Garmin Epix In-Depth Assessment | DC Rainmaker

No, this isn’t your grandfather’s Epix from 2015, however slightly, that is Garmin’s new 2nd gen Epix that successfully takes an Epix and elevates it with a full AMOLED shade touchscreen show. Now, Garmin formally calls it simply ‘Epix’, although you’ll see the 2nd gen bits right here and there. So as to save digital typing waste, I’m simply going to name it the shortened Epix as nicely.

In the event you haven’t seen my also-just-released Fenix 7 In-Depth Assessment, the important thing factor to know right here is that Epix accommodates each software program characteristic of the Fenix 7, however differs on the {hardware} stage. For instance, the Epix consists of the aforementioned greater decision and extra vivid AMOLED show, nevertheless it lacks photo voltaic panels or the Fenix 7X flashlight. That’s primarily as a result of photo voltaic frankly wouldn’t do a lot right here for this show, and the flashlight isn’t fairly within the Epix playing cards in the interim. There are, after all, variations in battery life too, which we’ll get into. However the important thing factor to know is that regardless that it has an AMOLED show, it nonetheless manages 6 days in always-on show mode – which reaches upwards of 16 days in gesture mode.

In different phrases, for most individuals, you’re not sacrificing a lot for a dramatically higher show. Now I’ve been utilizing the Epix now for fairly a while, placing it via each every day 24×7 utilization in addition to exercises and different athletic adventures. The whole lot from excessive mountain mountaineering to ocean swimming, snow-covered escapes, and metropolis testing. All of it in an effort to search out out the place this watch works nicely, and the place its caveats are.

As normal, this watch is a media loaner, and it’ll return to Garmin shortly. This evaluation is just not sponsored (nor does any firm get to preview something I evaluation), and I don’t take any advertiser cash from any corporations I evaluation. And as common readers know, if one thing is crap, I’m gonna inform it brutally like it’s – regardless of the model. As soon as this unit goes again, I’ll exit and get my very own for any future testing wants. In the event you discovered this evaluation helpful, you should utilize the hyperlinks on the backside, or think about changing into a DCR Supporter which makes the positioning ad-free, whereas additionally having access to a largely weekly video sequence behind the scenes of the DCR Cave. And naturally, it makes you superior.

What’s new:

Making a ‘What’s New’ class for the Epix Gen 2 is arguably kinda difficult. In any case, am I evaluating it to the Gen1 brick from 7 years in the past? Or am I evaluating it to its reasonable older sibling, the Fenix 6 sequence? On this case, since none of you wish to see a listing 918 options lengthy of all of the issues Garmin has added in 7 years to all their watches (corresponding to an optical HR sensor), I’m going with a comparability to the Fenix 6 sequence. As such, this portion of the evaluation might be nearly equivalent to that of the Fenix 7 sequence when it comes to new options, for the reason that two watches have nearly equivalent software program options. The one variations in software program are these associated particularly to energy financial savings for the AMOLED show.

Beginning with the variety of fashions right here, there are two completely different ones: Non-Sapphire and Sapphire. Identical to the Fenix 7, they denote whether or not or not a watch will get not solely the sapphire show, but in addition the expanded storage and multi-band GPS. Listed below are the variations:

– Garmin Epix base ($899): Music, Garmin Pay, WiFi, downloadable maps, 16GB storage, AMOLED touchscreen, plus all software program options
– Garmin Epix Sapphire in White or Black Titanium ($999): Base + multi-band GPS, 32GB storage with pre-loaded maps, Sapphire glass, titanium bezel

There isn’t any photo voltaic or flashlight version/choices within the Epix sequence. Whereas Garmin is free to go together with the $899 pricing (it’s equal to the Fenix 7 Sapphire Photo voltaic), nevertheless, I believe it’s a bit low cost of them to not embody at the least multi-band GPS at that value level, if not additionally the complete 32GB of storage. Given the Fenix 7 Sapphire Photo voltaic has it on the identical value.

In any case, all items get all software program options, and all items get mapping. The distinction is that solely the Sapphire/Titanium items have the maps pre-downloaded in your area (e.g. North America, Europe, and many others…) – whereas the bottom & base photo voltaic items don’t. As a substitute, you merely hook up with WiFi and obtain what you want in your area. That’s as a result of pre-loading all of the maps per area would add too many SKUs for Garmin to cope with, totally on the Fenix aspect, however they’re carrying it over right here too.

Anyway, right here’s what’s new in Epix. Word that dimension/case-wise, Epix is equivalent in dimension to the center Fenix 7 unit (Fenix 7, not Fenix 7S or 7X):

– All Epix items now get free worldwide downloadable TopoActive maps utilizing WiFi (Sapphire items have pre-loaded maps)
– All Epix items now have pre-loaded Snowboarding & Golf Maps
– All Epix items now have music, WiFi, and Garmin Pay help (beforehand base Fenix 6 Sequence didn’t have this or maps)
– Added full-color AMOLED Show
– Added touchscreen (and might nonetheless use buttons for each perform)
– Added multi-band (aka dual-frequency) GPS to Epix Sapphire items
– Revamped ‘GPS solely’ mode for much extra battery life financial savings
– Added Garmin ELEVATE GEN 4 optical HR sensor
– Switched to glass-covered optical HR sensor (versus plastic with a coating), which will increase sturdiness
– Added Garmin SkiView, now consists of resort names & slope names
– Added Cross Nation Ski Trails to maps
– Added new “Map Supervisor” characteristic for managing/downloading maps out of your wrist
– Added ‘Up Forward’ characteristic for distances to predefined markers like aide stations, climbs, and many others…
– Added Realtime Stamina characteristic, which is used throughout runs & rides to attempt to depart nothing within the tank (or, correctly handle a exercise)
– Added Race Predictor historic trendlines (to see when you’re getting sooner or slower)
– Added new Kiteboard Sport Kind
– Added new Windsurf Sport Kind
– Added new SpeedPro perform for Windsurfing (primarily for speedsurfers)
– Added new graphical charts as information fields
– Added scrolling charts in a wide range of locations, together with widgets
– Added lastly, for the love of all issues holy, the flexibility to configure exercise profiles and information fields out of your telephone
– Added Garmin Join IQ retailer on wrist (nicely, a restricted model of it anyway)
– Added Well being Snapshot characteristic (consists of HRV information)
– Added New Sleep Supervisor Settings for customizing what the machine does when you sleep
– Added HIIT exercises (that means, they’re supplying you with structured exercises, not only a sport mode)
– Added Computerized Run/Stroll/Stand graphing inside a exercise (see sports activities part for particulars)
– Revamped the person interface a good bit (not a serious overhaul, however positively far cleaner)
– Added ‘button guards’ round all buttons, which scale back unintended presses with issues like jackets
– Added steel/titanium (relying on mannequin) lugs covers – see unboxing part for particulars.

