Garmin releases first touchscreen-controlled Fenix and Epix smartwatches with a slew of other features
Garmin is a giant in the world of activity trackers. It offers numerous health and fitness tracking features across ahighly varied smartwatch line-upwith popular models such as Vivoactive, Venu, Forerunner, and Fenix. Two weeks after launching the $450 Venu 2 Plus, Garmin has now announced two new additions to its extensive wearable line-up, with the Fenix and almost forgotten Epix series getting new members.
Like its predecessor, theGarmin Fenix 7 serieslaunches in three models: the Fenix 7S, 7, and 7X, measuring 42mm, 47mm, and 51mm, respectively. Garmin is no stranger to rugged designs, and the Fenix 7 series embodies that with premium finishes like titanium and sapphire, as well as reinforced lugs and metal button guards. Garmin has also improved usability on the 7 series with button controls paired with a responsive new touchscreen interface — so you still get the same five physical buttons but touch controls should make certain functions even easier to use.
With the previous Garmin 6 series, you had to forfeit the durability of sapphire for solar charging capabilities, but the company has now merged both functionalities on the new devices with Sapphire Solar models. Plus, solar charging is coming to the entire Fenix line-up for the first time, with Garmin promising a larger surface area that supposedly enhances battery life. As a result, the company says that the Fenix 7S, 7, and 7X should offer 11, 18, and 28-day battery life in smartwatch mode or up to 37, 57, and 89 hours with GPS only.
Speaking of GPS, the Fenix 7 Series supports all the major satellite systems plus an additional L5 frequency range for improved accuracy in challenging environments. For those who tend to be active at night, the Fenix 7X also incorporates a hands-free multi-LED flashlight with adjustable red or white light to brighten the way.
Exercise features are abundant here too. Garmin aims to help users enhance their training while avoiding burnout with a new Real-Time Stamina tool that monitors and tracks exertion levels while running or biking. Then there’s the new Visual Race Predictor that uses your running history and overall fitness to estimate race times and offer insights into training progression.
Meanwhile,the Garmin Epix Gen 2refreshes a lineup that has gone under the radar since the original Epix was introduced in 2015. The new version is basically a Fenix 7 with a 1.3-inch always-on OLED display. Like the Fenix, it comes in three models — all measuring 47mm — and includes similar features like a touchscreen and buttons, Real-Time Stamina, and navigation tools. The Epix, however, has neither the new LED flashlight nor solar charging features found on the Fenix.
Garmin claims the battery life on the Epix can last up to 16 days on a single charge, with that number shrinking to — a still massively impressive — six days with the always-on display enabled. Those numbers sound solid, but we’ll have to wait for real-world testing to be sure. The Fenix 7S and 7 start at a retail price of $700, while the Fenix 7X and second-gen Epix will begin at $900.
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