 days of always-on battery. Stepping down to 6 days is a big deal – charging goes from a weekly thing with more urgency at times, to a “couple times a month” thing.
Tradeoffs!
Ditto on mine. No scratch on the screen or the bezel. Looks pristine.
But the burn in… Terrible 😔
Thanks for the information and picture. Was your watch under warranty when you sent it in for repair and if not, did Garmin charge you for the repair or just sent you another watch for free?
Wow that is pretty bad (Reminds me of my LG OLED TV… the one where they said screen burn was a a thing of the past. Yeah right!).
I’ve got a Fenix 5 and it’s lasted really well. I’ve been waiting for the Fenix 7/Epix, and had decided on the Epix, but it needs to last probably 3 years. If it looks this bad after 18 months then that’s going to be a problem!
Hi Michael. My watch was under warranty (bought in March 2020) so I wasn’t charged. Just received a whole new unit, and I immediately sold it.
I’d like to add that the screen was very nice indeed and I was very happy with it for quite a long time. The burn-in seemed to kick in quite suddenly starting in September 2021 and got progressively worse very very quickly.
Hey Ben – indeed the Epix looks fantastic but given that I also want this watch to last for a few years, and given my experience with the Venu, I just don’t trust it now and I won’t pay up €1000 for it. It could be that they solved whatever issue there was with the Venu, it could be that some faulty software update accelerated the issues I had and it won’t be present for the Epix – I have no idea. But I’m not going to test it out myself :)
Hi Winter – at least it’s a confirmation for me that my watch wasn’t a solitary case. I can only advise you to also send it in for repairs. And maybe sell it after that, like I did… My conclusion was it’s a good hybrid sports/smart watch and stylish too, but not suited for doing too much running.
Hope buyers of the Epix won’t experience the same especially given the price of the device.
This sucks as it removes one of the main reasons for a buying Garmin. The hardware is solid and will easily last you 3+ years. Even with a degraded 3 year old battery, you can get by with charging twice a week. That $899 is not looking like good value if the screen cannot last 5 years.
Keep in mind that AMOLED displays have changed a lot in the 2.5 years since Garmin introduced the Venu, and also, how Garmin deals with mitigating display burn-in. For example, aspects like how they do pixel shifting, or even the fact that the latest CIQ always-on display guidance only applies to the Venu 2/2 Plus and Epix (meaning, those watches have different ways of handling it).
That said, it’s exceptionally rare for me to hear about any sort of burn-in on Garmin AMOLED devices – and I’ve never seen something crazy like that (don’t disagree that’s real, just saying that’s nuts and super rare).
Hi Ray, thanks for the reply. I’m not sure AMOLED displays themselves have changed that much (after all, the technology has been around in consumer devices like smartphones since 2007) but I do agree that Garmin’s implementation and handling of them might have considerably changed. The Venu was (IIRC) their first attempt at it and they might not have gotten it fully right. Or, my device might have been one of a few freak cases and the problem might not even be widespread.
So I think that there’s validity to the idea that this problem won’t affect the Epix at all.
It’s just that for me, it’s hard to now do a leap of faith to buy a €1000 device and just pray I won’t have the same problem again :)
So for me, for now, I’ll go for the Fenix 7 and wait out the general experience with the Epix. After all I’m perfectly OK with my FR945 display as well, even after having experienced the Venu display.
Thanks anyway for the great review, as usual!
Let’s not forget that the MIP screens have the dead pixel cluster issue quite frequently.
Same problem is present on the Suunto 7 with AMOLED. I thought that WearOS should already handle this, but it doesn’t seem so. I hope Garmin does it better – i’m waiting for a watch with maps and AMOLED and much better battery-life than the Suunto 7.
Yeah, that would be annoying but it kind of depends on your usage. I generally upgrade every year (except for Fenix 6, which I kept for 2 due to nothing new available) so I don’t really care about long term issues like that – though of course and I 100% get that a lot of people definitely do and should.
For me (and probably some other nerds who spend too much money on this) the fact that a) seems Garmin is very liberal about fixing/replacing for issues like this even out of warranty and b) I’ll probably sell this for an Epic 2X in a year makes the burn in a very small issue.
But, again, I understand that many people are wiser with their money than I am and keep things longer lol.
I really want the Epix, but I also like to have a metal band for smart days in shirts. For some reason Garmin didn’t release a single Epix SKU that goes with their metal bands. Black doesn’t go with carbon grey DLC and the silver ti has white plastic. That leaves the steel version which is a basic model.
It shouldn’t be too much to ask for a $1000 watch to have a smart look available, surely?
I also find it odd how few SKUs the Epix gets. I agree with you Ray that given the battery life this is a no brainer over the F7. My partner recently got the Venu 2s and I’ve been blown away with how much nicer it is than the Fenix. I get that they are just testing the water, but surely they take your feedback into account when planning capacity and SKUs. With such a decisive statement that you’d go Epix all day every day I can’t see the F7 being as popular.
I think that Garmin may think that if you’re willing to spend $999 on a watch you won’t blink at an overpriced watchband but sometimes that’s where the line is drawn.
Ray, what size wrist to do you have? I am afraid the Epix might be too large and need to go for the smaller (very similar but different) Fenix 7S. All of these pictures are great references, but only if I know the relation/size of your wrist. Great detailed review as always!
You may have missed the point. I am happy to spend the money. I had the 3 Sapphire (with metal band), 5 with metal band, 5+ with metal band, and the 6 ti with metal band. I bought the 6 simply because I fancied it in silver.
There is no fancy metal band available which goes with any of the Epix models. Epix comes in black DLC which does not match the carbon grey DLC (also, I’m kind of over dark watches after so many years). Or it comes in titanium which has a white plastic bit which doesn’t go with the Ti metal band. The only one that does is the stainless steel model which is silver with the grey plastic. But that’s a low end SKU which I don’t want since it’s heavy, doesn’t have much storage, doesn’t have Sapphire glass, doesn’t have certain features.
Every reviewer seems to agree Epix is the future. I assumed it was when Ray referred to “legacy displays” in the annual review on YouTube. For some reason Garmin lack confidence.
I agree they made some weird SKU choices on EPIX, but I wouldn’t overlook the steel one. The weight difference is only 6 grams (vs. an 11 gram difference on the F6 titanium models), which is pretty darned hard to notice. Sapphire is a debatable feature, even at price parity, as it severely reduces the brightness and contrast of the screen, and Gorilla Glass DX is awfully scratch resistant anyway. 16 GB vs. 32 GB of storage? That seems like a nice to have, not need to have. I certainly don’t need global topo maps on the watch at the same time (one region is enough, and I can always add one before a trip), and that’s more than enough music storage to keep me happy for a couple of weeks until I decide to switch it up. The dual-band GPS seems like the only really unfortunate omission from the base model, but that seems to be banking on future improvements, as the current performance is apparently unremarkable.
You’re right, but then the Epix and Fenix 7 are nice to haves too. I already have the 6 Pro which already does more than I need. Having scratched various Gorilla glass devices including an iPhone screen previously the sapphire is a definite want for me. I use music and maps quite a bit on the watch so storage is quite useful. Once you’ve been to a remote island with poor wifi and forgot to load the maps you realise the value of having things preloaded! I’ve also been on a plane without music preloaded and same story there. Stainless may not look much heavier on paper but it’s a noticeable difference on the wrist and any weight loss is a definite bonus once your arms start to move on a run.
I think I’m mostly annoyed that Garmin have put this situation out there. All of the reviews have basically said don’t buy the Fenix 7 unless you’re that one person in a thousand who needs to do a double ironman followed by an ultra marathon. And yet here we are looking at 4 distinctly non premium looking options for Epix! I’m hoping Garmin quickly realise this mistake and ramp up the SKUs for Epix. After all, the parts are identical to the Fenix ones so should be easy to change out.
My wrist is 16.5cm/6.5″, measured about 3cm/1″ away from the wrist bone.
I’ll get some good wrist shots of both myself and my wife wearing all the units in a little bit. Just…umm…digging out still (and for better or worse, this week is very much not done with new releases).
link to garmin.com
I think those would be compatible as the epix has the same body as the fenix 7x?
Taking photos of watches whilst wearing them usually means having to use a wide angle lens which exaggerates the size of the watch relative to the wrist – the closer the camera, the more pronounced the effect. If I take a wrist shot of my MARQ or Instinct with my iPhone’s normal lens, it looks like it overhangs my wrist. However, if I use the optical zoom (not the digital zoom) and hold the phone further back, the photo gives a much better representation.
Yes they’re compatible. No they won’t go with the colour. There’s no point having a premium watch band if it looks terrible. I already have the titanium watch band in grey and ti colours as well as the grey DLC steel band. None of these are black, and the ti one won’t look right with a white watch.
I caved and ordered the Fenix 7 in Ti silver with leather band which will go with the Ti band I have. Hopefully Garmin won’t see this as a vote for Fenix 7 over Epix as I really wanted the Epix screen and would have ordered one if they’d had a suitable colour option. The new features over the 6 were very compelling though so I definitely wanted to upgrade.
For whatever it’s worth, the Specs chart on Garmin’s website for the Epix says the “Black Titanium” watch actually has “carbon gray DLC titanium” bezel. This seems accurate to me based on Ray’s photos as the side-by-side comparisons of the Fenix to the Epix don’t appear to show any distinct difference in bezel color.
Perhaps the “Black Titanium” branding may be referring to the case color of the watch rather than the bezel since neither of the other two Epix options have a black case? If so, that seems like a somewhat confusing choice as I second guessed whether I wanted to buy an Epix over a Fenix since I preferred a carbon gray bezel and was worried about the Epix seemingly not having DLC coating.
The grey DLC bands will match the color of the “black” Epix2 almost perfectly.
Yes, I would agree. I ordered the “Garmin QuickFit 22 Watch Band – Carbon Gray DLC Titanium” for my Sapphire Epix and it is a perfect match color wise to my eye.
Dave—how did you order the Fenix 7 in TI silver? This is the one that looks best to me but I can’t seem to find it anywhere (at least here in the US).
I agree on the Epix though, it’s surprisingly compelling though lack of color choices and I think a few more days of battery in always-on mode will probably push me to stick with tried and true instead of embrace the new.
Hi David. I have worn a Fenix 6 Sapphire for the last 2+ years with the Carbon Grey DLC band. I just received my Epix Sapphire Black Titanium. The Epix case color is almost identical to the Fenix 6 Sapphire and the Carbon Grey band is still a great match (to my eyes at least).
@Dave, if you check the specs of the Black Epix you will see that it is in fact a carbon grey version. If you check onder general -> bezel material you will see “Sapphire Edition: carbon grey DLC titanium or pure titanium”
In fact, both titanium options match perfectly with the titanium band options.
aarrgh.. thanks for the great reviews as always! So difficult to chose.. i really want the epix! But i also would love a LTE version, but i am to impatient to wait half a year :(
Does the multiband GPS have any impact on the accuracy/delay of instant pace?
Would love to know this as well
In the video DCR says that multi-band makes little or no difference to GPS accuracy right now. However in the fullness of time software updates may be able to improve accuracy for multi-band equipped watches.
Zero that I’ve noticed. I don’t have any pace stability issues, though, I generally have pretty stable pacing – so that may be a part of it.
It’s a shame that it doesn’t come in various sizes, as I have straps from Fenix 5X/6X I’d want to reuse and I prefer the bigger screen. I thought LTE would be a feature and that is potentially holding me back, as I’m sure it will be added down the line. It’s just how long until it is.
I see that the screen is higher resolution that the Fenix line. Were you able to check how many data fields you can add to an activity Ray? That’s one of the features I like most about the 6X.
I was wondering this too. I just noticed a YouTube review that had the Epix 2 next to the F7X on a run activity and they both showed 7 data fields (2 rows of 3, plus one at the bottom, plus the battery indicator at the top).
Epix can do 8 data fields.
link to garmin.com seems to imply that the fenix7x body uses the same straps as the 5X.. the epix is the same or bigger?
Thanks for confirming Ray.
@ToolkiT the Epix takes 22mm straps whereas the Fenix nX takes 26mm.
I’m sure my Swiss retailer must be due a 20% off everything weekend sale soon ;)
Thanks for the excellent review as always Ray! Major kudos!
Only issue I see is the price!
A 899 price point with Sapphire would be more convincing. However street price in 2/3 months may fall into that, although I suspect that Fénix is gonna sell much more than this one and as such depreciate more.
It is clearly a Fénix 7 for the non-outdoor only people, and can be easily used in casual scenarios (that screen🤩). Most of my use is indoors (I use 830 for cycling outdoors, rarely run, some walks a day, Yoga and some indoor gym sessions at home) so the MIP screen is not my favourite. AMOLED really makes sense!
This may as well be my next watch (coming from a AW7).
Unless… In September Apple wakes up and gives us a watch instead of a computer on the wrist (round form format and at least 4 days battery).
Someone on Reddit pointed out that if you download the “Miles” app you basically get a 20% off Garmin Wearables coupon for free. (1000 point bonus for signing up, coupon costs 300 points).
Interesting, but seems to me only available in US.
Can you confirm?
Hi
Thanks for the review
Have Garmin explained why Epix do not come with the solar charging.
Do Epix/F7 support WIFI 5GHz or still only 2.4GHz
In the future will the same updates for Fenix 7 sapphire comes to Epix.
Regards
Henning
Hi,
I did not get a reply in the Fenix thread, but I see in the Garmin Forum reported that it is a 2.4GHz chipset, which is disappointing. I would not mind the 2.4 GHz if it actually worked with my network. I previously had an Asus AX Wifi Mesh Network and Spotify syncs would always timeout. I later moved to a Linksys Velop Wifi6 Mesh network, with similar problems with both a Fenix 6 Pro Solar and the FR945LTE. I finally gave in and bought a cheap $30 2.4GHz Wifi extender for the sole purpose of syncing with Garmin. Kind of disappointed, really. Now it may be it’s a new chipset or new GarminOS Wifi driver update that actually has broader compatibility. I used to work in embedded software and fully realize that there are trade-offs in BOM cost, low-power targets, and TTM impacting software development.
Sean
So take this for what it’s worth (one guy’s experience over one day), but the speed of syncing on the Epix is at least an order of magnitude faster than on the 945 LTE. I’ve had zero timeouts, and the range is great. With every Garmin I’ve had before this, I always had to plug the watch in, basically set it on top of the router, and then go do chores or something, and I still had occasional sync failures. Also, the Epix doesn’t seem to blow through the battery while syncing either.
Sounds like a router problem. Thanks.
Yes. It is because solar charging makes so little difference, for the extra price, on a screen that uses as much power as an amoled.
Thanks as always, but… If I might humbly suggest, your reviews of GPS performance always completely miss the point. People generally want to know one or two things accurately: (1) How far did I go? (2) How fast am I going currently?
Zooming in on recorded tracks on a satellite map doesn’t do anything to evaluate the performance of the watch according to either metric. Could you perhaps find a way to start evaluating the accuracy of total distance & current pace measurements? I am always baffled and slightly disappointed by this omission.
Ehh… People running next to water LOVE to complain if their GPS track looks like they were swimming. Distance, while arguably the more important feature, seems secondary in the complaints dept.