Bought all that? Good. Listed below are two charts that will help you make sense of it. First up is the battery comparability chart:

After which a comparatively easy chart that simply exhibits which options which watches get:

Now, there are some notable omissions right here, particularly coming sizzling on the heels of the Venu 2 Plus launch two weeks in the past. There isn’t any voice help, or speaker/microphone for making/receiving calls. Much more, regardless of Garmin releasing the FR945 LTE final spring, there’s no LTE version of the Epix both – a seemingly odd omission. Within the case of the microphone/speaker, Garmin says that the upper waterproofing normal of the Epix sequence (100 meters) versus the Venu 2 sequence (50 meters), makes this difficult right now. On the LTE entrance, I requested Garmin why there was no LTE possibility given it’s been some time since they launched the theoretically inferior FR945. It was the singular merchandise they supplied a ‘no remark’ on, out of the arguably 50-70 questions/particulars I’ve requested over the previous two months.

Undoubtedly, Garmin will ultimately come out with an LTE Fenix/Epix sequence. The place that’s simply an Epix LTE, an Epix Plus LTE, or down the highway in a Fenix 8 or Epix V3 (or no matter they name it). I don’t know, however as you’ll see – what’s right here in the present day is undeniably cool. However it’s additionally laborious to reconcile this lacking bit with one’s buying concerns.

Within the Field:

The field for the Epix sequence mirrors principally each different Garmin watch within the final half a decade or so. It’s gray and simplistic, and missing…err…epicness. Whereas all of the field contents for all 4 items I examined had been equivalent (Fenix 7S/7/7X/Epix), remember that some higher-end fancy-strap editions do have secondary straps in them. I didn’t have any fancy-strap editions. Thus, slightly than repeat a sequence of unboxings, right here’s only one sampling.

First up, when you take away the lid, the watch is hanging out you, full with a sticker of what it imagines it’ll appear like:

Inside you’ve obtained the watch, a typical Garmin watch charging cable, and a security handbook + fast begin information:

The charging cable is equivalent to nearly each different Garmin Fenix, Forerunner, and Vivo/Venu sequence machine made within the final variety of years:

And the manuals are equally as unexciting. Nevertheless, right here’s a fairly shot of the watch earlier than I slaughter them for 6-7 weeks. After this level, any scratches on them are most likely nicely earned in my testing.

The band itself can unsnap simply to be swapped out, when you maybe desire a fancier band for non-sport utilization, after which rapidly swap to the silicone one for sports activities. They characteristic the usual Garmin QuickFit system, and matches the center band dimension which is a 22mm band. However you should utilize any 22mm band you discover.

You’ll discover the brand new protected lug design on the Epix sequence, the place these prime elements are lined up higher now. Right here it’s aspect by aspect with a Fenix 6 sequence watch:

There’s additionally the brand new button guard on the beginning/cease button, which Garmin says will scale back unintended begins/stops by jackets or such. It’ll most likely take you a day or two to get used to this (at the least it did for me), however now I don’t even give it some thought.

With that lined, the Epix sequence retains the identical case sizes because the Fenix 7 does, that are:

Fenix 7S: 42mm case
Fenix 7: 47mm case
Epix: 47mm case
Fenix 7X: 52mm case

Nevertheless, they’re now barely thinner most often, being:

Fenix 7S: 14.1mm thick (was 13.8mm for Fenix 6S, and 14.7mm for Fenix 6S Photo voltaic)
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:

Okay, with that, let’s get into the AMOLED show bits briefly, earlier than going via the basics

AMOLED Show:

The singular purpose you’d get the EPIX over the Fenix 7 is the brand new AMOLED show. The show is definitely the identical 1.3” show as discovered on the Venu 2 & Venu 2 Plus, which boasts 65,000 colours…versus a whopping 64 colours on the Fenix 7.

Up till this level, we’ve by no means seen an AMOLED show on an endurance sports activities centered watch. Be it from Garmin or in any other case. The closest we’ve gotten is the Suunto 7 watch, primarily based on Put on OS, however given the numerous GPS battery constraints there, you’re solely half a 6-7 hours of GPS battery life. Different choices from Garmin, Apple, and Samsung (and others) have all performed round with battery life, however both it’s mediocre GPS on-times, or at most 2-days of always-on smartwatch instances.

However with Epix, that modifications considerably. Because of the bigger dimension in comparison with most mid-range watches, they’ve merely obtained extra battery capability. The scale of Epix is equivalent to that of the mid-sized Fenix 7 (not the S or X). In doing so, Epix, primarily based on my testing, can get about 6 days of smartwatch life in always-on show mode, and with about 1hr or so of exercises per day (GPS or inside). Additional, the corporate claims as much as 30 hours of GPS on-time in always-on mode, and much more in gesture mode. Gesture mode is when the display screen turns off while you’re not it.

In my case, I’ve nearly completely used always-on mode for the previous 6-7 weeks. That signifies that the watch show is all the time on, however barely dimmed when not it. Once I increase my wrist, the watch face goes full brightness. It’s equivalent to what Apple does on their more moderen watches, and for the primary time ever, I’m not complaining about Garmin’s wrist-raise detection. Partially as a result of it really works now, and partially as a result of even in dim-mode, the display screen is definitely readable (each in darkness and direct shiny daylight).

Now on this situation, ‘always-on’ does have a really slight caveat to the 6-day declare, in that Garmin by default places the display screen right into a battery saving mode when you sleep. So in that case it turns off the display screen except a button is pressed, after which as soon as pressed it’s a low-brightness time display screen that’s simply learn at the hours of darkness (versus staring right into a super-bright AMOLED display screen at 2AM). This may be simply configured/modified within the new Sleep Mode settings (I focus on that within the subsequent part).

Once more, I’ve had zero points with this association, and this additionally mirrors what different corporations do at evening with an AMOLED show. And when you don’t prefer it, you’ll be able to actually change it too – clearly, there’s an influence of battery life there. However frankly, the visibility is arguably higher than a Fenix 7 at evening. With a Fenix 7 (or every other Garmin watch that’s not AMOLED), when you’re sitting in mattress/darkness, the display screen isn’t seen except you faucet the sunshine button. So, it’s equivalent right here.

Now as famous, the show is definitely seen in each darkness, half-dark (aka winter in Amsterdam), and shiny sunny days atop a tropical island volcano. It blows away the Fenix 7 Sapphire Photo voltaic show (any variant, 7S/7/7X) in each situation I can consider. It’s extra readable from a brightness standpoint, and it’s extra readable from a readability standpoint. Right here, some full unedited out of digicam comparisons.