I agree it’s probably not as important to the “mass market” consumer, but I would hope that Ray would focus more on what athletes need from a GPS device. If you go to the Garmin forums you can find plenty of people complaining that their Fenix 6 recorded their half-marathon as 12.X miles, while their friend’s Apple Watch nailed it.
> People generally want to know one or two things accurately
I’m a hiker/climber and I want an accurate GPX terrain plot *far* more than I want distance/pace data
The practical challenge with doing total distance tests is actually doing them correctly. It’s almost impossible, except on super boring/straight courses. At least to the degree that matters.
The reason is that most of the routes that have verifable/trusted measurement are simple paved running paths/cycle paths, and usually, these don’t have considerable GPS trickiness.
For most non-paved paths, even when marked, I’ve long found (all over the world), that these are at best, casual summaries of distance. Because it’s far easier on a trail to say it’s 1KM/1mi, then say it’s .92KM or .92mi. Except that 80m matters for what I do.
Ironically, the DCR Cave actually sits on a 10KM marked route, with markers every 5-20m (seriously), that I presume are reasonably well marked. Which in this case would make it semi-easy to try and run the exact same dot to dot to dot path, but honestly, most people are more interested in whether the GPS track aligns with what they ran, which is 99.99% of cases means the total distance also aligns.
People do however want to know about pace stability, and I usually include a note somewhere on that, though forgot to this time. I haven’t had any pace stability issues in my interval runs, with things being super easy to pace off of. It’s a bit trickier now to get video of that, because watches use the accelerometer data as part of it these days, so holding it up really still for long periods of time for video skews that.
Thanks for the followup & explanation!
> but honestly, most people are more interested in whether the GPS track aligns with what they ran, which is 99.99% of cases means the total distance also aligns.
The real problem is that above isn’t always true, at least not for Fenix 6 series. I am actually quite satisfied with the quality of tracks – it is reasonably good. But the device distance is always shorter than the sum of point-to-point distances. For me the discrepancy often reaches 5% (when running on trails) or even greater. Clearly, Garmin doesn’t take the distance from the track.
The same applies to the pace. Device pace often deviates from the distance travelled over time. I understand that the GPS speed in incredibly noisy, but still if we look at the average Fenix 6 pace from an activity and compare that the total distance from the same device divided by the total activity time, there is always a noticeable discrepancy.
Ray. Yes! I want to know about *Pace Stability*
Ran side by side today with a friend, both of us wearing Fenix6P’s, both on left wrists. Clear sky, no trees. Our instantaneous paces were typically 10-20 sec/mi different at any one tiime.
I pace races. Improved performance here would be a selling point for me.
Still only two Connect IQ Data Fields per activity?
very good question!
I hope it’s more…. Ray please let us know 🙏🏻
Sadly yes, two only.
Thanks Ray. That’s a bummer.
Damn, I don’t get how the limit still hasn’t changed.
Great Review! Thanks for your work and dedication!
Edit opportunity: get buy > get by
Ray,
Apologies if I skimmed over this, did Garmin say why there’s no flashlight on the Epix like the Fenix 7?
The flashlight is only on the Fenix, and not on the Epic.
If it has the same flashlight widget that the F6 has, that’ll be awfully bright with an AMOLED screen.
I would assume it doesn’t, since that uses the backlight for the transflective display which the AMOLED displays don’t have. The absence of the flashlight tool was one of the first things I missed on the Venu.
I confess I didn’t read the Fenix review, so I missed that the flashlight I was asking about is only on the ‘X models. So it seems case size is the issue here.
We talked about it a little bit, and they kinda talked around the gap a bit without directly answering it. My gut was that it sounded like this was, as is typical, their first go at the feature, and wanted to try it on the X series to see what folks thought real-life.
It didn’t sound like there were any immediate blockers tech/etc wise.
I’m using the backlight of my Fenix 3 as a pseudo-flashlight to avoid bouncing into stuff when it’s pitch dark. It’s very dim but just enough to navigate while not waking up family. From JR’s comment above, I gather that the F6 has a dedicated widget for just that purpose? Does the Epix 2 also have that widget? I suppose that the Epix’ display should be far brighter than what you can get with the backlight of the F3?
I’m using the F3 as a pseudo flashlight all the time so that the lack of a flashlight (pseudo or real) on the Epix 2 would be a deal breaker for me.
Yes the Epix 2 has a dedicated flashlight you can access by double tapping the “light” labeled button (top left)
Hi Ray…is this good for an ironman 70.3? With all brightness and vibrations alerts? Considering for about 6 o 7 hours of gps?
Zero issues there. I did a 7hr+ ride last week with it. I swam openwater the next day with it, and I’ve done more running than I’d care to admit with it.
Thank you for both the fenix and epix reviews, after going through (most) of them I am ordering the epix 🎉 for me the display is next gen, this way I’ll skip the mip displays altogether.. It will be a huge update over my Suunto Ambit3 and a complete switch to Garmin echo-system (finally)
Hi Ray – very interesting comparison to the Fenix 7… Quick flag that the battery table posted here is the 7, not the Epix battery chart.
Think I’ll probably hold fire a few months and see if we end up with an LTE version and also what the 955 looks like.
Thanks, Ray!
I notice the Elevate sensor looks a bit more, well, elevated from the back surface of the Watch. If that is indeed the case, can you confirm whether it works with those pick style chargers from Amazon?
Did Garmin say anything about why Solar was not included as an option for the Epix? I could understand the AMOLED display may not allow the lower efficiency solar charging via the display itself but I would think the higher efficiency ring could co-exist either the AMOLED display and it would have been nice to get the additional boost of solar.
Thank you for the thorough review. I am a bit confused about the colour. The titanium is listed as black on the Garmin website for both of the available dark titanium models (plastic strap and chestnut leather strap). However, the Epix model you have appears to be grey, which is how it is listed on a different UK retail website. There are clearly two different versions of the darker titanium case as the chestnut strap version does not have a red button: it is all black. This is clear from the Garmin site. You obviously won’t have both versions to compare, but would you describe the Epix you tested as being black or grey? To your knowledge are there any other differences in the two watch bodies apart from the red highlight on the one that is supplied with a resin strap?
I was always a fan of raw titanium look of the F5 and F6 versions. I don’t really care for these blacked-out titanium versions. If it’s a coating (even DLC) then it looks terrible when it scratches, plus they hardly look like metal unless you’re up close. I actually think the slate steel is the most handsome F7/Epix SKU on Garmin’s website, but unfortunately it doesn’t have the top specs.
The DLC is crazy scratch resistant. I’m on 2.5 years of a DLC coated f6 with zero visible damage, after 1,000 accidental smacks of the watch against my work desk, door frames, excetera. The sapphire screen is also scratch free. The base models on the other hand are scratch magnets.
Weird. Experiment of one, but my DLC looked terrible after a few months. I agree it was more scratch resistant than the base models, and it didn’t scratch from things like desks (which shouldn’t scratch any metal). If it bumped a brick or concrete wall (happens on occasion when running in a dense city) it got big silver scratches that stood out against the black finish.
Can you post up some pics of the two colors you’re seeing?
I want a grey version, but disappointed that’s only the steel on this range. Otherwise it’s jet black I think.
Yeah, I’m not sure about the grey vs black EU/UK SKU’s. Garmin always does a few extra wonky versions for Europe. I’ll try and get some clarity on that in my next volley.
As for the unit I have, it’s definitely black (titanium). At least, it matches the black of both the Fenix 7/7X I have, as well as the black on my Lenovo Thinkpad I’m typing this on. :)
The (us) black titanium epix I have is definitely different in color from the black dlc titanium fenix 6 I have. As AJ mentioned above, on garmin’s website the specs section mention the epix is carbon gray dlc titanium. Also, on garmin’s website, the epix is listed as “black titanium” whereas the fenix 7 is listed as “black dlc titanium” or “carbon gray dlc titanium”.
If you compare the pictures on garmin’s website for the black titanium epix and the carbon gray dlc titanium fenix 7, they look the same whereas the black dlc titanium fenix 7 definitely looks darker. Holds true for both the bezel and the band’s buckle.
Garmin are calling the same watch “Carbon Grey DLC” in both Germany and Japan.
link to garmin.com
link to garmin.co.jp
Smart (business) pricing here by Garmin. 32GB is really a must if you are going to have maps for more than one region. I will be shocked if the Sapphire version doesn’t outsell the regular glass version.
How much memory does the firmware take up I wonder?
I’m in Europe, so 12gb for the map alone, then you’d want a gig or two for music. Is that already looking a bit tight on the 16gb base model?
I’m presuming on the 32gb Ti model you can uninstall a couple of continents to give yourself loads of room?
Only the continent of where you bought it is preloaded. So for example, if you buy the Fenix 7 solar sapphire in Europe, only the Europe maps are preloaded.
The base model is loaded with your home continent but the Ti/sapphire models come with the whole world.
Still curious as to what memory firmware (plus maybe a few apps) would consume.
A base model Fenix 7/Epix with 16GB of storage, has 13GB of usable storage available, as a starting point.
Weird thing- my Sapphire only has North America on it. When I got it I connected to Garmin Express to update the firmware before I did anything. GE also said that there was a map update available which I installed. After all this was done I started looking over the device, found the map manager, and looked at the maps- only North America was there. I don’t know if GE deleted the rest of the world as part of the update or if it was never there in the first place.
I don’t believe that is correct. The base model comes without any maps preinstalled and the Ti models come with your home territory loaded.
my UK Epix sapphire only has Europe installed and crashes when trying to download North America…
Have you updated the firmware?
is it me? Or did you put a place holder for the Widget Gallery and not fill it in?
xxxWidgetGallery
Tempted – very tempted.
Perhaps a minor point for some, but how long is the charging time ?
( if/assume liniair, how much % / hour )
When almost empty, will it need to be an entire evening of my wrist, of “just” an half an hour ?
( trying to disturb the bodybattery & sleep monitor at less as possible etc )
I agree this is important. If it is fast (less than one hour), you can basically just charge it when needed, if much longer you need to plan and think about it much more.
I have it for a few weeks now. I put on the charger every morning while taking my shower. That suffices to keep it almost fully charged.
Can the Epix be charged during an activity?
What?!
How the hell can you charge the bloody watch during an activity? It’s in your hand…
Unless you strap a battery pack on your arm and wear the watch inside out. Weird question.
There are ( non-garmin?) chargers for fenix connection on a baseplate, so “for instance” you can put it between the watch and wrist, but the OHR will not function then “obviously” ( external heartrate if needed ?).
But then you will also have a powerbank etc etc , so only really needed/usable/worthwhile for ultra-events ?
link to dcrainmaker.com
Charging during an activity was a super common annoyance for the very small minority of Garmin users who compete in longer ultra racing events. Newer watches like the Enduro, and now Fenix 7, make that a moot point, but I could see how someone would want the screen on the Epix, but on rare occasion might need to charge up during a super long ultra. I’ve seen people strap it to their hydration vest and plug it in to a portable battery pack while others would try and somehow wear it during charging.
Yeah, it is an ultra-fringe feature, but the people who want it are very noisy about it. I say if you can’t finish 100 miles in under 30 hours, you should spend more time training and less time worrying about your watch ;)
I also want to know the answer, I did it on an ultra with my fenix5 plus, battery in a pocket of my bag and a watch attached to the bag strap.
Have had to charge my F6 during 200mile + ultra’s many times and usually just hook the watch around a pack strap while hanging onto the battery pack or putting it in a pocket.
Would love to try the Epix due to decreasing vision,but the battery life is a big drawback.
Small typo Ray, in the first paragraph you mentioned: “ that effectively takes an Epix and elevates it with a full AMOLED color touchscreen”
I think you tried to say that it’s an Fenix with AMOLED.
Great review again, love the depth of the research.
I’d love to see some real life battery data on the Epix 2. My F5+ promised “up to 19h of battery life” in GPS mode. In reality (Ironman racing for me) with a bunch of sensors connected (HRM-TRI, Vector 3, Stryd) the watch chews through 10 percentage points of battery per hour so I get about 10h of actual run time which is approx. missing 30 – 45min to finish an Ironman for me.
Any news about a MARQ update?
Wonder if they’re saving LTE or something exclusive like that for a MARQ 2…
You definitely have to check your settings. My F5, which is VERY old, had ~35% of the charge leff after 9h of Ironman (swim leg reduced, don’t worry). HRM-Tri&Powermeter connected.
Great review (as always)
After reading the review I must be going to switch from Fenix 6x sapphire to Epix (Gen 2) Ti sapphire.
Thought of a few more questions:
– Compared to the Fenix 6, is there any significant difference in GPS and HR accuracy (and related to the latter, Stress / Body Battery / Recovery)?
– You mention HRV not being automatically captured 24×7 but I would imagine it is being captured periodically as an input into Stress and Body Battery measurements
– Given touch is disabled by default for activities (which I agree with), is there an option to leave it on only for map viewing during activities?
– Can watch settings be saved as a profile that can be restored if needing to reset or replace the watch?
Hey Ray, thanks a lot for your expansive coverage on F7/Epix2 releases.
Question on Epix 2: how do you think AMOLED burn-in will affect the screen long term? Would you say it’s something to be concerned about?How was you experience with Venu/Venu2 in that regards?
Thanks,
P.
Hi Paul. If you scroll up you’ll find my experiences with the AMOLED-equipped Venu, picture included in my post. I wish I could say go for it and it’ll be fine – but I’m not so sure after what I saw with my Venu after 1.5 years of running 3-4 times per week.
I need Garmin to prove long-term viability of their AMOLED devices before I’ll have the confidence to buy one again.
Thanks Matt, I saw it and it looks worrying. I know Ray mentioned pixel shift technology that Garmin uses to mitigate the risk of burn-in but it doesn’t seem to have worked in your case. I was wondering if epix 2 does sth differently in that regards?
I bought my wife and my daughter Venu AMOLED watches when they came out.
I also bought a D2 Air when they came out. I wore the D2 at my work and in the evenings and a Fenix 7x Pro during workouts.
None of them has burn in. As Matt says YMMV though.
I received my Epix 2 and the screen is terrific.
Hope Matt’s experience is an outlier.
Sorry, I meant 6X Pro!
Thanks, Ray. Excellent and detailed reviews, as always. I think the AMOLED display sells the Epic for me.
Hi Ray, All Fenix so far were showing wrong HR-rates when “hiking” or doing “functional trainings = using arms somehow” (no physics issue due to color, hair, geometry …). Tested many (also clean versions as pushed by Garmin support) in many situations.
Apple Watch nails HR-rates in 99% of the conditions. But would love to buy a proper Epix2 with all cool functions and a longer battery time.
Is the new sensor as good as AW? In your review you hinted that it is not.
If AW is 99% – what percentage does the new Garmin sensor get?
Thank you!
I think I’m sold. I have a 6X and the bigger screen is nice as more detail on the maps are shown by default.
Does the higher resolution on the amoled screen get used to show more detail or just “nicer” representations of it?
I have a 6X and got the Epix.
The Epix screen while being 0.1″ smaller is actually much sharper, clearer, easier to read in sunlight and the maps show more detail at the same zoom level as the 6X.
One critical question: Will the AMOLED screen with always-on catch unwanted interest of my toddler when I will try to make him sleep in the dark (but outside of my own sleep time)?
Great review Ray! Quick question regarding stock watch faces. Does the Epic have the same watch faces as the Fenix 7? I tend to like the Fenix 7 watch face that is on all the marketing photos but wasn’t sure if it’s built into Epic. I know you can typically find lots of 3rd party watch faces, but many of those can’t pull various metrics from the watch (ie. body battery…).
Thank you for all the hard work! You’ve converted me from a Fenix 7 to an Epix!
Alex, The watch face in the picture you posted is available on the Epix 2.
I was hoping for the mountain bike metrics (jump, grit, flow) to be included. Maybe they are not possible on a wearable?? Any idea if we might ever see them?
They are included in my 945 LTE. So, yes they can exist I a wearable. I have no knowledge of they are actually in the 7/Epix line.
and my F6 Pro Solar has those metrics as well.
They appear on the Garmin website as included on the Epix.
Grit and Flow are there on the watches. Jumps aren’t on any of the wearables as far as I know.
BTW: man manager: “downloading maps from your wrist”.
Really no need to plug the device to the wall charger for downloading maps via mm?
Ah, you have mentioned “plugged in” Overlooked that.
no flashlight… bummer…
My thoughts exactly, why keep out a very useful feature for top product…
There’s a connect IQ app for that. Just found it today. Check back in a month to see if I haven’t burned out my screen.
this looks amazing, but $999 on the Garmin US website…. yikes.
I feel like at $999 I don’t want to have to think about the battery for at least a few weeks. I guess that’s my arbitrary “draw the line” haha
It will be interesting to see the reactions from the F6X battery life purists, and the touchscreen haters, to this watch. (I’ve seen some already on FB and it’s as you’d think – uninformed bashing of anything new). For me, the Epix represents the best of all worlds – I’ve used a touchscreen Garmin (the original square clunky VivoActive and also the VA3), in addition to 235, FR645 and now a F6ProSolar, and there are absolutely certain instances of the user interface where a touchscreen is IMMENSELY easier to use, to navigate through choices and things, and of course there are times when a touchscreen is less than ideal – since the Epix and F7 have both, the user is allowed to navigate the watch in a way that makes sense for that person. AND – having the AMOLED screen on the Epix is awesome – can’t wait to get one. I am not one of those users who refuses to charge out of pride or principle – like so many are (and that’s fine, for them). I’m more than willing to charge my device every three or four days. Not a problem at all for how I use it.
Bottom line – more choice is a win for the consumer and for Garmin. Can’t wait to get an Epix!!
Could you give some insights about charging times?
Is it long to go from 0% to 100%?
Any comparison to Fenix 6 GPS accuracy?
Is there a difference in effective screen size between Epix and Fenix 7X? I.e. is it worth considering the Fenix 7X for the size of the screen? From the pictures it seems like the solar part of the screen on the 7X eats so much screen that the screen sizes are practically the same when the Epix does not have the solar ring.
Hi Ray is the video link missing?
I was wondering the same thing! I saw it was mentioned, but couldn’t find the video
No matter what I do, I can’t configure Data screens or alarms within an activity via Connect on iOS. The screenshots Ray took can’t be replicated by me.
Nor do I find that sleep mode manager wich is shown.
My watch is on 6.12
Are you already using the Epix gen. 2?
Yes, walked into a store and bought it. They got stock this morning and customers the whole day.
Garmin Germany is also already shipping.
Nice! I ordered the Fenix 7 Sapphire solar, but it has a 3-5 weeks delivery time in the Netherlands.
Yeah, I can’t seem to find an option to change the data screens either. That’s the one thing I most want to be able to do with my phone. 😕
Watch is at 6.57 / Connect on iPhone
Does anyone have success with this?
Try updating the software. Current is 7.24
Thank you – that did the trick. Not sure why it didn’t auto update 🤷🏼♂️
Yeah, essentially units are shipped with old-stinky software as they were manufactured months ago.
Your watch would have updated by the end of the day, as the firmware is transferred to it in the background (slower on Bluetooth Smart, far faster on WiFi and near instantly if you use a USB connection to setup).
I think Garmin needs to do a better job there in making it clear that a firmware update is required. Apple, GoPro, and even Garmin’s own Venu 2 Plus all do better jobs there.
Garmins AMOLED screens are wonderful… Bright 8n direct sunlight… Vibrant. High resolution.
BUT extremely prone to a massive amount of burn in.
My Venu is after 1 1/2 years of always on really terrible burned in
I can see nearly all my watch faces in on place ☹️. It’s horrible to look after.
It’s unreal how bad Garmin is if you compare to your inexpensive China watches or a Apple watch. No burn in on those.
It’s definitely my last Garmin.
The Holy Watch Grail! Great review as usual. I am probably going to buy an Epix 2 – but $1k is getting expensive.
You’re not wrong. In Jan 2016 I paid GBP275 for a 920XT, so £46 per year up until now.
The Epix Ti which I have my eye on will take 20 years to pay itself off at that rate!
Thanks for the great rundown on the new watches. My Fenix 3 is literally dying and I’ve been waiting for this new series to upgrade. Given how ancient my existing watch is, I have no experience with the music/podcast capability of current day Garmin watches, I do have two questions.
1. When listening to a podcast can the “rewind” & “fast forward” buttons be configured to skip back or forward a certain number of seconds rather than going to the previous or next podcast?
2. Can an external Bluetooth remote control (e.g. https://www.chubbybuttons.io) be paired with the watches? I use this when winter cycling and Nordic skiing as it’s glove friendly.
1. Nope
2. Nope
Thank you. These are hardly primary features which would keep me from considering the new watches, but its better to know ahead of time. Guess my phone remains my music/podcast device.
1. Yes (at the very least with a different app)
2. No idea
Hi dc rainmaker, I’m quite interested in the epix over the fenix 7 as I now own a fenix 6 pro and don’t see anything really worth the extra pounds I’d have to invest to get a 7, I’d rather go for a nice screen.
I used to have a 6s and there is seldom a time I go for a week without charging, so the battery life is fine with me, however I am very interested in the recharging time of the epix.
I would prefer not to have to charge it overnight, is it a case that you can recharge it quickly?
I can’t seem to find any info re this online, since you’ve done loads of teayo g, I hope you can give me an answer on this. Thanks.
SW Version 7.2 is already out, it is necessary to get MapManager running. The watch will be with 6.12 in the box.
Configure the watch from my phone? Take my cash now!
Great to hear that the screen works well under direct sunlight!
What’s the display clarity like with polarized sunglasses?
I found that with polarized sunglasses, Samsung display doesn’t work quite well in portrait and similarly iPhone screen is not very clear in landscape. Any impacts of this on the Epix screen?
Being a 945 user and wanted to upgrade, is Epix saphire the answer? New 945 anytime soon?
Xc maps are available also for 945?
I’ve taken the plunge, had the 945 since launch & the Epix is enough of an upgrade to persuade me, Amoled, touch & software overhaul being the main drivers.
HI everyone, Anyone know if the new Epix2 and F7 are limited to storing 25 workouts on the watch like the f6 is?
As always, the best in the biz!
Could not find this: i love the Fenix. is the EPIX smaller than the 7X?
Ray’s article indicates the Epix is the same size as the middle Fenix 7 (i.e. not S and not X).
Screen diameter size question vs 7X:
Is the screen diameter on the solar versions measured from inside the solar strip or does the diameter measurement include the solar strip? In other words is the actual viewable screen size of the 7X less than 1.4″, in practical terms making it more like 1.3 on the Epix or regular 7? (Trying to decide between the Epix and 7X, want the Epix but value screen size above all – although it seems like they might be the same depending on how they’re measured?)
This!
You spelt Sapphire wrong in one of your charts (Sappphire)
You mention the resolution is same as venu 2 plus but it’s not. Resolution is higher on Epix
It’s the same, both are 416×416. Where are you seeing anything different?
Ray- The image that has all the battery durations… isn’t the one with the Epix on it. Just the Fenixes (Fenicians?)
No? The Epix is on the right
Thanks!
(The initial photo was fine, but the photo later in the GPS section had just the Fenix units. Fixed!)
Hi Ray,
Great Review. I’ve been using the Forerunner 935 for four years now, but really want the AMOLED screen. With it not being on the Fenix7, will EPIX be the only way to get the better screen? I was going to wait for the 955, but now don’t think there will be an AMOLED version of the 955. Any chance we see the better screen on the 955?
I would buy that in a hearbeat. But I don’t think that a 955 with AMOLED is going to happen in the near future. Seeing that only two models are offered and Fenix is a seperated model without AMOLED, Garmin does not really seem to be sure about the success of the model at the moment. I hope I am wrong though and a top line Forerunner with AMOLED ist coming…
No idea on a FR955.
But, Garmin has made it very clear AMOLED displays are the future. How they handle that choice, if any in a FR955 type device is an interesting question.
I’m also intrigued by the Epix’s display while simultaneously being put off by the larger bezels and heft of the F7/Epix compared to a 745 or 945 LTE. For a watch you wear all day and night, comfort is really important. I love OLED displays, yet I do wonder if the 955’s smaller battery would be insufficient. Personally, I’d be fine charging every 5th day for something with a greater than 240×240 MIP display, especially now that we have touchscreens with the ability to reply to text messages (Android user here).
Frankly, Garmin’s feature fragmentation between Sapphire and non-Sapphire models makes me a bit pessimistic regarding the FR955. Dual-frequency GNSS and AMOLED could both be features reserved for €900+ watches, though we might see the debut of native running power. I don’t think which GNSS chipset you get should be SKU-dependent. Does Garmin deem the benefits too small for the technology to go mainstream, or did they simply want a way to upsell Fenix users now that the Pro moniker is gone? Gorilla Glass DX is enough protection for most people and I believe it’s less reflective than sapphire. I care more about sunlight legibility than scratch protection.
One nitpick regarding your excellent review: “It’s all there, for your ADHD viewing pleasure.” – did you mean OCD?
This is the one for me.
The perfect trio for my needs.
1. buttons for use during exercise
2. touchscreen for rest of the time looking at notifications and stats
3. AMOLED display. I charge every time I shower which is twice a day so should keep it between 30% and 70% range mostly.
Thanks Garmin
Thanks Ray. Awesome coverage of the Launch. YouTube videos rock.
Ray, Garmin’s battery life for different GPS bands doesn’t indicate if this is with the hrm on. I assume it is?
All Garmin battery life estimates for all watches, always include optical-HR on and phone connected. It does not include PulseOx on though.
DO you think they’ll make a larger Epix.
I prefer the larger watch band of the Feinx 6X pro Solar I have, in have a few Nick Mankey watch straps that won’t carry over to the new Epix due to thinner watch strap…
Also how quick is the watch to charge? This would be useful information…
Cheers
Undoubtedly they’ll make bigger displays in time. Whether that’s a year from now or two years, I have no idea. It’s clear this is the future, and Garmin themselves literally said those words during one of my meetings (talking broadly about their watch displays, not a specific model).
It seems reasonably quick to charge, I’ll try and get a complete full-charge test done. Gotta let it burn down again first.
Great,
Seems from all the reviews I’ve seen, no one has touched on the charging time.
Only other ting, I wished it had a smaller inner bezel!…
Cheers
Awesome review here, as always (F7 review also superb). But comparing the Epix to the F7 and saying the only difference is the display misses a fact – the $200 upcharge for that display. Since the comparable F7 is $700, the Epix screen is a 28.5% increase. Take a very expensive device and make it more expensive by far. I love the Epix (and I love the F7, but a little bit less). I’m using an FR920 and am ready for a new device. Not either of these…maybe the F6 prices will drop…
Whoops – fouled the comparison across review pages and can’t edit. ‘Only’ a $100 diff, 14% increase for Epix over the equivalent F7. Still spendy. Just not as spendy as my 1st post!
Hey Ray,
do you know if Garmin plans to release a S version (42mm) too?
Cheers
Hey Ray, great in-depth review as always.
My main question is about AMOLED displays and burn-in. I know there are ways to mitigate this, but did Garmin give you any sort of intel or have you found anything in your testing with other AMOLED devices that gives an idea of when this could become an issue? Are we talking about 5-6 years before it would be an issue, or within 2 years?
This is in the Venu 2 manual
link to www8.garmin.com
About the AMOLED Display
By default, the watch settings are optimized for battery life and performance (Maximizing Battery Life).
Image persistence, or pixel “burn-in,” is normal behavior for AMOLED devices. To extend the display life, you should avoid displaying static images at high brightness levels for long time periods. To minimize burn-in, the Venu® 2 series display turns off after the selected timeout (Customizing the Display Settings). You can turn your wrist toward your body, double-tap the touchscreen, or press a button to wake the device.
Same sentence im the Epix manual, so the old fashioned Fenix will be mine…
One more thing: can you explain more about how the ‘All Systems’ GNSS setting works?
Does it use select just one of the GNSS systems for any given activity based on available signal or can it chose more than one? Are the systems selected only at the beginning of the activity or is it dynamically adjusting during activities? Is it likely worth the battery hit vs the GPS-only setting (i.e., how significant are the potential accuracy gains)?
It actually dynamically adjusts throughout the activity, between the different constellations. I was curious about that myself and had asked over the weekend, but didn’t have a chance to fully integrate that into the review yet. It doesn’t sound like there’s any meaningful battery hit there, so it’s basically just a lateral switch.
I haven’t done any testing yet of the new/revamped GPS-only setting. I’ll probably give it a whirl shortly though. Garmin’s engineering/product folks seemed exceptionally excited about that feature. Almost to the point that I have a funny feeling it may be a feature that is far cooler than they’re giving it credit for, because marketing told them people wouldn’t think it’s cool.
I have a GPSMAP 66sr which is multiband. My understanding is that it receives all the signals, all the time (gps, glonass, qzss…L1, L5 etc), from whatever sats are in view. Then the gps chips analyzes and process all the signals, and detect which are good, best or erroneous to filter out multipath error, etc.
As far as battery consumption, it seems negligible. But keep in mind, battery size. The battery in the gpsmap is probably eq to at least a couple dozen epix/fenix batteries. Taking a drop of water from a cup will be far more signifcant hit than taking a drop of water from a bucket.
As far as accuracy, just in gps mode, I tend to get 10-12 feet accuracy, and in multibband it’s usually 6ft. And that’s even sitting INSIDE my house.
It seems the only real benefit to having multiband is when you are in challenging areas, such as canyons, dense foliage, etc.
Can anyone confirm whether or not the COROS Apex Pro got the Airoha GPS chipset? I think so, but can’t find any information to be sure.
No, APEX Pro is using Sony.
Do we think we will get Running power from the wrist eventually, or as predicted it will only come when the 955 is released?
If it will be a software update for the Fenix and Epix, then I am sold, if not might just stick with my Vantage V2.
I suspect if they release running power in the next 2 years, that any Fenix 7 or Epix would get it. Of course, I would have thought they’d have released it 2+ years ago….so…
What’s the charging time ?!
How much does it recharge in 10 or 15 minutes ?!
Any screen burn out protecting settings ?!