First, a professional tip – the Epix has a crimson button. I attempted to maintain Epix all the time on left as compared photographs, however typically I’m inconsistent. First, Epix left and Fenix 7X Sapphire at proper. Very skinny clouds, however reasonably sunny:

This one, direct solar on screens. Epix at *RIGHT* right here, be aware the colour depth. Each backlights on in default configuration.

Right here mid-day, gentle cloud cowl, Epix left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Photo voltaic proper. Word on this case, the recognition maps had been enabled on the Epix, therefore the purple traces.

Right here within the late afternoon. Epix at left, Fenix 7 Sapphire Photo voltaic at proper, each with default backlights enabled:

Right here’s only a solo Epix shot, this one as harsh solar circumstances as you may get, mid-day solar within the desert:

In all these instances, the settings are configured equivalent (default), and I even matched whether or not the backlight was enabled on each items on the identical time. Past that, all through the interface, there are refined tweaks to make the most of the show. Whether or not it’s the background behind the game menu, or the elevated readability throughout the maps, it’s usually not instantly seen till you turn over to a Fenix 7 on the opposite wrist.

After carrying Epix, it’s extremely tough to return to the Fenix 7 display screen. At this level, you’re most likely saying: Okay, this sounds nice, however what are the downsides?

Properly, actually only one: It has much less total battery than a Fenix 7, each GPS and smartwatch modes. It’s so simple as that. That’s the one draw back I can provide you with in 6-7 weeks of utilization. Plus after all it lacks the nifty flashlight of the Fenix 7X, in addition to photo voltaic magic.

The Fundamentals:

On this part we’ll element the entire non-sport options of the watch. I’ll contact on primary usability, with a take a look at all of the every day health options corresponding to sleep, well being, and exercise monitoring. In case you are the extra visually-inclined sort otherwise you simply desire a extra in-depth walk-through of those options, take a couple of minutes to observe the video linked above. Although this weblog submit touches on all of the options of the Epix, the video goes past that and presents extra of a long-form tutorial/information/person interface deep-dive of your complete watch. Step-by-step, characteristic by characteristic. Go forward, press play.

We’ll begin with the {hardware} options right here first.  As with the entire Garmin Fenix sequence watches, now we have 5 buttons on the Epix, that’s three on the left aspect and two on the proper. For many functions, the button on the higher proper aspect may be thought of a affirmation button, whereas the one on the decrease proper is extra of a again/escape button. And the left-side buttons are for navigating throughout the varied menus. And you’ll usually long-hold any of the buttons to both entry completely different menu objects, or assign quick-access buttons.

Apart from the bodily buttons, you’ll be able to swipe on the touchscreen to view and faucet menu objects identical to you’d on every other contact machine. I’ve discovered that the touchscreen performs moderately sufficient whereas sweaty or within the rain, although with some influence on precision. However, as you’ll be able to see within the video, it’s pretty responsive for essentially the most half.

Remember the fact that not one of the capabilities completely require you to make use of the touchscreen, so you’ll be able to all the time accomplish the identical duties purely with the bodily buttons.  It is a good possibility for these wet, sweaty, or winter-gloved instances. Alternatively (no pun supposed), you may get away with largely contact when you want (besides when beginning or stopping an exercise, and while you wish to finish/begin a brand new lap).

While you first begin utilizing the Epix you’ll discover that nearly the entire sport profiles have contact disabled.  However, you’ve gotten the choice to re-enable the touchscreen capabilities inside every profile when you want.  And one factor I’ve discovered notably helpful is the brand new Sleep Mode settings choices, which supplies you the flexibility to disable the touchscreen while you would usually be asleep, in addition to a slew of different customizations – even all the way down to the day of the week:

 

Talking of which, at evening, inside sleep mode, that is what the Epix exhibits as a lowered display screen interface. You’ll be able to after all change this, however that is the default, after which the display screen goes totally off except you faucet/contact it. Which I’ve discovered works completely tremendous.

So, now let’s check out the watch face options. The Epix involves you with bunches of built-in watch faces however you even have entry to actually hundreds of further watch faces from the Join IQ app retailer. Usually you’ll be able to tweak and customise the info fields and issues on a watch face to personalize the info you wish to see and the place you wish to see it. On this planet of watch faces, that is your oyster.

 

You’ll be able to even create a customized watch face utilizing your cell machine digicam or photographs out of your library.  You’ll use the Join IQ app for this, after which the Face It tab.

 

As we noticed a few weeks in the past as a brand new characteristic on the Venu 2 Plus, you’ll additionally now have the flexibility to long-press any information merchandise in your watch face and delve deeper into that particular widget for extra detailed information.  So, as an illustration, urgent on Steps takes you straight to the Steps widget and all that it has to supply. This new characteristic can now be discovered on all Fenix 7 sequence watches.

Widgets are superior as a result of they expose all types of information out of your watch, corresponding to steps, the climate, your sleep, coaching standing, and many others. You too can set up third get together widgets too. You’ll merely swipe or press down from the watch face to entry the widget glances:

After which from there, you’ll be able to faucet into any given widget to see extra detailed data. For instance, right here’s the steps widget, which in flip has 2-3 extra information pages on it with extra information.

  

And, as normal, all of this information is finally synced to Garmin Join (desktop and cell) the place you’ll be able to analysis and examine your information going again days, weeks, months, and years. It’s all there, in your ADHD viewing pleasure. For instance, right here’s my steps information on Garmin Join Cell (the smartphone app):

  

Right here’s a wide-ranging gallery of widgets and my information from them:

xxxWidgetGallery

In the event you’re like me, you discover it mildly attention-grabbing to see your step monitoring, stair monitoring, and all the opposite metrics that these smartwatches measure and observe for you, however coronary heart charge monitoring is absolutely the place these units shine. The Epix makes use of Garmin’s Elevate V4 sensor that was launched on the Venu 2 final spring, and is now discovered on a wide range of different watches together with the Fenix 7 and the Forerunner 945 LTE.

This sensor accomplishes an enormous assortment of duties, all the things from round the clock 24×7 HR monitoring, to workout-only monitoring, to blood oxygen monitoring.  A detailed look reveals a few LED sources, inexperienced for normal coronary heart charge detection, and crimson for pulse oximetry (blood oxygen ranges).