I just did a quick charge test, 15 mins exactly, and it went from 50% to 65%. One minor note is that I realized after a few mins that the map downloader had kicked in, so not sure how that would have impacted it. Also, generally Garmin has faster charging for the first 50% or so, and then the last 80-100% tend to be slowest (like most companies).
Like the Venu 2, it does pixel shifting to protect against burn-out. Plus of course simple things like the display turns off while you’re sleeping (or, if left on a table).
Thanks Ray…awesome write up, as always!
I was waiting for F7/EPIX like everybody else and I was ready to get the EPIX even though it’s an expansive one…however, I am a bit disappointed that the EPIX doesn’t have the flashlight, a gadget I find way more useful than ECG and it doesn’t do the Venu 2+ phone connection. So I guess I have to wait a bit longer for these updates in hardware. Let’s see what upgrades, if any, the older generation now gets.
I wonder if the Marq, Enduro, Tactix and all the other Garmin watches that are based on the Fenix will be upgraded in the near future.
Can anybody confirm if its still has Hourly notification / beep as on previous Fenix watch?
is there 5-GHz WLAN and Bluetooth >=5.0 on board as on Apple Watch 7?
Hi
First i like to say once again a good review
I`m planning to buy a new watch and this one is one of them on my radar.
In your review and your video you show the battery life times given by Garmin but for a guy like you how far of are they?
I mean all watchmakers give you battery life times which in normal day life you never get.
So in real life for a sporty guy like you how is the battery life for this watch ?
And how does the real life battery life compare to the Venu 2 plus ?
Also the 32Gb memory would you say it is the same with the 32Gb of my Fenix 6X pro ?
What i mean is my Fenix came preloaded with maps already and what i understand is with the Epix and Fenix 7 you need to download them your self.
Not sure but does that mean the Fenix 6 series have more free memory then the Fenix 7 and Epix ?
Will you make a comparison video and or review between the Epix and the Venu 2 plus ?
Hey Ray Great review thanks a lot!!
I think you made a little mistake with the two pictures comparing the Fenix 7 and the Epix.
“Here mid-day, light cloud cover, Epix left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar right” i think its the other way around?
Thanks!
That text is for the photo below it. :)
Awesome Review (as always)!
Regarding the LTE. As you stated above, really sounds like the next iteration option for the model, they kept back some ammunition, to have a decent reasons why an upgrade could make sense (not sure what else they should/would introduce).
That said, i wonder if the next FR955 (or whatever they call it) would have the AMOLED AND LTE version on board. I don’t expect that to have Solar, but AMOLED could make sense.
If that would be true, the next FR would be my GO-TO watch (having the 945 now).
Amoled alone as an upgrade reason feels… expensive, but still it tickles.
LTE and AMOLED would be a green light :D
Last tings more out of curiosity:
Does Garmin built and develop those units independently,
Like FENIX/EPIX in Garmin CA and the Forerunner at Garmin EU (or wherever they do that).
Could those tech-differences also caused by those different locations?
Hi Ray,
I’ve had garmin watches for a while now and I’ve seen that sometimes updates don’t come for a watch but do for another one
I’m interested in the epix but i’m worried it won’t receive the same software updates as the fenix 7
What is your opinion on this ?
Generally speaking, as long as I’ve setup WiFi/Bluetooth – and have the Garmin Connect Mobile app hanging out in the background, I get updates pretty consistently. The one caveat is that Garmin does phase updates, so even if they release yesterday, updates can take a week or more depending on the significance of the update.
tl;dr
If 6 days of battery life is enough for you, try to think 2-3 years ahead (if you wear an expensive gadget for such a long time :-). The Battery won´t live forever, will you still be satisfied with 3 days of runtime??? For myself I think “shiny new” is great, but on the downside there will be severe aging like shorter runtime and burn-in of oled-display. I would go for Fenix 7x if at all.
To be fair though, that ultimately applies to every watch. My wife’s Fenix 5S (original) only lasts about 2-3 days…
Depends on quantity of charging-cycles. Epic will have definitely more than a Fenix 7 in the same period. Moreover, Fenix 7´th battery will deteriorate much less due to smaller current driven out of it. I think the best value above time is on the Fenix side, but yes no one can deny about the display of the Epic… as long as there is no burning-in :-)
Got my Epix today.
First impression: UPDATE before you do anything. I could not press OK on Wi-Fi or Altimeter calibration before the update.
Apart from that it is the first time ever with a Garmin watch I have been able to get a GPS fix INSIDE in my office (default GPS settings – have not changed anything)
Apart from that, coming from a F6x Pro Solar – the screen is smaller so watch face looks a bit cramped compared to what I’m used to. But I’ll probably get used to it quick…. But screen just looks great. So far gesture on/off works perfect.
To make it easy for those who want to see: A watch that looses battery over years, e.g. 6d use to 3-4d, and another that looses from 28d to 14d, its obvious that the second one is easier to go with over the years. Especially if regarding the price-tag :-)
I have 2 questions. Like you I like small watches – 245 and 745 are plenty big for me. Will you be staying with the larger Epix due to its display or going back to a smaller watch? Does your wife like the Epix or will she stay with a smaller watch?
I am a runner, on the roads, and many features of watches above the 745 do not interest me. Do you think the next versions of the 745 and 245 will have —
1. Amoled Display – it sure is pretty
2. Elevate generation 4
3. Real time stamna
4. Health snapshot
5. Ability to configure many more settings through the phone app.
I’ll try my best guess … ;-)
1. I don’t think so
2. Yes, of course
3. Yes, of course
4. Yes, of course
5. Yes, of course
Question for ray / others about screen burn in. Was all in on this watch until I saw all the comments about AMOLED burn in on previous Garmin watches. I’m still wearing my Fenix X, so am planning on keeping the Epix (2) vs F7 for a while. Don’t love the chances of bad burn in, though. Have newer Garmin watches solved the burn in problems?
Ray, has Garmin said anything specific about how they’ll approach burn in replacements?
It will be difficult for anyone to answer this as the Venu 2 is less than a year old, while the Venu 2 Plus just came out this month. Reviewers will also be less likely to experience burn in as they do generally switch between watches instead of using a single watch 24/7 365 days?
The Venu 2 also has much poorer battery life than the Epix so most will not switch on AOD, meaning less chance of burn in? Things are obviously going to be different on the Epix with 6 day battery life? People that buy the Epix are also more likely to partake in long runs and rides.
If you planning on keeping the Epix for more than 2 years while using it with AOD, it might be better to wait until Black Friday to see how the Venu 2 ages?
Well, so we can say Epix has all the options of Fenix in a battery life of a FR945. For me its a game changer.
I was quite sure to order a Fenix 7 X. After reading your reviews I have ordered the EPIX and I am really curious now about the battery. I hope it can satisfy me for a few years.
Hi Ray, thanks for the excellent review!
Is there any news on a future software update for native run power? Or any other releases in the near future that will have it?
Can anyone explain the logic behind introducing this terrific lineup of watches right after the holiday season which is when most people purchase these type of products? So many Apple watches purchased that could’ve been Garmin watches I would think. What am I missing?
Well, Apple Watches certainly aren’t Garmin watches is one thing you are missing. I understand Apple is striving to be more than a lifestyle watch, but they are not there yet in comparison to a high-end Garmin.
I think It’s a 2022 thing. New year, new watches.
For sure they are different watches. But Apple introduces their products in September for delivery during the holiday season which is purposeful. As do most major retailers. Garmin decided to skip Black Friday, Cyber Monday, and Christmas to launch in a random week in January. I’m just wondering what’s behind that.
My guess is that for this category of watch, Garmin see the seasonality of demand being driven by Spring and the leadup to racing season (especially as people start selecting target races, and their training plan around that), rather than “gift giving” season.
If you’re just getting a regular Fenix 7, would you still pay the extra $300 for an amoled? That seems pretty steep.
From the Epix manual, burn-in is -normal behavior- and I would read that as an -not under guarantee-. Any other opinions.
link to www8.garmin.com
About the AMOLED Display
By default, the watch settings are optimized for battery life and performance (Tips for Maximizing the Battery Life).
Image persistence, or pixel “burn-in,” is normal behavior for AMOLED devices. To extend the display life, you should avoid displaying static images at high brightness levels for long time periods. To minimize burn-in, the epix™ display turns off after the selected timeout (Changing the Screen Settings). You can turn your wrist toward your body, tap the touchscreen, or press a button to wake the device.
When I buy a thousand dollar watch, I expect it to last at least 4-5 years. After using previous Garmin watches I don’t see myself switching off AoD. So it’s quite obvious witch Garmin’s own info on AMOLED displays that Epix will eventually get a burn-in. It’s just a matter of time. Thankfully there’s still Fenix 7 :)
There are plenty of AMOLED watches on the market that have lasted years without burning. Certainly, it can happen.
Well Apple only recently started to offer Always on Display, hard to judge. Plus, they have tech that moves the pixels in a way you don’t really notice it. Older watches you may be mentioning didn’t have AoD. Hopefully Garmin implemented some pixel shifting tech to prevent it from happening but even they say that burn-in is normal AMOLED behavior which doesn’t sound too optimistic :/
Just purchased the Epix and looking to buy a hook strap to replace the band. I can’t figure out if the watch has removable spring pins. There seems to be a bit of give to the bars, but I can’t seem to remove them. On the 6 Series Fenix and The Tactix they were removable. Any idea if we can remove the spring bars?
I’m digging into this a bit. Will circle back later today with more comprehensive findings/details, as the units I have vary.
Good point.
I use hook straps as well, ultra comfy.
Removing the pins on the 6X Pro Solar, is very easy..
Keep us updated on what you find out.
Update.
Check this Reddit Thread link to reddit.com
Debate on if the pins are removable, Ray has chimed in and going to check.
Read all the comments, some interesting and useful replies.
If not removable, you can get a Hook Strap for this link to nickmankeydesigns.com
As always, superb review. What is the battery life when heart rate 24×7 and pulse ox 24×7 enabled? My Fenix 6X Pro solar lasts that way about a week. Interested to find out how long the Epix lasts.
Hi Ray
Re thermometer.
Does the epix disable thermometer for pool swims as per what happened to 945 and fenix 6?
Does it read temperature accurately ( when off wrist and unaffected by body temp.), if not can it be calibrated?
Does it get its tempersture reading from an internal sensor or does it have a sensor pick up point somewhere on its surface away from wrist?
Cheers
Ordered the Epix 2 with Gorilla Glass. Can anyone recommend a screen protector? Would the ones made for the Fenix 6/7 fit OK?
Thanks!
I have a Garmiin Fenix 5x Plus.
Interested in the EPIX but …………………………
Have size 26 bands for the Fenix – will they fit the EPIX?
Can I take my current Fenix settings file and upload / transfer to the new EPIX?
Thanks!!!!
Epix takes 22mm bands. It’s the same size case as the standard Fenix 7.
Great review! I have a tactix delta and cannot for
The life of me get it to connect to my Wi-Fi. I have recently found out that I’m running on Wi-Fi 5 instead of 2.4. Will the epix support 5? Thanks! (Don’t want another issue with loading music)
Quick question. It looks as though the black ‘dead area’ between the bezel and the actual display has increased in size vs the Fenix 6 (Non solar). Is that right Ray? It’s hard to tell without seeing in person.
How is battery life affected by navigating a route you’ve imported onto the watch? I’ve got the Fenix 5, and notice that my battery gets used up significantly faster when navigating a route than when I’m just recording a run (about twice as fast). If the stated battery times are based on navigating then I’ll likely go for the Epix, if not then it’s likely the 7X for me.
I actually have the 5X (as I don’t think maps was included on the 5….)
Interesting topic right there. Fenix’s MiP screen only refreshes pixels that change. Hence great battery life and a lot worse when displaying constantly moving map. AMOLED refreshes the whole screen so theoretically it shouldn’t drop as bad while navigating.
Constantly re-rendering the map screen while you move along is processor and battery intensive.
If you leave it on a data display most of the time, and just scroll to the map screen when you need to (eg. to do a navigation check at a trail junction), then navigating a route shouldn’t use any materially more battery.
Would love to know this as well.
When I go on a hike, I am usually following a route – would love to know how it impacts battery life.
Hey Ray,
Perfect as always. Helped a lot to decide on which sku to pull the trigger. Epix – but I do line the watch face of the Fenix 7 advertised everywhere. Is it possible to have that watchface on an epix?
Yes, I have that watch face on my Epix 2.
Ordered it yesterday 1/18, and received it today! First time ever purchasing directly through Garmin.
Hi Ray,
Can you send or add screenshots of all the available built in watch faces?
Thanks
Was going to get the Fenix, but after reading this review I’m going with the Epix. Thanks!
Spotted a couple of typos:
“graphical cons” should be “graphical icons”
There are some fit and polish things I see (for example, certain map regions have graphical cons and others don’t […]
“which consumers” should be “which consumes”
But that is almost inconsequential compared to the 24×7 mode, which consumers a crapton of battery.
Ray, many thanks once again for a really useful review. Unusually I actually ordered a new Garmin before reading one of your reviews (you were clearly working under an embargo – and stuck to it, unlike some others!). But I was pleased to subsequently read your thoughts.
It arrived this PM and I have to say I’m very happy with it – and so I should be given the £££!! The screen really is amazing, I just can’t imagine anyone wanting a Fenix after you’ve seen an Epix. I’ve patiently waited to upgrade from a FR935 so this feels like a decent upgrade but I recognise I’m going to need to get used to charging the Epix more frequently,
I’ve explored all the menus and done a couple of activities and it works just fine. The only minor niggle is I can’t seem to find the data fields on Garmin Connect, when I go into an individual activity say Running, the options start with Metronome rather than the Data Fields shown in your review.
LTE isn’t a big one for me so that’s not missed. Personally I would have found the ECG functionality very useful (instead of carrying around a KardiaMobile with me) but I’m hoping that if Garmin can get FDA approval then it will be an OTA update at some point in time in the future.
Now that the Fenix 7 and Epix have a touch screen, does the Golf app work the same as the S62 model? This would be awesome if it does.
will this pair with all of the sensors that Fenix 6 does? I use my 6 as a bike computer and it pairs great with power meters, varia radar, varia display and SRAM shifter. I don’t want to lose functionality
Identical here.
Even though the Elevate V4 sensor is the same, the window over it is clearly different between this watch and the Venu series. Any word on whether it’s still epoxy that’s guaranteed to eventually crack in the presence of sunblock? I’ve been through multiple FR935s despite always waiting at least 30min between sunblock application and wearing the watch (which is in itself insane).
It’s glass now in both Epix and Fenix 7. I think I put that in the ‘What’s New’ section.
You sure did! My ctrl-f-ing just didn’t include your particular choice of words :)
How exciting!
Thanks!
My sleep mode options don’t have day by day like you demonstrated here. There’s only the ability to control one set of times that apply every day.
I’m in the right place, right? System settings —> sleep mode?
Has there been an update that removed this feature?
Which firmware are you on? Should be 7.20 (same as I’m on). Double-check that, as I’m hearing reports that some folks are one crazy-old-stinky November firmware (like 6.XX). You can update firmware by connecting it to your phone and waiting, or to WiFi and waiting.
Or, the fastest ‘known good’ way is to simply connect it to a computer and use Garmin Express. It’s not super 2022, but hey, it gets the job done instantly versus waiting.
And yup, that’s the right spot.
Among the 3 options, which bezel is the most durable and scratch-resistant? I have banged my 945 around countless times and it doesn’t have a single blemish! If I’m going to spend $1000 on this one, I want the same durability. Which do you recommend?
I just ordered the black titanium Epix.
As usual the DC rainmaker review’s are the best in the business, love reading them over a few days, read the summary and decided to go for Epix instead of Fenix 7. I would have ordered the 47mm anwyay for my wrist, so this was perfect.
Upgrading from FR945.
@DC Rainmaker.
Curious about your opinion on the display of the 955 (let’s say next triathlon specific watch).
An Ironman race has a 17h (sometimes 16) time limit so i think that an amoled display could be a good choice. Maybe something less bright than this epix one…
Great review.. so I can decide about Epix vs Fenix 7.
I have a question about synchronization into garmin connect between fenix/epix and edge.
At the moment I use a FR 645 and Edge530 and pretty much it is like I have two different personalities, two separated training load, statuses and so on.
For example FR645 was used primary for run, hike, ski but in my case they are very rare, the edge unit is for MTB and road bike which is 2 or 3 time per week, so FR told me every day that I am in status detraining even if it was sync and show last activity -> “today 100km”.
US buyers: epix 2 just popped up and is available on bestbuy.com 12am 1/20/2022. Model number is 010-02582-10, Sapphire – Black Titanium. Also note: the Fenix 7 is sold out and on backordered now.
How is the Amoled visibility during a swim in a covered pool?
Mirko
After som reflection, I cannot understand Garmins selection device line-up.
Looking at number of Fenix watches sold in the world, my guesstimation is that >99.5% are not superultraenduranceadventure individuals, that really needed the EXTREME barrery life they now offer. And The AMOLED Epix (true Fenix) with software smartness (recoding, screen time out etc) really also gives extreme battery life with the AMOLED screen.
Garmin should treat Fenix as the premium watch it should be. Now its just, meh. And if they release Fenix 7v2 next January with all AMOLED. The 2022 Fenix buyers will feel cheated. And also some of the Epix buyers.
Fenix should have been ALL AMOLED. If solar was not possible because of that, then they should have made that watch the odd one out. The adventure watch. Maybe Epix should not have been the name, but rather a Garmin Enduro 2. Fully focusing of that niche of advenurers.
Touch with maps really would benefit from the X-models larger screen. Still, if that was not one’s main focus, you could go with the S, or normal models.
I’m sure Garmin could have made a model lineup that still would have allowed them to hike prices for what would be the “Epix-X”. They could play with different versions of GPS, Size, Sapphire, wristbands, pre-installed maps, etc.
Now they have chosen to devalue the Fenix lineup. All, really all, beforehand reviers, like DC, desfit and others, conclude that the AMOLED is so superior.
None of the 99.5% of Fenix buyers that are not superutraadventurers, could have accepted AMOLED. None would consider it a no-go item.
Yesterday, I really felt like I need to order Epix. And maybe I will do. But I would have preferred an Fenix. With AMOLED.
Really a bummer this decision by Garmin.
Why not accept the fact that Epix is now a more flashy Fenix? I don’t want Fenix to replace MIP screen with AMOLED. I mean they could make a Fenix Plus with AMOLED but just leave that always on battery efficient screen in the offer.
I Understand that. I think they could have achieved the target within the AMOLED-Fenix line-up.
Now they just have a “resurrected from the dead” product name with Epix. That they will have to manage.
It’s not a problem for me as a user. Althouh I would have liked an “Epix-X”. I think it’s more of a problem from Garmins perspective. When they will do ads for Fenix, they sort of will have to say “and then there’s a de-luxe version. But that has a different name”.
Customer: So the de-luxe versions of Fenix (notAMOLED) are not deluxe?
Garmin: No.
And come next January. There will be an Epix-X. For sure. Maybe even earlier. But Garmin still have their Fenix 7 problem. The MiPdisplay will for the vast majority of picky customers be unsellable. Competitors will go AMOLED. Garmin knows they have to.
When they do that for Fenix. Epix is shot down. Again. And then they will have to live with a fenix 7 with differenct screen resolusitons….. A problem in updating firmware. So they will have to rename it Fenix 8.
Does not make sense.
But as I wrote, I will most likely order the Eqiz anyway. It is a Garmin problem. Not a consumer problem.
It just depends what you call “premium”. AMOLED or superior battery life. Honestly, if I look at the Epix battery usage with good GPS and music, then that doesn’t give me that much confidence and I cannot call that “extreme” battery life. It’s good, no doubt, but I’m ALWAYS running with music and that means for a standard weekend I’ll start with 100% and by Sunday noon I’ll be left with 40% or so. Then use AOD and you’re charging 2-3 times a week.
Which again is not that bad, but I would rather have more. I hate to have to plug in my current watch 2-3 times per week. I can be confronted with wanting to go on a run but quickly having to charge a bit first.
Claims for the 7X look far better and more reassuring to me and I’m happy they kept it MIP.
(and that’s aside from my burn-in adventures with the Venu that keep me from buying an Epix altogether)
The Fenix is still the Fenix. There’s now just an alternative with a different screen.
Having bought and taken delivery of my Epix, and seen them consensus of the reviews, I think Garmin should have used OLED for the all the Garmin Fenix 7 range and made Epix the watch with MIP screen for the real hardcore ultra runners etc who need the long battery life. That seems more logical to me as Fenix is a recognised sub brand and has always showcased the best new Garmin tech.
Hi Ray, thanks for the review!
The only thing I am really disappointed about is the very large solar ring which is not worth it to support an unnecessary feature.
And even more disappointed on the Epix, with the same bezel and screen as Fenix 7, meaning just a huge black ring for… nothing, as there is no solar charging on Epix. Very much looking like an old Fenix 5x..
What are your thoughts about this? Thanks
Ben
Yeah the solar ring is ugly and they didn’t introduce Sapphire version without it. That’s my mine complaint.
Yeah, I do agree a non-solar-ring-sapphire would have been nice.
I think in respect to the Epix and bezel, the bezel coloring probably makes a difference a little bit. For example, with your silver edition, you see the bezel far more obviously because it goes from silver to black to screen. Whereas on the black one I have, it’s basically just a continuation of the metal color, visually.
That said, I find that some folks hate extra bezels, and other folks don’t really care a ton, to a degree. I tend to fall in the second camp. The bezels here don’t bother me at all – because the screen is overall pretty large. Whereas something like the Suunto 5 Peak (review up shortly), the bezels are basically half the size of the screen, so it’s more noticeable/notable. Especially as the screen itself is rather smal.
Mh the bezels. Considering Apple solved the bezel issue in the apple Watch at half the price it simply feels a bit odd and to be honest, outdated already. I would not complain at 400€. AMOLED is certainly the future, now we want more of it. Especially at this price point.
Burn-in has not be an issue for me so far (I use the 130€ Huawei GT2e since it came out and I considered switching to the Epix). The Garmin display seems to be a bit better/brighter in comparison. I will wait until prices drop into sane territory.
I hate unused screenspace with a passion. Hard Pass on Fenix because of Gameboy color Display. Hard Pass on epix because of unused screenspace. Hard Pass on both as an incremental Product Update Must Not cost the Same as my Bike.
If I look at the Epix as a smart watch I sadly get the same feeling as I got when saw the Lumia phones with Windows Phone in 2012: A nice device that passes all requirements and have some aces up its sleeves. But isn’t the dominant manufacturer in the segment and major third party software developers will not support the device if Garmin doesn’t pay them.
Ray
Could you comment on battery life settings. I am particularly interested in the impact of multi band. How much does it impact battery life. I am primarily a road biker who loves to golf and ski. I am definitely an always on with dimming kind of guy. Is it worth the impact to use multiband for these activities.
I think a video/article on battery life tradeoffs for the Epix would be amazing!
Thanks
In all my testing thus far, I think Garmin is actually being too conservative in their Epix & Fenix 7 battery numbers. By a considerable margin. There’s the charts in the review of course.
But looking at a long-activity, here’s a 7hr ride, with:
– Always-on display enabled
– Optical HR enabled (on wrist)
– Course following enabled
– ClimbPro enabled
– Multiband GPS enabled
– Power meter connected
You can see the attached graph, but basically, it puts it above Garmin’s estimated battery life for multiband mode on Epix. It also puts it above Garmin’s estimation for Fenix 7 (though, sunny day may have helped more on solar). And Garmin’s numbers typically don’t include course-following, since that eats more battery.
Thanks for sharing that! Do you happen anything like that looking at burn rates using ‘All Systems’ mode?
It sounds like for me battery life will be a non issue. I am so happy I ordered an EPIX
Now that Garmin has these pretty screens, can they please rip off the awesome heatmap watch face of the Suunto 7?
I went ahead and did it myself.
This is great. Is this a static display of the heat map or does it change depending on your location?
Thanks!
It’s static. I just did a screencap of Strava’s personal heatmap and then made the face using Connect IQ’s “face it” feature. You can only have one at a time, and it takes a long time to transfer.
Got me Epix 2 today. Bluetooth is dropping out bad!!! Tested on 2 different devices, both on a run and at my desk. Tested with Spotify and MP3 files.
Anyone else experience this? It love it, but music and screen are the reasons I’m buying it. May not keep it :-(
What headphones?
Sony wh-1000xm4 (test left and right)
Bose SoundSport Free Wireless Headphones.
While at desk they must be at most 1.5 ft from each other.
P.S. Great review – converted me!
Hmm, bummer. I don’t have either of those around here. I’ve been using it without issue with the Beats Studio Buds and the Surface headphones. :-/
I experienced BT audio dropouts on my Epix Sapphire (while using the Spotify Music app for a podcast), using Beats Fit Pro’s. Occasional BT disconnects also. Changing from Stereo to Mono didn’t improve the situation.
I’m wearing the Epix on my Left Hand, and may try switching to my Right to see if it makes a difference. That said, as these are each wireless, I’m not sure that will make a difference. I may also see if the my PowerBeats set, which are BT but wired together, do any better. It’s a shame though, as I’ve really been enjoying the Beats Fit Pro’s… finally an in ear that doesn’t fall out while running…
I’ve just contacted Garmin Support via email about this issue. Hopefully I’ll hear something back that’s useful. Otherwise, sadly, it’s a return from me.
I tried my Beats Fit Pro ear buds yesterday and they worked perfectly for the hour or so that I listened. I wasn’t doing any hard exercise. Just walking the dog. But not a single dropout.
Can somebody please clarify for me if the “black titanium” version on for sale on the Garmin website has a DLC coating? It’s very confusing that they don’t specify if the coating is DLC carbon gray or “bare titanium”. I very much want the DLC coating to protect a $1000 watch! Can’t get in touch with Garmin customer service by chat.
link to garmin.com
Got the Sapphire edition this morning and looks very black to me. Not metal titanium silver.
Right, I’m not confused about whether it’s black or silver, just whether the black has a DLC coating. Is what you have the same as the carbon gray on the Fenix 6 Pro?
I’ve only got the Fenix 3 Sapphire – looks very similar.
See my and AJ’s posts above. From garmin’s own website and the black dlc titanium fenix 6 and black titanium epix I have on hand, I believe the black titanium epix has a carbon gray dlc titanium bezel. But it’d be great to get official confirmation on this.
Confirmed!
Hey Ray, Thanks for the great review!
I’m still rocking my Fenix 5 plus, and one key feature I love is a watchface with a seconds hand. On the fenix 5 plus it’s always visible also with backlight off. How is this with the epix? The video’s online offcourse show the beautiful screen on… but I’m really wondering about the dimmed always on display in combination with the seconds hand. Can you say/post something about this?
When the display dims, the secondhand disappears (at least with the default watch faces). However, the moment you move the display to face you (like twisting your wrist), then it apperas.
Thanks for the info!!
For as nice as this screen is, are there any analog watch faces that aren’t awful looking? I was just browsing though Connect IQ and even the highest rated ones all look bad. Some of the digital ones are okay, but nothing that doesn’t loudly scream sport watch.
Nothing that comes close to looking as nice as even the simplest ones I use on WearOS like Odyssey or my preferred one, Marine Commander. I know that Garmin prioritizes other things than WearOS (and I want those extra features), but if I’m going to spend $1000 on a watch, I wouldn’t want its primary view to look so gaudy all the time.
Until a few months ago I was using a Fenix 5+ and before that pretty much had every Fenix generation as soon as it got released. When my Fenix 5+ developed some connectivity issues with my iPhone and Garmin Support was no help, I decided to give the Apple Series 7 a try. While the Apple watch struggles with being a ‘serious runner’ watch, the seamless integration and interoperability with an iPhone is so smooth and simply very impressive: notification handling, replying to messages, snoozing an alarm, unlocking a phone with just the watch (because Face-ID doesn’t work while wearing a mask), etc. All in all, miles away from the very rudimentary capabilities of a Fenix. So to finally get to my question…. has the level of integration/interoperability between a Epix/Fenix and an iPhone since improved and if so, how? (Note: I am not referring to the now extended feature for setting up a Garmin watch with the phone app.) TIA!
Apple doesn’t give third party apps privileges to most of the items you mentioned, so there’s not much Garmin can do. The Android/Garmin experience is much closer to what you described.
Incredible review(s) as always, Ray, thanks so much.
One question about all the new health metrics. Due to weather limitations, I spend a great of time on TrainerRoad/Zwift, and so it was great news last year when Garmin changed its system and allowed training load to be updated on Garmin devices for workouts done in other apps like TrainerRoad without using a Garmin device to record them. How many of the amazing new health metrics are processed only on the watch, and thus you would lose (or at least not have as much accuracy) unless you go back to wearing them on all TrainerRoad/Zwift, etc. rides?
Thanks as always, just terrific work.
link to dcrainmaker.com
Any idea how much more power is consumed having the map displayed vs the usual time/pace? Significant?
At the moment, additional maps – such Transalpin or the Alpenvereinskarte – are not available for the Epix. However, for Fenix 7 models they are. Got the Epix yesterday, display is awesome.
Thanks DC for the great review, as always.
This was fixed over night… Both maps are available now.
Great review and it convinced me to get the epix. Quick question re editing/tweaking options on the app – I followed the pictures above but I don’t get the option to edit datafields, alerts or power mode – my options start at metronome – any idea why that is?
Double check your firmware on the watch (should be 7.20), and double check your phone Garmin Connect app. I’ve heard closing and reopening GCM should kick things over.
Very cool thank you that did the trick! Finally Garmin allows you to amend settings on the app.
Now just waiting for native power and perhaps wrist power too.
Have the 6 Pro Sapphire, and was intending to upgrade to the 7X, but now I’m torn. The only thing really holding me back on the Epix is battery life.
Here’s my typical “worst case” mission: drive 2 – 3 hours up to Breckenridge/Keystone/Vail for a day of skiing. Ski the full day using All-Sat GPS using ski tracking, perhaps some mapping. Apres ski for an hour or two. Drive back. Driving/idle time on wrist and off charger ~6 hours. Acitivity (skiing, snowshoeing, etc.) ~ 6-8 hours, plus apres. That’s a 14 – 18 hour day with at least half using GPS and activity tracking, along with email and phone notifications, etc…
Would this use case max out the battery each day? If we go out to eat afterward, that’s pushing 20 hours until it gets on a charger. This would not be a once in a while thing. Am I looking at just murdering the battery after two seasons?