All of this fixed information gathering drives a slew of information factors, for instance stress and respiration charge. Normally, I really discover the stress estimates moderately correct. That stress stage relies on coronary heart charge variability, the place minuscule fluctuations between heartbeats are algorithmically crunched to provide you a trending stage.  For me, it’s a simple strategy to look at how the day may need gone to date, or the way it would possibly contribute to my Physique Battery. Physique Battery is principally your power stage. It’s primarily based on a mix of HRV, stress, and exercise. You recharge it each evening, after which lower it in the course of the day, or in periods of rest (like sitting on the sofa watching TV).

  

Whereas not good, Garmin on this space, and I discover usually good correlation most often between my perceived power ranges and what it estimates. Over time, I’ve discovered that a number of hours of sleep doesn’t essentially equate to getting a full and even substantial Physique Battery recharge.  In actual fact, that’s exceptionally uncommon. Sleep high quality is a serious part of recharging. The eventualities I discover it tends to have bother with are exceptionally laborious/lengthy days, or days with exceptionally poor sleep. It’ll often estimate appropriately on the poor sleep, however then has challenges determining easy methods to provide you with a crap rating, after which nonetheless provide you with a good crappier rating by the tip of the day. You’ll be able to’t go beneath zero. Nonetheless, I believe at that time each you and the machine are each conscious of the scenario: You’re feeling like crap.

The excellent news is that it additionally tracks the standard of your sleep, and does it pretty nicely, supplying you with detailed details about how restful your sleep actually was.

I’ve been impressed with Garmin’s continued enhancements within the written explanations of how your evening went:

Take this one from a couple of nights in the past, that is about as succinct an evidence of my sleep as I may write myself. It’s actually spot-on good. Sure, it was long-ish sleep, nevertheless it was crap sleep.

Whereas I’m not an professional on sleep analysis, I do have loads of expertise in evaluating the accuracy and idiosyncrasies of among the main gamers available in the market. For instance, I’ve spent appreciable time the previous few months evaluating aspect by aspect a slew of sleep trackers for my Whoop 4.0 and Oura 3.0 evaluations, to not point out the most recent Garmin units.  So I can say that, generally, for me, Garmin nearly all the time nails the time I’m going to mattress and once I get up. Nevertheless, the draw back is that it doesn’t observe naps in any means, which could be very unlucky for me, since naps are good!

However past that, I’ve discovered that it could actually often have bother with instances the place I fall again asleep after being briefly awake, like between 6-9AM. It’ll usually simply finish my sleep at say 7:10AM if I used to be awake/up for a few minutes, slightly than realizing I’ve gone again to sleep for 2-3 hours. When it comes to the sleep phases, I’m much less satisfied there. Normally, even medical-grade units aren’t loopy correct/constant in these areas. And in lots of instances, there’s no real-world actionable issues you are able to do primarily based on the monitoring of such phases, apart from being conscious that the dearth of restful and deep sleep can have an effect on your total sleep high quality. So enhancing each your sleeping habits and surroundings are key right here.

Now, to briefly contact on Pulse Ox, which is Garmin’s time period for blood oxygen readings. There are a few settings right here you could individualize. You’ll be able to configure this to be off always, measuring throughout sleep solely, or measuring 24×7. Pulse Ox readings have two primary functions in a Garmin wearable, one is round sleep (as doubtlessly an indicator of sleep associated points), and the second is in excessive altitude environments as an indicator of acclimation (or, in excessive instances, a sign that one thing is about to go horribly improper). Two completely completely different use instances (be aware: medical people and such additionally monitor blood oxygen ranges too for different causes). For the primary one – sleep – you’ll be able to observe your Pulse Ox readings every evening. It’s the crimson LED that’ll gentle up on the again of the watch.

Remember that utilizing Pulse Ox whereas sleeping will devour further battery assets, reducing your total battery reserves a bit. However that’s nearly inconsequential in comparison with the 24×7 mode, which customers a crapton of battery. I don’t use both as a consequence of battery draw, however solely put it to use in spot-checks with respect to Well being Snapshot (extra on that in a second). Nevertheless, when it comes to accuracy, I discover that when you deal with it the identical means you’d do an precise blood oxygen check with an accredited/medical-grade machine, you’ll get good outcomes. Which is to say, sit nonetheless whereas taking a studying. It’s so simple as that (beneath is a licensed machine):

And that’s the very same means the FDA certifies blood oxygen medical-grade units: Sitting nonetheless. In the event you swagger round, fidget, or usually don’t observe the suggestions, you’ll both not get correct readings, or Garmin lately received’t even give a studying. They (and others) have gotten smarter with simply supplying you with a warning that there’s an excessive amount of motion for a sound outcome.

Now as I discussed earlier, there’s the brand new Well being Snapshot characteristic. Properly, new to the Fenix 7 sequence and Epix that’s. This was launched on the Venu 2 final 12 months, and it takes 5 core metrics and distills them down right into a single 2-minute measurement interval. All it is advisable to do is sit down and calm down.

In the course of the 2-minute interval it’ll measure your coronary heart charge, blood oxygen stage, respiration charge, stress, and HRV (coronary heart charge variability). The general concept is that when you can persistently do that, ideally at roughly the identical time every day, you’ll begin to get a little bit of a snapshot of how issues are trending. All of those metrics are already tracked by Garmin extra deeply within the app/platform, however the Well being Snapshot characteristic is a means of serving it on a single plate (so to talk).

As soon as the two-minute check interval is over, it’ll provide you with a abstract of that data:

After which you too can see this in Garmin Join Cell afterward, which is the place you’ll be able to spit out a PDF copy when you like:

 

The one draw back right here is that ostensibly the principle purpose you’d do a Well being Snapshot regularly is consistency in timing of the readings. Which means, all the things apart from HRV is routinely captured 24×7 anyway, and plotted 24×7 as much as month-to-month and extra when you like (assuming you’ve enabled SpO2). Nevertheless, HRV is just not. And arguably the flexibility to development simply these Well being Snapshot readings by themselves could be fairly helpful. Sadly, there’s no means to try this presently. You’ll be able to solely take a look at a single studying at a time.

As we spherical house right here in The Fundamentals part of this evaluation, it’s value noting that the Fenix 7 and Epix sequence watches are the primary to have the brand new on-watch app retailer. It is a enormous benefit in you could now set up Join IQ apps straight from the watch in your wrist, versus having to attend till you could find time to seize your telephone. Garmin outlined this characteristic final fall as a part of the Join IQ Developer summit. And, as outlined then, it’s fairly darn primary.

To entry it, you’ll merely go into the sports activities menu (I do know, it’s technically the apps menu, however honesty, this doesn’t make a lot sense for it – it ought to most likely be within the widgets space). As soon as opened it’ll load up some really useful apps. 5 in the intervening time, plus displaying the 2 music apps I have already got put in (permitting me to uninstall these):

I can faucet on one of many 4-6 complete suggest apps, after which set up it. Once more, that is tremendous primary at this level. However as Garmin outlined beforehand, it’s merely the place to begin right here, with room for future development.

Lastly, whereas it most likely received’t matter to many individuals, bear in mind that generally, nearly the entire capabilities that contain a smartphone, additionally require having an web connection to perform. Which means that whereas the watch will fortunately gather information with out web, and achieve this for a really very long time, it received’t sync to the telephone with out web. That’s as a result of the Garmin Join smartphone app itself is merely displaying information from the Garmin Join on-line platform. The exception to this might be when you use the Garmin Discover app (additionally free), which then does enable syncing of some information (particularly tracks/routes) forwards and backwards to a telephone that doesn’t have web. And once more, this has no influence on viewing any of those stats in your watch itself. However, when you had been spending prolonged durations of time with out web, analyzing your stats on the smartphone Garmin Join app wouldn’t be attainable. You might nevertheless nonetheless plug in your watch to a pc, and obtain the exercise file and analyze that.

Sports activities Utilization:

Very similar to the Fenix 7, there’s actually no watch on this planet that has as many sports activities options built-in because the Garmin Epix sequence does. Maybe if one had been to obtain each app on the Apple Watch retailer you would possibly come shut, however you continue to wouldn’t match each final nuanced sport and health characteristic that you simply’ll discover on the Epix. However, after all, that’s one among Garmin’s trademark options in a smartwatch: having a gazillion options, of which realistically you would possibly solely use 2-5% of them.

However, that’s all good, as a result of everybody’s 2-5% options are completely different. I take advantage of sports activities options daily that others would by no means use, and I’m certain others swear by options that I might discover “Meh”. This huge catalog of options is basically why Garmin leads the sports activities watch discipline. And maybe extra importantly, over the previous few years, the software program high quality has elevated considerably, largely via the usage of open firmware beta packages that go on for months and months.  They know that suggestions and bug decision result in improved software program.

In any case, the Epix launched a handful of latest sport modes as famous earlier on, however regardless of which sport you select, it’ll all begin by urgent the higher proper button, which brings you to the game itemizing:

Lookin on the sport modes obtainable, right here’s your full itemizing. Word that a few of these aren’t technically sports activities, however that’s how Garmin categorizes them all the things beneath an apps bucket:

Run, Hike, Bike, Bike Indoor, Treadmill, Open Water, Navigate, Expedition, Monitor Me, Map, Map Supervisor, Join IQ Retailer, HRV Stress, Well being Snapshot, Multisport, Path Run, Extremely Run, Digital Run, Monitor Run, Indoor Monitor, Climb, MTB, eBike, eMTB, CycloCross, Gravel Bike, Bike Commute, Bike Tour, Highway Bike, Pool Swim, Triathlon, Swimrun, Journey Race, Power, Climb Indoor, Bouldering, Ski, Snowboard, Backcountry Ski, XC Basic Ski, XC Skate Ski, Snowshoe, SUP, Surf, Kiteboard, Windsurf, Row, Row Indoor, Kayak, Golf, Tempo Coaching (Golf), Tennis, Pickleball, Padel, Venture Waypoint, Stroll, Cardio, HIIT, Yoga, Breathwork, Pilates, Ground Climb, Elliptical, Stair Stepper, Jumpmaster, Tactical, Boat, Clocks, Different

You’ll be able to customise this sport itemizing on the watch, or from the smartphone. In actual fact, now’s a great time to speak about that new phone-based configuration. Traditionally, that is the primary time we’ve seen Garmin introduce this stage of customization that may be achieved from the telephone as an alternative of the watch. You’ll discover you could tweak nearly each setting on the Epix from the telephone. This is applicable to sport/exercise profiles, information fields/pages, in addition to issues like widgets or deeper system settings. All instructed, there’s solely a handful of issues remaining that have to be achieved particularly on the watch – for instance, actions like downloading maps, or including new sensors. As with earlier than, you’ll be able to all the time change all of the settings on the watch itself if want be – a helpful fallback when you end up out on the paths with no telephone.

For instance, in your telephone, while you go to the machine settings, you’ll be capable to uncover a slew of settings, a lot deeper than earlier than. A number of the new settings options are shoved into the present classes (for instance, Connectivity now consists of particulars on smartphone notification settings), whereas there are completely new areas just like the ‘Actions & Apps’ part, the place you’ll be able to select which sport profiles are listed, after which tweak them:

  

A great instance of the place Garmin appears midway on that is the Sensors & Equipment part. You’ll be able to see right here you could tweak all of the onboard sensors (like whether or not or not your coronary heart charge broadcasts), however you’ll be able to’t pair any exterior sensors from the telephone, you’ve nonetheless gotta go to the watch to try this. However, primarily based on previous expertise, I’d think about over time these will converge.

  

Total, acknowledging that it is a good first stab at this modification in route, I believe it’s a good transfer towards implementing phone-based settings. I’ve argued for years that Garmin wanted to cease making an attempt to boil the ocean on this, and as an alternative, simply begin someplace. Anyplace! Generally it’s good to neglect the previous and simply transfer ahead as they’ve achieved right here.  Simply decide a newly launching watch and add phone-based configuration. Begin small and construct up. For instance, you continue to can’t import/migrate settings from different units (like you’ll be able to on a Garmin Edge machine), however that’s okay for the right here and now. And equally, for essentially the most half, the settings right here simply really feel like Garmin constructed all of the plumbing behind the scenes, nevertheless it’s sorta a maze of depths to search out all of them. However once more, for now, I’m good with that. Boiling the ocean by no means works, perfection is the enemy of progress. I’d slightly progress.

So, shifting proper alongside, after you’ve obtained your settings all sorted, head again to the watch and decide mentioned sport. On this case I’ll exit for a pleasant run. However backing up a minute, and this from the next stage, remember that varied sports activities have completely different profiles for a slew of causes. These may be particular information fields for a sport (like strokes for paddling, or cadence for biking), in addition to such nuanced metrics as sport-specific calorie burn, or the sensor varieties that you simply’d think about connecting to for a selected sport.

On this display screen right here you’ll see the higher portion of the display screen displaying the present sensor standing, in addition to GPS standing. Your information pages are displayed behind it. Additionally be aware that by default, all sport modes have contact disabled, after which you’ll be able to individually re-enable it, or, do it throughout the system.