I so want the AMOLED screen on the Epix, but if I’m going to kill the battery in a couple years, it’s off the table.
I think you’ll be fine, I’ve set up a ski profile which is display off but everything (including multi-band) on. That’s going to give me 20 hours with GPS on, of which realistically I’m going to have the GPS on for no more than half of that time. Once the activity tracking stops the watch will be somewhere around 40-50% charged and will be in smartwatch mode which is 16 days with display off if needed (in reality I’d go back to alway on at that point).
If you’re really worried plug it into a battery pack at a coffee stop to top it back up again but I honestly don’t think it’s going to be needed.
You’ll be more than fine.
I did 7hr 11 mins min ride last week, using always-on display enabled, a power meter via ANT+, a route loaded for navigation with ClimbPro enabled, and multi-band GPS enabled (highest setting). I started at 92% and ended at 59% (a 32% decrease). A Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar on a sunny day but with lots of forests configured identically started at 98% and went to 77% (a 21% decrease). Projected real-world battery life’s in the highest possible battery burning configuration are 21.7hrs for Epix & 34.1hrs for Fenix 7 Sapphire Solar. So, you could do two full ski days plus all the rest of the 24×7 stuff without charging.
And, if you didn’t have routing loaded, didn’t have multi-band GPS loaded, and didn’t have sensors connected, and so on, you’d probably get three full 7-8hr ski days.
Hi! Honestly did not go through all the almost 300 comments plus answers so if already discussed sorry, I did miss it since I am lazy :)
The screen comparison pics with the feix 7 make this one look very bad, and after a long while make me think about getting an amoled watch again (though I can’t stand either a black screen on the wrist or a “always on amoled” since looking “unnatural” to me since producing in any case it’s own light… being in love with traditional watches I very much like the “passive” look of a screen visible without any kind of “active lightning” from it.
This being said, the comparison is made always with a “solar Sapphire” F7, correct? That would be the worst readable in my little experience due to both sapphire and the additional solar panel layer over the display; would love to see compared in same light conditions a solar sapphire to a base model (or possibly… triple comparison Base-vs-Solar-vs-SolarSapphire).
Curios also considering my only experience in the field… I had gotten a fenix 6 solar (which had no sapphire lens, of course) but compared with the regular screen of my friends’ fenix 6 pro it looked like crap. I returned it and got a regular F6 – not even pro – which looks MUCH better than the solar did. Granted, this is based on only these devices, could have been luck of the draw for the specific screens.
One note for garmin… why not loosing the display overlay part of the panel and just keep the edge ring, internal part is already at crappy efficiency level (though big surface…) so… give the below display a chance, at least!
Anyway, thanks for the usual very deep reviews, this site is the point of reference for any sports gadgets, particularly Garmin stuff.
Cheers
Received mine yesterday, the screen is a game changer, and the way it’s used with the various graphical data fields, makes it so much easier to read. Firmware needed updating to add the ability to tweak settings via phone, cheers for the tip on pushing it via Garmin Express, sped up the setup no end.
Is 16GB enough room?
Maps for all of North America are 9.1GB as a reference.
Is there any change in settings of phone notifications? Two vibrations for an incoming call is just not enough. Is it possible to choose different notification pattern?3 vibrations, 5 vibrations, vibrations until picking up the phone call, etc…?
Would be good if possible but I think not.
I had one Sony SWR10 Smart Band for years ago and there this was possible (e.b. Vibration until picking up the phone)
Upgrade for my Forerunner 235:
Venu2 vs EPIX2
The Epix has only one heavy bad point: three times more expensive as the Venu2 …… but definitely I want to go with AMOLED.
Hi Ray, always appreciate your very thorough reviews! Do you have any thoughts when Garmin will start adding cellular (so it can operate as a standalone device)? Thanks! Yoeri
Ray, I’m seeing comments in the Garmin forums about inconsistencies in the buttons and I know this is something that has bothered people with Garmin’s watches in the past. Do you ever notice this ‘issue’ on devices that you are testing or are they all ‘perfect’?
Mine is fine. When I got my FR945 there was a lot of talk about buttons as well. My have always worked. Maybe not the best imaginable feel. But they have always worked perfectly.
mine sometimes click, sometimes don’t. with it all being touchscreen it really only matters during and activity. i don’t want to be aggravated at it, because otherwise the watch is great.
According to Garmin, “always-on” is not, in fact, “always-on.” It times out after 60 seconds.
Review has picked up most of key differences – Epix 2 vs Fenix 7X Sapphire – for screen/display. i.e. Epix 2 has AMOLED, smaller screen dia 1.3″ (vs 1.4″). But does not discuss glass material. Epix 2 has “Sapphire Crystal” which the non-solar Fenix 6X Sapphire had, but the Fenix 7X which only has solar has “Power Sapphire”. I’d really like to know the difference. I suspect the Fenix 7X glass is less scratch resistant because it has solar (same as Fenix 6 solar model), but I have found nothing in the review on both new models to help me. If it was a choice between a solar 7X and a tougher glass Epix 2 – then Epix 2 wins for me!
As always, this is the place to come for great reviews – unless you prefer the videos! I hate to show my ignorance but numerous searches haven’t resulted in an answer. What does Ray think of the titanium case compared to stainless steel, with and without the DLC. We know scratches happen but will titanium look better given identical abuse? And the same question on the sapphire glass.
I’ve read lots of forum postings but figured with Ray’s deep usage on all kinds of Garmin watches I’ll get a reliable answer. Thanks!!
I got my Epix yesterday and as I play around in the activity settings I don’t see any option to customize data fields via Garmin connect. I’m fact, my settings list starts with the metronome setting rather than the data screen settings. I see the settings on the photos which appears to be above the metronome settings in the screen shots of the review. Anyone else notice this?
Need to upgrade to FW 7.2.
What’s the max number of data screens that layout allows?
8 Data fields for Epix.
Epix / Garmin Connect connection w iOS 15 / iPhone 13 Pro connection / settings access unreliable?
I’ve noticed that Garmin Connect seems to be a little flaky maintaining a reliable BT connection with the my Epix. From time to time if I’m in Garmin Connect the watch Icon indicates it’s “connected” (green dot, although no sync progress on opening the app), but when I go to access the watch (to access settings), it just goes to an empty screen, rather than the list of watch settings.
Closing Garmin Connect and restarting the app, toggling phone and watch w Airplane Mode, or restarting the iPhone does not seem to fix it. It seems to require a watch power down / power up to return access to the watch settings via Garmin Connect. I’m running the latest 7.20 firmware.
Is this an issue others have seen with Garmin Connect / iOS? Everything else seems good, although (mentioned in another reply) I did experience frequent BT headphone (Beats Fit Pro) audio dropouts while out on my first run with the Epix.
I’ve just re-paired the iPhone and Epix to see if that helps at all, but it seems like a long shot.
Watching the latest DCRainmaker video indicates that if you leave the Epix on the table inactive even if you have the screen always on selected, it turns off after a minute of inactivity.
I would like to know if the Epix for indoor cycling connected to a chest strap and attached to the handlebar of the bike turns off the screen after one minute of activity?
Ray
Do you happen to know what type of pace is shown in the workout screen for a paced interval when doing a structured workout? I assumed it was the average lap (or step) pace but I am seeing a much faster average lap pace for an interval when I check later in Connect than I ever saw on the pace gauge on the workout screen when I was doing the interval. I do not think it is instant pace either as the pace was steady and did not seem to bounce around much. Of course, it is just about possible I am inadvertently speeding up enormously between occasional glances at the workout screen, but I think it is unlikely. I know I finished one interval with the gauge showing 7:25m/m but the lap pace shown in Connect is a good 20 seconds/mile faster. Very puzzled and wondering if there is a bug on the Epix workout screen.
Ray
Do you happen to know what type of pace is shown in the workout screen for a paced interval when doing a structured workout? I assumed it was the average lap (or step) pace but I am seeing a much faster average lap pace for an interval when I check later in Connect than I ever saw on the pace gauge on the workout screen when I was doing the interval. I do not think it is instant pace either as the pace was steady and did not seem to bounce around much. Of course, it is just about possible I am inadvertently speeding up enormously between occasional glances at the workout screen, but I think it is unlikely. I know I finished one interval with the gauge showing 7:25m/m but the lap pace shown in Connect is a good 20 seconds/mile faster. Very puzzled and wondering if there is a bug on the Epix workout screen.
Hello Ray,
i saw some threads on Garmin forum about a different behavior of the AOD after the latest update.
(attached a photo posted from Garmin)
Can you confirm it? In this case the AOD is not really an AOD anymore and looks a big change from Garmin.
Thanks :)
I‘m running the EPIX with FW 7.20 and have AOD active.
It depends on the Watchface on how it reacts after X seconds.
Certain WF have low level watchfaces (similar to the sleep screen) some are completely off.
But most of the Garmin ones have at least something showing, lots of the Connect IQ ones are completely off (and wake up with Gesture Mode on).
But i can confirm, after 60s even the aod-watchface is turned off
Thanks for this review. I bought the Epix. I also have a edge 530 and do a lot of cycling with a chest strap HRM. My question is regarding best practices while biking, and I can’t find the answer searching on the internet.
I want to 1) maximiser all functions like body battery, stamina/potential, etc, 2) minimize things I am wearing while biking, 3) use edge screen.
My current plan: dump the chest strap, use Epix on upper arm broadcasting heart rate, use edge 530 to record the activity. Rationale is that while chest strap is more accurate, upper arm is good enough and I want the Epix with me anyways. Also I use varia lights/radar in addition to power meter and other sensors, and I understand that the radar screen alerts don’t come through to the edge 530 if I record on the Epix and use the edge as a screen only receiving from the Epix.
My questions:
1. Given my scenario, is this the ideal arrangement?
2. Any major downsides to this?
3. Will the edge 530 be getting the stamina/potential data fields, would love to see these while riding
4. If I instead left the Epix at home and used my current setup (edge 530 + chest strap) do I lose any functionality/data on the Epix (like stress, body battery, HR variability stuff) or does the Epix pull everything from the edge 530 via TrueUp and there is zero benefit to riding with both the Epix and edge 530 (beyond dumping the chest strap, which annoys me sometimes; though who knows, maybe an arm strap would be just as annoying?)?
Thanks for all you do, appreciate you taking the time to read and reply to this.
So I don’t really understand. IMHO, you have the perfect cycling setup, so you’re going to use the Epix as a 1000 dollar HRM in place of a more accurate < 100 dollar chest strap? Or are you going to use the Epix to record activities as well? If it were me, the Epix would stay at home when I went cycling, like my 5+ does now (I have an 830). If you really want all of the new fluff on the Epix, I don't see any way but to use the Epix as a recording device all of the time, and toss the FIT file from the 530 when you get home when you go cycling. Then everything is the same as before, the Varia works as before, and it's just a matter of always using the FIT file from the Epix so you get everything you want.
TrueUp at the moment is pretty primitive. I just checked, and my Edge 830 knows that I used my 5+ to go cross country skiing this week, but what it knows is pretty basic.
I just received my Epix 2 Saphire to replace my Fenix 3 and am very happy with it so far. For the winter I have been spending a lot of time on my Wahoo Smart Trainer which through Zwift imports workout data to Garmin Connect, but I see it does not calculate VO2 Max data from the Zwift Imports. I also am using the indoor Bike feature on the Epix 2 connected to my chest heart rate monitor and the Wahoo Smart Trainer also. The mileage obtained by the Indoor Bike on the Epix was short 8 miles, but the Zwift Import does not have as much data as the Indoor Bike on the Epix 2 (missing Training Effect, V02 Max, Exercise Load, TSS). Which is the best way of obtaining indoor cycling data for Garmin Connect using the Zwift Import or the Indoor Bike feature on the Epix? I assume as it is now, it is double counting the workouts? DCRainmaker when riding indoors how to you collect your data for Garmin Connect? Thanks for the review and all the information!
Thanks for the review. An affiliate link to Garmin would have been great, I was hoping you would post a link to their site directly.
Hi Manish-
Thanks! I don’t do any affiliate links directly to companies I review. This helps to reduce bias towards a company offering a higher affiliate commission. It’s not a perfect system of course, but it’s the one I’ve adopted.
Cheers!
And we appreciate your efforts to minimize bias! Your reviews are fantastic.
I just got my Epix yesterday and used it on a 3-hour XC skate ski today (with HRM Pro strap to try the new ski power function–thanks for your article on that a while back). The Epix is everything I hoped it would be, and a very big step up from my Fenix 5x. The AMOLED screen is wonderful (and I appreciate that it has 2.5x the pixels of the Fenix 7 screen, makes maps and all the displays more usable). Battery life seems excellent so far. Music on board is very nice. The only issue I had today is the watch crashed and rebooted when I tried to switch playlists in Spotify. But it resumed my activity and didn’t lose anything, so that’s excellent. Hopefully they will fix this soon if it’s a bug.
Awesome review Ray once again. After waiting a year for the Fenix 7 (happy Fenix 5 users) you’ve convinced me on the Epix. One thing I was wondering, which will apply to both the Epix 2 and Fenix 7, is what the swimming function is like. I have the FORM goggles and found them amazingly accurate for auto stop-starting laps – is the Epix/Fenix as good as the FORM goggles in this regard? Cheers mate.
Hi Ray, great in-depth review of the Epix!
I do have two questions about the new display:
Would it be possible to use always on display without it increasing the brightness on gestures? So if you would like to increase the brightness you have to tap the screen or a button?
Although there are only 4 levels of brightness, can you change the brightness independently from ‘back light on’ and ‘back light (semi) off’ in always on mode?
Thanks in advance for your answers.
Kind regards,
A fellow Dutch guy
Thanks for another great review.
I moved to the F6x because of the bigger screen size. I was having difficulty reading incoming texts on my F3.
Can you comment on the readability of text messages on the Epic 2 vs. the F6x.
I am hoping that the sharper, brighter screen of the Epic means texts are at least equally readable as the F6x.
Hi Ray,
Have you done much Epix (or F7) heartrate testing while mountain biking? I seem to get not so good results results. Here is a MTB ride compared to a Polar H10. Ignore all the diagonal lines where I was stopping and waiting for people. There is one little road section where, once the H10 got wet and woke up, that matched really well. Pretty much the same as an indoor ride. However, the MTB sections, in green, are not super close. The general shape matches the H10 but the difference between the two is often 10bpm and in some places 20bpm. Is that what you’d expect? I am supposing that the watch is bouncing around quite a bit on my wrist.
Forgot to add that the Epix is Blue and the H10 purple. Courtesy of the dcr analyzer.
Even worse, the colors listed above are backwards. Epix is actually purple and H10 blue.
I haven’t done intentional mountain biking, but I did do an hour or so of riding/hiking with my road bike on very much mountain bike rock trails by accident. :)
But I didn’t honestly focus on the HR on that one, because it was such a mess practically (constantly mounting/dismounting/carrying bike) – that trying to analyze it would have been useless.