In the event you faucet the left-side up button you’ll be able to add a course (or different routing, extra on that later), structured coaching, or change the facility profiles. I imply, frankly, you’ll be able to change something from this level. For instance, right here you’ll be able to see what number of hours of GPS life you’ll get together with your present settings, after which there are some pre-canned choices that present greater GPS ranges when you notice you’ll want them. Or, you’ll be able to go rogue and create your personal battery profile:

(Word: In the mean time I took this photograph, this unit had 38% battery remaining, as such, the estimated hours are clearly decrease than a full tank.)

However, for now, we’re gonna settle for all that the way in which it’s and do an interval exercise. This might be a simple strategy to present the brand new Stamina options. By default, Stamina might be proven for working and biking actions.  Conversely, it received’t routinely be present in all actions; for instance, you received’t discover it in mountaineering, however will discover it in path working. However, on with the run.  As soon as we press the beginning button, the watch will begin gathering information from our exercise, displaying tempo, distance, time, and every other information fields we’ve added:

As an apart, however a notable absence,  on this watch you received’t discover wrist-based working energy, like COROS and Polar have. If you would like working energy, you’ll want some form of exterior sensor – both from a third get together (Stryd), or paired with Garmin’s HRM-RUN, HRM-TRI, HRM-PRO, or RD-Pod items – for Garmin’s personal working energy information discipline. Nothing has modified there.

As we start our exercise, we will swap to the Stamina web page to see how a lot power potential now we have for this exercise. The highest portion of the web page, titled Stamina, is your short-term potential. In different phrases, how a lot are you able to give proper now at this second. Whereas the middle-left one is your Potential stamina, I.e., your long-term potential. In different phrases, how lengthy are you able to keep this interval exercise, or in an endurance occasion – how a lot fuel is within the tank for your complete day forward of you. In both case, this can steadily lower over the course of the exercise.

So at this level, all of those are 100% – albeit, they received’t all the time be 100%. It’s tied to your restoration time, which is in flip tied to a thousand different issues (sleep, exercise, exercises, and many others…). All of that is primarily based on a mix of your estimated VO2Max, thus it’s kinda vital to get at the least a couple of good laborious exercises in on the watch beforehand as a base in order that it could actually approximate your VO2Max. Else, the info will largely collapse these first few instances.

Nevertheless, you’ve additionally obtained two further information fields you’ll be able to add: Distance and Time until empty. That is good if in case you have bother doing simple arithmetic if you find yourself exhausted, as these two fields take a look at your present depth after which work out while you’re going to break down. So right here we’re a couple of minutes into the warm-up, and you may see it’s projecting I can go 1hr 45 minutes on the present depth or 22KM.

Quick ahead a methods into the intervals, and my long-term potential has dropped to 62%, and my fast potential mid-interval is 52% and declining.

And some extra intervals later, and it’s projecting I can pull off 8.5KM extra, and 45 minutes extra. My short-term stamina is at 46%, nevertheless, my longer-term stamina is definitely nonetheless at 46%. You’ll be able to see that white-line in between the crimson and black sections on the chart, that represents the hole there. At this level, I had simply completed an interval to begin strolling.

And you’ll see a couple of minutes later as I’m going into my cool-down, my short-term stamina is again as much as 52%, and it’s projecting at this gentle jogging tempo I can do 1hr 5 minutes or 12.5KM.

If we see how this performed out afterwards in Garmin Join, we will see that for every interval, I dropped – some greater than others, relying on my our bodies skill to carry the interval (which on this case was semi-poor, given I simply had a monster week of rides, runs, hikes, swims).

Now, as a lot enjoyable as it’s to do that for short-term high-intensity exercises corresponding to 8×800’s, the actual intent right here is longer-term endurance exercises or races. The thought is that will help you work out if the tempo/depth you’re presently exerting is sustainable for the required length. For instance, take a look at this 7-hour experience I did final week (nicely, it was a 7-hour complete timer time, there was some momentary meals/photograph stops alongside the way in which):

Sure, I significantly managed to show down the highway to my resort with 1% Stamina remaining, and 1% potential. Right here’s what the watch mentioned:

So how shut was that to actuality? Properly, on this case, moderately shut, for a few legitimate causes. Right here the experience completed on a 1.5KM 12% climb, which I dutifully hammered with what I had left in me. So by the point I obtained to the end level, I used to be baked. However was I completely actually at 0%-1% remaining? In all probability not. However, as any endurance athlete will let you know, a lot of sport is psychological as a lot as bodily. In my case, I used to be shot, however I think if push got here to shove I may bodily have achieved one other 5-10KM (after doing 118KM with 10,000ft of climbing). Granted, that most likely wouldn’t be achieved at any significant depth. Nonetheless, total, I used to be beyond-done mentally, and positively in most different respects too. So to that finish, it obtained issues greater than shut sufficient.  Total a helpful metric to have on these longer endurance exercises and races.

Subsequent, going again to that interval exercise, there’s a brand new characteristic that exhibits up on Garmin Join afterwards, which is stroll/run/stand detection. This can routinely detect, throughout a exercise, what you had been doing. You’ll be able to see how that appears right here:

That is a kind of issues that in the first place look didn’t make a ton of sense to me. I imply, sure, it was spot-on correct, however why trouble to spend the time on this was quirky to me. In asking Garmin, they mentioned the intention was that for sure racing/coaching, corresponding to steeper incline coaching, it allowed people to begin to analyze whether or not or not the tempo/HR tradeoffs had been value it on strolling versus working. Since you’ll be able to overlay all these stats atop it, I can see the logic there.

Okay, so wrapping up the exercise, you’ll get a brand new set of abstract pages. They aren’t drastically completely different than previously, however they do add some polish and make issues just like the show of coronary heart charge zones extra clear.

Right here’s a easy gallery of them:

xxxGalleryFinish

As normal, all of your exercise stats can then be displayed on Garmin Join or the smartphone app (Garmin Join Cell). Right here’s a slate of these screenshots as a sampler:

xxxSCGallery

All of those exercises are additionally then transmitted to any third get together apps you’ve configured/approved, together with Strava, TrainingPeaks, and different platforms.

From a sports activities standpoint, each exercise you do is being tracked from a coaching load standpoint. You’ll have seen how that given exercise contributes to your load within the exercise abstract screens above. There’s each a selected coaching load worth (e.g 110), but in addition a given coaching impact focus, corresponding to base or VO2Max. These all get algorithmically labored into whether or not or not your coaching is definitely productive, and if not, what you’re doing improper. You’ll be able to see this from the widgets menu rapidly:

Then you’ll be able to take a look at your VO2max worth (for working and biking), in addition to your 7-day load. I discover the 7-day load the most effective methods to quantify how a lot I’ve been engaged on over the previous week (trailing 7 days). Particularly the place I may not have a set schedule I’m following.

You’ll be able to then take a look at the 4-week load focus to see how these numbers development, the place it additionally exhibits your a escape of the core exercise sort areas (anaerobic, excessive cardio, and low cardio), with optimum goal ranges for every:

I believe generally, as a lot because it pains most of us endurance athletes to confess this, Garmin is often proper right here. When it says I’m quick in a given class, the fact is that if a coach had laid out the plan, it’d have been extra balanced than my advert hoc exercises. The eventualities the place I discover it will get issues improper is once I’ve had a quiet week of coaching, after which rapidly ramp up. In these eventualities, it’ll usually say I’m ramping up too quick.

A part of me is aware of that’s true, however a part of me additionally is aware of that my physique can often take it. More often than not anyway. Equally, there’s the restoration hours:

I’ve lengthy discovered that Garmin tends to overshoot right here. Although, there’s additionally some misunderstanding on this from many customers. This merchandise isn’t really saying to not practice, it’s simply saying to not exit and do a tough exercise. Thus, throughout the context it’s often not too dangerous, although I believe it nonetheless tends to err on the aspect of conserving you more healthy slightly than pushing your physique nearer to the breaking level.  Not a foul philosophy, however you do you.

In the end although, that’s no completely different than every other teaching relationship. Some coaches push athletes nearer to that edge, and typically it really works, and typically it doesn’t. The outcomes vary from successful a race to getting injured. Everybody has various things that do or don’t work for them.

Talking of structured exercises, every day the watch will supply up structured working or biking exercises, as a recommended exercise, primarily based in your present coaching and restoration. It appears to be like at your current load and coaching focus areas, and figures out what the subsequent logical exercise must be to barely enhance your health. Then, it means that every day exercise…which, appears acceptable for in the present day:

These exercises may be downright beastly when Garmin chooses to get spicy. Significantly, I’ve seen multi-hour interval exercises present up. Inversely, when you’ve had a tough few days of coaching, or, actually poor sleep, it’ll merely let you know to relaxation. In actual fact, when you actually get it upset, it’ll really flash a warning to you mid-morning that your day isn’t going nicely and that it’s going to principally cancel your deliberate exercise. Normally, I’ve discovered that when the watch will get this upset, it’s nearly all the time legit. Often one thing like back-to-back poor sleep nights mixed with a tough exercise tossed within the day prior, and perhaps displaying excessive stress.

In any occasion, when you do go forward and select a exercise, it’ll iterate via every step with the precise targets displayed on the display screen in real-time. None of this has modified from the way it works on previous Garmin watches during the last decade or so.

With that, we’ve lined nearly all of the core sport-specific options. It’d be unimaginable for me to stipulate each single nuanced sport characteristic. For instance, I may dive into issues just like the metronome, or PacePro, or pre-canned interval exercises, or Strava Dwell Segments, or Lactate Threshold checks, or racing previous actions, or coaching calendars – the checklist is limitless. And all of those options have much more options inside them. However none of that are new to the Fenix 7, so for now we’re going to maintain cookin’.

Mapping & Navigation:

Mapping and navigation-related duties are an enormous a part of the Epix sequence, which accommodates an unbelievably wealthy set of mapping/navigation options, positively greater than you’d possible ever use. For instance, there are widespread ones like following route, much less widespread ones like creating one-off spontaneous routes, after which lesser-used options like calculating the world of a plot of land. Like I mentioned, unbelievably wealthy mapping options right here. However within the curiosity of time and brevity (I.e., conserving this submit beneath 20,000 phrases) I’m going to concentrate on the core route-following parts of the brand new Epix, together with options like the brand new Up Forward perform, Map Supervisor, ClimbPro, and different map/route-following sensible options.

One of the crucial notable of those is the brand new Map Supervisor characteristic. This characteristic permits you to obtain Garmin’s TopoActive maps onto the Epix watch in your particular area. Beforehand you needed to pay $20-30 for these maps, and downloading them from Garmin was cumbersome at finest and required a desktop pc. Alternatively, you may obtain free maps from 3^rd get together companies, however that was additionally cumbersome. The brand new Map Supervisor options places this all straight on the watch, and makes it as straightforward as connecting to WiFi. Oh, and all of the maps are free.

Within the case of the Epix, the non-Sapphire editions embody 16GB of storage, and the Sapphire consists of 32GB of storage. For Sapphire items, they’re already conveniently preloaded with international maps. Nevertheless, they aren’t pre-loaded on the bottom items so that you’ll must obtain the maps straight on the watch by going to Settings > Map > Map Supervisor:

Right here you’ll see two sections: TopoActive Maps and SkiView and CourseView. TopoActive Maps has the principle maps that you really want for sports activities/journey navigation. The SkiView and CourseView (golf) maps are preloaded on all items, as a result of they’re comparatively small (23MB for SkiView, and roughly 200-500MB for every continent’s golf programs).  You’ll additionally see a vert primary worldwide basemap, nevertheless it’s just about ineffective.

So positively TopoActive Maps is the place the products are. While you open that, it’ll present you which ones maps you’ve put in in addition to the scale. Or, you’ll be able to select ‘Add Map’, and it’ll join through WiFi and present you further map areas to obtain.

For context, listed below are the present sizes of those maps. These will undoubtedly change barely over time, however shouldn’t change too dramatically through 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 (sure, megabytes)
TopoActive South America: 6.0GB
TopoActive Taiwan: 96MB
TopoActive Korea: 213MB
TopoActive SGMYVNPH: 1.3GB
TopoActive China Mainland: 663MB

Do not forget that the scale of the TopoActive map is much less concerning the dimension of the area, and extra concerning the density of issues within the area (roads/trails/cities/POI’s, and many others…). You too can replace a TopoActive Map from there as nicely. Now, when you select to obtain a map, you’ll choose it, after which choose ‘Obtain’. However it received’t obtain till your machine is plugged in, so your choice is principally put in a queue till then. Additionally, be aware that plugging in means to common USB port, to not a pc.

Be ready to attend – downloading takes a long-ass time. As an illustration, to obtain the 11.6GB TopoActive Europe map takes someplace between 4 and 4-1/2 hours, belief me, I timed it (I went to mattress at 4hrs with it at 90%). Significantly. You’ll be able to alternatively use Garmin Categorical on a pc, which tends to be a crapton sooner because it’s transferring through USB. Do not forget that, generally, the watch makes use of a lower-power consuming WiFi chipset, so it’s not downloading issues as quick as a telephone or pc. In different phrases, do that the evening earlier than you allow for a visit, and let it sync in a single day. Or, let it sync when you make a 12-course dinner or one thing.