That said, MTB is generally tough for most wearables. However, I get really solid (virtually perfect) alignment indoors on all my rides. I assume the Epix is nice and snug? And that the H10 is indeed full wet/moist the entire time?
Yes, the Epix and H10 match perfectly indoors for me as well and appear to match well on road rides. The watch is as snug as it gets without stretching the band. The mtb mismatch might be made worse by me having relatively narrow and bony wrists. However, the sensor is definitely on meat and not bone.
Sorry to interfere – I’ve also have narrow and bony wrists and was riding many rocky MTB some years ago – It could be very challenging for heavy massive watch to be stable on such wrist for correct measurement…
I was also hoping that ECG would be amongst the new features. Garmin are a bit behind in that regard.. Question is, does the sensor of the Epix not bring the needed functional support or does the limitation sit on the software side? Latter one could be solved and come later as an update.
Does anyone have more information or knowledge about this topic?
I’m pretty sure the Apple Watch requires you to put a finger on the bezel to take an ECG? Unless one of the buttons on the Epix is set up that way, it could be a hardware issue
That’s right. I have an AW series 7 and I rarely use ECG, and then only because I might as well because it’s there. You have to put a finger to the crown and sit still for 30 seconds, so this is not something you can do in the middle of an activity. If you don’t have a medical condition where ECG might help/warn you, I don’t see the need. (And if you do, why aren’t you using a medical grade device?)
Any chance we’ll see a GPS Only vs All Systems vs All + Multi-Band comparison for accuracy and battery life?
I know there are lots of variables but trying to decide which mode to use as default depending on the tradeoffs, especially given your report that Multi-Band doesn’t seem to add much most of the time compared to All Systems and I’ve seen others mention GPS Only seems just as good as All Systems
Excellent review, as always. Thank you so much.
A question / comment on the relationship between VO2max and Race predictor.
Here is what I did: The Epix 2 has taken over the VO2max value from my Fenix 5 using Physio True-up. Worked all very well.
The race prediction is notably different though: the Fenix 5 predicts a much faster race time across 5km, 10km, half and marathon than the Epix 2 does. The Epix 2 seems quite a bit off in reality when I compare to recent race results I had. Timings seem quite a bit closer on the Fenix 5.
Are you aware to any algorithm changes? Any other hints?
Yup, correct! Starting in the Fenix 6 series, they introduced changes to the race predictor, specifically based on looking at your semi-recent history. Meaning, you can have a high VO2Max, but that won’t directly translate to a fast marathon time unless it sees the base running mileage to support that.
So think of a cyclist scenario. You can have a great cyclist with a huge VO2Max, but wouldn’t have done any meaningful amount of running to support going out and doing a half-marathon.
Hello there! Coming from a F3HR then VA4. Super happy about the E2, amazing display. But I have a question… Is there a reason why F7/E2 don’t have an auto activity start feature?
I understand it may affect battery life but if this is a concern, you could actually deactivate it.
I think it’s a pity…
Do you see the feature coming with an update?
Thank you!
Is the battery life good for a 12 hour Ironman… replacing a 935? Thanks
The specs Ray posted say 15 hours with GPS + multiband on and in always-on mode. So yes.
Thanks for the review.
As the new owner of Epix watch and old owner of Edge 830 i’m wondering what’s the best way to use them together.
During the winter I used to ride indoor using Wahoo Kicker Core + Wahoo TacX HRM + Zwift on iPad . Zwift paired with Garmin. I don’t think it worked very well for calculating Training status or VO2max (it dropped quite a lot). TrueUp was turnned on and power data and HR were transfered correctly. Last two rides I unpaired Zwift from Garmin, mounted Favero Assioma pedals on my indoor training bike and used combinaition of Epix (with wrist HR) + Favero pedals to track the training. I know it was only two rides and the watch is stil calibrating, but i can see already the VO2max up by 3.
For the outside ride my plan is to use Edge for the tracking/navigation with the watch on my hand but without running any activity. With Pysio TrueUp turned on. Is this the correct way? Will it sync correctly data like Body Battery, Sleep or Recovery Time?
Also one more question about Garmin Pay. According to the documentation entering the PIN should last for 24 hours. But in my experience I was asked to enter the PIN again aproximately after 1-2 hours. I didn’t removed the watch from my wrist during this time. I have read on garmin forums that some activities may turn off the wrist HRM and the whatch then comes to conclusion that you put it down from you wrist.
Thanks for the review. Doesn’t make the choice any easier! But useful information.
Thanks for another amazing review, but I’m still struggling to choose!
I have a FR935 which has given me excellent service, but I find the screen and resolution a bit small for my ageing eyes when using a bike mount on my handlebars, so I end up displaying only one or two items on the screen at a time. But who needs an excuse to buy a new gadget :-)
Initially it seemed like the Epix Gen 2 was made for me, with its AMOLED display having a greatly increased resolution and brightness. However, comments about potential burn-in have worried me, because I would be setting it at maximum brightness for a few hours on “always-on” on my bike mount.
I’m now leaning towards buying the Fenix 7X with glass (not sapphire) to try to get maximum screen size and clarity from its non-AMOLED display.
Any thoughts on the visibility and readability of the options on a bike mount would be welcome. Thanks
So it looks like the Epix is going to be useless for my bike mount needs. It appears that on a bike mount it will dim even when in “always on” mode – which is evidently not easily readable outdoors. Workarounds like setting triggers for the screen to brighten periodically don’t appeal to me at all. I want to see the screen when I want to! Maybe they shouldn’t be selling a bike mount for a watch that isn’t suited to it?
Just out of curiosity: where did you come up with those predefined sports as I can’t find all of those at least from my watch?
I simply scrolled through the list and typed them out. Remember to tap the ‘Add’ button, and then continue getting even more. Which ones are you missing?
there’s a ton missing from the ‘prerelease’ v6.41 that is on some shipping units, cyclocross,ebike,emtb, gravel bike, bike commute, snowshoe and more – updating to v7.20 from system>software update makes them available and adds the data field edit in Connect phone app too
pre-release 6.57 not 6.41
Hi Ray. Do you know how/if I can change the device name announced for the Epix over Bluetooth headphones we they connect? With my old Fenix 6 the headphones would announce “Connected to watch “, but when connecting them to the Epix they announce “Connecting to [some really long indecipherable series of letters and number]”. I can’t find anywhere on the Epix or in Garmin Connect Mobile to change this name. Thanks.
Hey, maybe i’m too blind to find it, but i can’t change the Performance Widget to show the Running VO2 instead of the bike VO2 in the overview. In the options i can change the distance prediction (5k,10k,HM,M) but nothing else. I am sure i was able to change that on the FR945.
Anyone a clue?
I’m pretty sure it shows the last increase in VO2Max. Meaning, if it came from cycling, it shows that, and then from running, it shows that.
Thanks Mate! Will check back once I gained a bit more exercises on that thing!
I note your comments about there being little improvement in GPS accuracy with multiband from what you’ve been able to see in testing. For me, maybe not an accuracy improvement per se but in the ten days I’ve had my Epix, and as someone who has used Fenix / Forerunners for the last several years (including the FR945 and the Fenix 6 – yes safe to say I have a problem), I’ve found that the GPS in “All Systems” mode is getting a fix seconds after I walk out my door in a dense big city neighborhood with tall buildings all around. With my Fenix / FR I had to walk down the street to an open spot and even then it would take 30 seconds to a minute to get a GPS fix. I wonder if anyone else has noticed this? I haven’t even tried multiband yet. When it comes to accuracy of the GPS track, could possibly be performing better in areas with lots of buildings around but I haven’t done a two watch test like you do Ray.
So I wondered whether, even ignoring multiband, there is a difference in “All Systems” versus the Fenix/FR options of GPS Only, GPS+Glonass, and GPS+Galileo. Is all systems essentially GPS+Galileo+Glonass and could this explain the improvements I’ve noticed.
Otherwise, I’d just note that Strava does not seem to be picking up the device’s elevation data from activities yet. Strava will in this case just backfill elevation data using the GPS data and maps. Bit annoying but I guess we just need to wait for Strava to add the device to the database (presumably of devices that can pass along elevation data) as per this support article. link to support.strava.com
It’s funny, I didn’t have anywhere to put it logical – but I found it astounding that I could actually get/establish GPS signal over the middle of the Atlantic ocean in an airplane with multiband, in a matter of 10 seconds or so – from inside the cabin.
That might sound easy, but most GPS units actually really struggle with that significantly. In fact, it can often take dozens of minutes to acquire GPS on most watches (if at all), when trying to do it from inside a plane screaming along at 600MPH.
It’s funny you mention that, as I always try this on a flight with my Fenix 5! Usually takes 5 mins or more to establish GPS or not at all.
That’s cool, never tried on a plane before. Can you record an activity while you’re at it? Maybe nab a few Strava crowns by the time you touch down 🤣
It’s a pretty big improvement for those of us city-dwellers who live in the shadows of tall buildings. No more GPS acquisition ritual, wrist raised towards the sky in desperation. No more watching GPS signal indicator go yellow, back to red… It pretty much just goes straight to green now.
Also, Strava has finally added the Epix Gen2 👍
Yup, you can record on a plane. It’s also fun with the maps, because it allowed me to figure out where we were and rough estimate to how long to go (since this plane, being a budget carrier, did not have any inflight system or such).
Are there any other watches with AMOLED and mapping less expensive than the epix2 other than the Suunto 7?
I suppose an Apple Watch, and then using one of the various 3rd party apps that do mapping on it.
Anyone used it for pool swims yet? Keen to know how the auto-stop/start works.
I did use it for pool swims, but I don’t personally tend to use auto-start/stop myself, unfortunately.
I tried auto rest on my first pool swim. timing not very accurate. and when I was swimming with fins watches didn’t record distance accurately (showing 25m instead of 50m)
Anyone Else haveing trouble with skiing power (skate). Have å brand New HRM pro with newst sw and eipx with 7.2. Worlkes fine with 945 and old HRM pro (died yesterday and was replaced)
I was just wondering your thoughts on if / when Garmin may bring out an Expix 2s to match the size of the Felix 7s? I’m surprised they didn’t and wonder why they didn’t… Cheers.
If? Certainly – zero doubts in my mind.
When? that’s trickier. There’s some precedent for them doing a follow-up expansion to product lines in the summer (both Fenix 6 and Instinct got Solar additive expansions to other sizes). But those were both 1-1.5 years later, and largely done as stop-gaps instead of another major release.
Up till COVID, Garmin was on a pretty stable 12-16 month release cycle for the Fenix series, and I’ve gotta believe they want to get back to that type of cycle. So from that perspective, it’d be better to hold off till next year or so.
However, lacking an LTE version throws a wrench into all those things. I can’t imagine they’ll wait a year+ to do that. Both because there’s demand, and because it’s additive sub revenue.
Short version: It’ll happen, but who knows when…
Hi!
How will the Epix 2 display behave when mounted at the stem/handlebar at the bike?
Today I have the Fenix 3 mounted at the stem, and can just throw a short view to see the info (during daytime). Without pressing any button or screen. This way I can follow my cadence, power or whatever without any gesture with my hand.
In practical use at the bike,
will the Epix 2 screen shout off?
or..
Will it dim down a stay dimmed, because of small movement at the bike?
By this conserve battery.
or..
Will it be unstable and shift between dimmed, 100% and off?
Resulting in short battery life and an annoying screen.
or..something else..
/Stig
There’s a thread in GF. If that is the case it makes the Epix kind of useless for cycling…
link to forums.garmin.com
Is the Epix Saphire in stock anywhere?
A lot of the attention on this watch is obviously due to the new screen and resolution with the most benefit to mapping and navigating.
So far not a single indepth look at mapping on Youtube, displaying it in action, although Ray’s small segment has been most informative.
Would love a vid showing a better look at mapping on the Epix
What specifically with respect to mapping are you looking for?
Basically what you delivered in the review but more of it. Seeing the map in action, more panning and zooming.
Particularly when following a route, finding it, selecting and loading it – I found on my other devices this caused some laginess.
And any differences from all the above to how the Fenix 7 works.
I would like to see how the levels of detail vary on Epix vs fenix at the different map detail settings. I’m also wondering if the fenix 7x shows a larger portion of the map or the same portion of the map but slightly bigger on the screen. Obviously there are no chevrons on the course line but maybe if I make the wheel creak a bit…
I’m also curious about the map data itself. I’ve used a (bike) 530 for trail running and love how the trail I am on is shown highlighted on that device. Anything like that on the fenix line? The 530 has trail forks integration I believe. I wonder what comes from the garmin maps data what comes from trail forks. I assume the trail forks data is not on the fenix or Epix natively.
Also. Just general watch porn. :)
Gotchya. I’ve added it to my short-term list!
I personally would love to see how quickly it updates / refreshes.
I use the mapping / navigation for trail running on my 6X Pro Solar a lot, but find it at times it lags a lot, especially if zooming in and out, can be waiting for it to gather all the details (On medium Setting)
I think I saw you mention the mapping hasn’t really changed, so I’m hopping it the Epix, has a better processor as moving the map around and zooming by touch I can see being frustrating if it has the same lag, where you have to wait for the map to refresh.
Well done Garmin; introducing the new Epix and nowhere in Holland any availability. Sold out everywhere, incoming in 5-7weeks.
Why just not wait a few more weeks and have so much more in stock?
If you don’t want Sapphire, you can order the Epix from Amazon.de or Amazon.nl to a Dutch address, as it’s currently in stock for delivery this weekend: link to amzn.to
(From someone who lives in the Netherlands)
Sapphire units are in high demand everywhere, it’s not limited to the Netherlands. Just like any other high-demand product (e.g. see Apple products). Like Apple, they manufactured for months ahead of release, but it’s still not enough.
In Australia, you could get the black Saphire and the regular one. The White/Silver had a 4-5 week leadtime.
A bit of offtopic funfact:
While wearing the watch under the shower, the water is activating the touchscreen.
My shower switched the sorting of the widgets, not sure why it wanted weather back on top… probably trying to tell me that it’s freaking hot and i should drink more ;)
I now have deactivated touchscreen, and actually doesnt miss it… was used to the buttons through the FR.
Interesting on shower water. I noticed that Garmin appears to have done some clever stuff whereby it takes more touch intent to get “off” the clock-face to the widgets, but then once in the widgets, you can swipe more easily. Meaning, for me, water-droplets never caused it to go into the widgets.
However, if I had left it in the widgets and then got in the shower…well…things got exciting.
I think the shower drops where acting like a swipe down swipe up…
with that this came up and did the rest.
or maybe i’m just to dancy around that little 1m2 square :D
Bever.NL and Bijenkorf.NL had some a few days after introduction.I’ve mine from bever.NL over a week ago.
Ok, I’m excited….I’ve just ordered the Sapphire Epix and will get it early next week. After a week reading reviews I decided to pull the trigger. After a run this morning where my Fenix 5 struggled to pick up GPS and was way off, and struggling to see the screen in shade, I decided that was enough! I’m looking forward to see how it performs in the pool, and in open water. After discussing with support at FORM goggles, I’ll be helping them test it with the goggles in open water.
Stuart, interesting you said difficult to see in the shade.
I find with the sun in the foreground, or when in the car and with sun glasses on, the fenix 6x screen is difficult to see, its too dark.
Where as with the Epix, the screen is visible in any conditions.
Has anyone had problems with the Epix 2 not tracking pool swim lap distance? I did my first swim with watch today, started with 500 yard warm up go to hit the lap button, and watch has the time but distance is 0 (—–). discarded, then did another 500 but this time in the interval setting to confirming distance. Saved Started another swim work out and still would not track distance. Checked settings confirming right distance, swim detection, etc. nothing.
Any one have any insights. I did not try turning off and back on yet.
P.S. Love your stuff!
I am having the same problem as well. Got the watch yesterday. Did a Swim today and got no distance at all. I then did the same thing you did and swam a bit again to try to see if I did something wrong. Still no distance. In an internet search somone suggested a hard reset/the hold the button down for 20 seconds. I’ve done that, and when I’m back at the pool on Wednesday I’ll give it another try.
worked fine for me on first pool swim with auto rest ON. My watches are on 7.2 FW.
display’s visibility is great underwater. I was swimming before with SWIM 2 watches, Epix feels heavier, but easy to get used to.
So i love the Epix 2, coming from a 6 pro the screen really is amazing and I dont mind the gesture based turn on at all. Have had a few issues so far, my watch screen went all blurry and fuzzy and the watch started vibrating constantly till i held down the button and powered off, any one else see that yet?
Also have an open case with Garmin, on my Android phone in garmin connect the Activities and Apps tab completely disappeared from settings. I can adjust everything else except that. any one else with a android phone have the same issue? i did change a few settings from the watch itself, not sure if that caused an issue.
Does something have to be enabled to be able to edit data screens in Garmin Connect on the phone? On IOS Garmin connect v4.51 with my shiny new epix the option is not there – top of the list for the Run app settings is Metronome, Map, Routing, Autolap etc
You need 7.20 on the watch. Mine had to be upgraded with cable to the pc
perfect thanks – first batch does not seem to want to offer to upgrade automatically, option for update was there in system>software update on the watch. 👍
So i was able to figured out my issue, if anyone else uses Train As One app , it makes the Activities and Apps tab disappear on the phone and interestingly enough on the watch some times also. Gave the info to Garmin support so ill see what happens.
I’ve bought the Venu 2 last year after reading your review and I’ve been very happy with it. It’s stylish, not too thick and does a lot of things well. That said, I’m thinking about upgrading to the Epix Sapphire for a few reasons:
– I do notice a few small scratches on the display despite only doing cycling and day-to-day wearing, so I’m not sure how you don’t get any at all when you say you abuse the crap out of them :) I thought the sapphire might help with that.
– I want to start getting into running and it would be nice to have maps so I can follow routes. Same goes for city cycling really, too often I end up getting my phone out of my pocket which is a bit dangerous. The Karoo 2 only comes on “big” rides so having navigation literally at hand is a pro.
– The Venu 2 does not support pedal power meters (I knew this from your review but was swayed anyway). I’d like a device that does so I can get that sweet VO2 max/FTP info when going biking.
One thing has me hesitating, however, and I know it’s a personal thing, but how is wearing the Epix all day and night? The Venu 2 is very comfortable, but I have no idea what it’s like to keep a heavier and thicker thing on all day and sleep with it.
It probably comes down to personal preference. I’ve been wearing the Fenix 5 (bigger and heavier than the Epix 2) every night for the last 5 years and don’t notice it at night. Might take a bit of getting used to though. (My wrist is not big – 150mm)
Hi,
Who has tested the optical heartrate monitoring for swimming?
– Is it accurate?
– can specific heartrate zones be set and taken into account for recovery, … ?
I’m coming from the Fenix5, that doesn’t have that functionality.
thanks
-J
I’ll test it out versus the Polar Verity on Wednesday.
Anyone getting a deep sleep reading greater than 30 minutes for an 8 hour sleep? I’ve not had a reading over 20 minutes for my first four nights wearing the watch. I’m not sure how much the deep sleep reading improves the Body Battery score?
Also has anyone found a screen protector that covers the entire screen and doesn’t have a 2mm gap around the outside.
Coming from a Forerunner 935 I absolutely love this watch. Thank you Ray for the comprehensive review and great videos.
Did REI drop the EPIX? When I click the link, and add to cart, it says “no longer available”
Searching at the REI website directly shows lots of Garmin watches including Fenix but not EPIX.
Generally speaking, REI won’t list a product unless it can be delivered within 30 days. It’s a pretty long-standing policy of theirs. So things will disappear if their estimated stock isn’t within 30 days.
Heads up, Garmin offers a 10% discount now for Vitality members in the UK. Better than nothing I suppose.
Has anybody noticed bluetooth range to be worse than on the Fenix 6? The F6 wouldn’t disconnect from my phone till I was 3 floors away. The Epix disconnects in the next room. Not a biggie, but the longer range was helpful to find where I’d left my phone!
As more of a “basic” user, I find the enormous number of unused features a bit annoying and cumbersome. It would be a wonderful feature for the watch to be able to sync with a phone or even better a computer with a larger screen so that almost any feature could be disabled so that it no longer displays on the watch for the time being. For instance, if there are a potential of, say, 40 sport activities, but I was only interesting in running and swimming, it would be nice to be able to disable all but those so that I only had my chosen two to “scroll through”. The ability to disable screens, options, features, etc is something Garmin would likely never offer, but it would be quite nice in my opinion.
Spike
I’m actually quite sure whatever you want to do, you can do it. Unless Garmin have severely cut back on the customisability I see on my FR945, that is.
You can literally hide the activities that you don’t want to do, so that when you go for an activity you only have those that interest you. I have run, walk and bike on mine, and only see others when I go deeper in the menu.
You can limit the number of data screens during activities and choose exactly the data fields you want and nothing more. You can limit the widgets you see. You can make the watch face simple or loaded with data.
You can customise do much that I wonder you might not have found out how to do what you want to achieve?
And I would add to your comment that now you can do almost all the configuration from your phone.
Wow, thx, Matt & Todd….I appreciate that input. Very helpful.
I had to add all the activities I was interested in so I assume you can hide the one’s you are not interested in.
Garmin released FW 7.24 and here’s the changelog:
Most noticeable / interesting to some users here:
Epix: Display will now never turn off when on wrist.
Change Log
Added the ability to tap the left side of an item in the alarm list to edit that alarm. Right side of the item still toggles on/off, and press and hold anywhere still opens edit as well.
Fixed potential shutdown when using Wifi.
Fixed issue where user could get stuck in saving spinner in Health Snapshot.
Fixed Satellites setting for “Max Accuracy” power mode (multi-band models).
Fixed potential shutdown in indoor climb activities.
Fixed potential issue with post activity summary for pool swim activities.
Fixed issue with Race Predictor watch face Pace and Time.
Fixed issue with button operation in Wallet pin entry.
Improvements made to on-device sleep detection and sleep staging.
Improved vehicle position on map.
Improved Wifi for some network types that previously had issues.
Epix: Display will now never turn off when on wrist.
Epix: Set display on/off as a default power control and added to the existing power controls if necessary.
Epix: Fixed a UI issue in InReach messaging.
“Epix: Display will now never turn off when on wrist.”
That’s a pretty significant one for some people…
What does this mean for battery life? Any idea why Garmin changed this? It does not seem logical.
Basically, some folks were upset that it wasn’t true always-on if the watch didn’t detect any movement. So for example, if you were *very* still reading a book, aft a minute the display would go off. For me, I never really saw it go off, I guess I’m just not still.
But I can understand why it’d be frustrating for more still people. My guess is that Garmin realized they were too conservative in their battery life estimates, and so enabling this probably didn’t reduce battery life meaningful in the end. And given it’s for the group of people that were already choosing ‘Always-On’, it’s not impacting the group of folks that were doing gesture-only.
Great review!
Question: Can you charge the Epix v2 midrun for example during a long ultra? Can you also charge while the clock still on your wrist?
The battery capacity given, is that including following a track, or does that take away from capacity printed in the tables?
Yes, you can charge mid-run no problem with any USB battery pack.
Technically following a track burns battery faster, but from the battery burn charts I included, all of the longer ones (more than 90 minutes) were with track following and it still beat expectations.
Thanks for the great review. I am coming from a Forerunner 745. Is there a way to get the race prediction times , VO2 max etc from the old device to the new device at all?
Wouldn’t that be covered through PhysioUp – where the data is synced to the new device through connect?
In my experience, it is pulling those in for Fenix 7/Epix.
Ray awesome review. But when I go to garmin connect to configure the data fields , the data fields do not show up on garmin C. Appears I can do data fields from the watch. Help!
Sounds like your unit has old pre-production firmware. Once you update the firmware, you’ll be good to go. By now, your unit probably has already done it in the background (should be something like 7.22-7.24 I think). But the fastest way to quickly update your firmware on your own terms is with a computer and Garmin Express.
Thanks for the in-depth review.
To be clear, the titanium (premium) version of the Epix 2 does not come with worldwide maps pre-loaded, nor can its 32 gb hold them all. It comes preloaded only with the map of your region. I’m from Canada, so I get the North America map preloaded. I now need to spend hours loading other maps.
Hi Brian-
Thanks, I had it clarified in most places that the pre-loading is for your primary region, versus all regions. But I added a few more clarifiers throughout the post.
I had also previously included the actual sizes of all the regions, so folks can figure out what they actually need (or can fit).
While the downloads are slow, I’d argue that on a Sapphire edition, most people can pretty much load at least two major regions (e.g. North America + Europe), or basically either of those regions plus numerous smaller regions). Plus, the actual selecting only takes a few seconds, and then you can just let it sync on your next charge (or, over the course of multiple changes).
That said, I’d really like to see Garmin offer them in smaller chunks at the per-country level if people want. So that if you realize the gap a few hours before a flight, you aren’t waiting 3-5hrs to finish downloading for a single relatively small country in Europe (e.g. downloading just Switzerland for a Swiss Alps trip).
One tip that I just found (maybe that’s obvious for you, I did not know it before) is that downloading maps via garmin express with watch plugged is much faster. C is doing heavy lifting when it comes to downloading data in such scenario.
I downloaded europe east in 15 min
Has Garmin said if future Epix lines will include smaller sizes (a’la Fenix S dimensions)?
No, they haven’t said. Though, I think it’s a given eventually. Just a question of whether it’s mid-term or long-term. I don’t expect short-term.
HI – Recently upgraded to the Epix 2. Love it so far. So easy to read and I won’t mind the battery length as I have ample time to recharge between efforts.
I’ve noticed my running pace is always a multiple of 5 seconds. Is there a setting somewhere (watch / phone) to adjust for a more “real” pace? Yes, I understand it is approx as is and the laps will be more “correct’ based on those estimates. I’d just like to see a more “real” number.
Thanks!
Andrew
Correct, Garmin switched to this method many years ago. In short, there’s basically only two days companies can do this:
A) Either overly smooth the real-time pace such that it displays a per-second figure
B) Simply round to 5-second increments.
Garmin has selected the 5-second option. Personally, I wish they’d add/have a 10s & 30s trailing option, sorta like Apple’s 1-mile rolling option. Many years ago, both Magellan and Timex actually had trailing options that were nice and short.
Alternatively, you can use laps, which is an exact figure (because of course, it’s basically smoothed).
Thanks for the response. Didn’t see it on my 935. As a numbers guy, I guess I’ll just have to get used to only seeing X:X0 and X:X5 for my running paces. First world problems.
Still playing with the watch faces for running in the Epix…
Is there a way to adjust the running workout pace watch face (?) that is used when running a structured workout? Currently, has the Pace Gauge on top with Step Countdown timer and Step distance showing underneath. I tried making a new face with the Pace Guage, but it doesn’t appear to be available for Custom Watch Faces. True (sad)?
It would also be nice to be able to show the current pace range and next pace range for running workouts (probably other workout types too).
I was surprised how much I like the Self Evaluation post-workout. It just takes a few seconds, but might be interesting to check down the road.
Great stuff!
I agree, I found the self-evaluation at the end of a workout compelling even though I dismissed this as a feature in reading the reviews, as I usually evaluate using a third-party app.
Had the Epix 3 days now, so here are my initial thoughts:
Awesome watch. DC is spot on.
Display is fantastic – better than expected. Way better in the shade and full sun than my Fenix 5.
Very light – 20% lighter than my Fenix 5, and very noticable.
Works fine with STRYD (same as the Fenix 5)
Confirmed it works with the FORM goggles to use GPS in open water.
GPS and optical HR very accurate – I’m going to ditch the external HRM
Love having music on board – can ditch the phone for runs.
Love the fact you can toggle on and off the touchscreen.
Charging is fast. Charging for 15 mins a day while I’m sitting at my desk would be enough to keep it charged, otherwise, I’ll charge it when I go for a swim once a week (don’t use it for pool swims)
Just my first thought! Very happy.
Hey folks,
maybe I’m reading it wrong or I’m unaware of a feature
(like “it’s not a bug, it’s a feature” kind of thing),
but i noticed that the HR-graph, which is shown after a workout,
doesn’t have the same color-coding as my HR-zones on the next page.
Meaning,
the graph shows plenty of sections in yellow,
which i would indicate as HR-zone 4,
however, the HR/zone overview shows nearly no time in this section.
Bug, or feature that i don’t get?!
See attached a pic.
The Epix heart sensor doesn’t work with tattoo arms, the Fenix 5 did with no issues.
Can Epix measure VO2 Max for sports other than walking/running?
I would love to measure my cycling VO2 Max but with Edge 830 I was not able to do it without pretty expensive Garmin pedals with power meter.
Epic E[ix Fail when navigating during an activity.
Second time out, and just for fun, I thought I’d test the navigation functionality during a ride.
So I:
• Saved my destination as a saved location.
• Started a cycling activity
• Selected – Options
• Selected – Saved Locations
• Chose the saved location
• Waited while the watch calculated the route (which was not even close to the best route)
• Started the tracking
• Set off
• The watch crashed and restarted after a few seconds giving me the option to resume the activity from the 4 second mark.
• I selected resume and a few seconds later it crashed again and restarted and again it gave me the options to restart from the 4 second mark.
• Repeated again and again and again until I finally gave up and cancelled the activity – by then I was 1 km away from where I started but the watch only had a record of the first 4 seconds.
• I then started a new bike activity, this time without navigation, and that activity ran smoothly for the duration.
Not impressed finding such a serious bug so early in the piece.
Verdict: A good sports watch if you know where you’re going.
Grrr: First line should have started with: “Epic Epix Fail …”
Is there a way to download only selected countries for Topo Active maps? I’m based in EU and bought non-sapphire epix last week. Device is great but the amount of remaining storage after downloading topo active europe maps is bit ridiculous, I somehow believe that there will be at least 1-2gb left and it’s much less. FR 945 did not have this issue, if I knew it before, I would probably go with sapphire, unless there is a way to manage maps selection better
OK I think I found a solution by myself – when connected to garmin express there is actually an option to select particular region for Europe (Europe is divided into 3 – west / central / east) which will significantly help my cause ;)
Altought I believe it would be still much more convenient to be able to select individual countries rather than macro regions