Okay, with the maps downloaded, let’s set out on an journey! In in the present day’s case, I’m utilizing a route I created on Komoot. However, likewise, you too can create routes in Garmin Join straight, or many different third get together apps, and even from recordsdata. For instance, if in case you have a GPX/TCX/FIT file of a route, you’ll be able to import that straight in. However, the simplest factor to do is import them into Garmin Join, which then permits you to sync them to the watch. However, on this case, to point out you the brand new Up Forward characteristic, I would like to make use of Garmin Connect with tag the waypoints with standardized icons. So I’ve imported this Komoot path to Garmin Join:

Now, I’m going so as to add a couple of waypoints right here for on-course navigating. Waypoints in recordsdata, after all, aren’t new. They’ve been round for a decade or two at the least. However as you’ll see right here, Garmin calls them Course Factors, simply because…Garmin, nevertheless it’s successfully the identical factor. You’ll be able to faucet on the acceptable level in your route and add these factors from a listing of about 50 completely different standardized icons.

And you’ll conveniently give them any names you need, to make life simpler as soon as underway:

You’ll proceed including your waypoints, er…Course Factors, till you be ok with it. Garmin says that they’ll quickly help enumeration inside Up Forward (explainer in a second) from third get together recordsdata. However within the meantime, it is advisable to use both Garmin Join or Garmin Join Cell to tag these places.

With that every one set, we’ll head out to the path and cargo up the course. You’ll be able to select any GPS sport mode you need (mountaineering in my case), after which from there select Navigation and Programs. It’s right here that I can load up my course. Once I achieve this I’ll see map choices, elevation, in addition to ClimbPro. Word that ClimbPro isn’t enabled by default on all sport profiles, so it’s possible you’ll wish to verify that and allow it if vital throughout the sport settings (I do nearly all the time as a result of it’s one among my favourite, and most helpful, options).

 

The ClimbPro pages will routinely work out every climb (each ascending and descending, although descending additionally isn’t enabled by default), and also you’ll get the distances/altitudes for every. Then, as you climb, you’ll see your place and associated information until the tip of the climb.

In the meantime, Up Forward is the brand new Fenix 7/Epix characteristic that exhibits your upcoming waypoints (aka course factors) in a glanceable web page. You’ll see the subsequent closest waypoint listed (distance), with its identify and icon. After which might be the subsequent three waypoints.

It’s easy. This isn’t some loopy advanced characteristic. And in reality, it’s roughly like what COROS added for navigation. The distinction is a little more polish. Garmin added standardized icons, and the truth that you’ll be able to simply look at it on a single web page, versus having to scroll via a listing.  Irrespective of who does it, I discovered this extremely useful on my current hikes. Primarily only for fast context. The gap is, as anticipated, utilizing the course route.

Now as you progress alongside the route you’ll get flip notifications in addition to any off-course notifications. On a hike like this I flip off turn-notifications although, as a result of in any other case each switchback my watch is beeping, and that will get previous quick. Whereas off-course navigation is fairly simple, and a characteristic you’ll admire.

One factor that I’m discovering annoying is the dearth of arrows or chevrons on the Fenix/Epix sequence routes. You probably have an Edge bike pc you’ve hopefully seen that previously 12 months Garmin added arrows for the route route, just like what different distributors have had for years.

Whereas this doesn’t matter for a lot of programs which might be clear-cut, it does matter for programs which will intersect, like a figure-8 course I did on Thursday. In that case, once I obtained to the crossing level, I attempted to decipher which strategy to go, however Garmin wasn’t clear. In actual fact, it appeared to inform me to go a technique, however as I’d study a while later – that was the improper means. Sadly, as a result of I used to be technically on the course, I by no means acquired any off-course warnings. And due to that, ClimbPro was additionally damaged as a result of it stored considering I’d be turning round going the opposite means. Now once more, I’ve additionally gone years with out this performance, nevertheless it appears time to at the least have the choice for arrows. In any case, Garmin has roughly 9,238 different routing-related choices. In any occasion, that largely self-owned failure apart, I’ve had no points with navigation throughout all kinds of hikes, runs, and bikes during the last 6-7 weeks.

Subsequent, talking of that map, now we have the brand new contact capabilities. By default, all sport profiles have contact disabled. And sadly, there’s no separation between contact in the remainder of the game profile, and contact in simply the map. So that you’ll must allow that for map touching. As soon as enabled on that sport profile, inside a map you’ll be able to contact to maneuver across the map, or double-tap rapidly to zoom in.

Alternatively, you too can use the buttons subsequent to the + & – on the left aspect to zoom out and in. Responsiveness could be very stable right here. It’s not fairly immediate Google Maps on a telephone, nevertheless it’s fairly shut – far sooner than both the Fenix 6 was, or the COROS Vertix 2 is. I present this in my person interface video.

Keep in mind additionally you could personalize the map units proven. Inside the TopoActive map, there are completely different map layers, together with excessive distinction ones, evening ones, even reputation routing (heatmap) ones. I discover I are inclined to want the recognition one essentially the most, however the one titled ‘System’ is the default. Beneath is displaying the purple reputation routes:

When it comes to particulars supplied, the maps between the Fenix 7 and Epix are technically equivalent. What’s not the identical although is the visibility of options at completely different ranges. Which means, because of the higher show of the Epix sequence, you’ll see extra particulars at the next zoom stage. You’ll be able to see this in my earlier AMOLED show part with some comparisons.

Plus after all, the Epix show itself is way brighter and extra clear (even in direct solar) than the Fenix 7 show. That’s much more true at evening/nightfall, when the backlight is extra crispy on Epix.  Nonetheless, I used each simply tremendous and didn’t get misplaced within the jungles, mountains, or volcano lava rock.

Music & Contactless Funds:

The Epix accommodates nearly equivalent options to prior watches when it comes to each music and contactless funds. So as to play music, you’ll must pair up some form of Bluetooth sound machine, both headphones or a Bluetooth speaker. Then, you’ll be able to obtain music and play offline Spotify, Deezer, Amazon Music, in addition to any of your personal MP3s. In the meantime, on the contactless funds aspect, that continues with Garmin Pay, the place you’ll be able to load your financial institution playing cards – assuming they’re supported. Thankfully, in contrast to the early days, increasingly of the largest banks within the US and lots of different international locations are coming on-line with Garmin Pay, although in my case it’s a little bit of a blended bag as you’ll see beneath.

Beginning on the music entrance, you’ve obtained a few alternative ways you’ll be able to entry music. In my case, I primarily use Spotify, so it solely took a couple of seconds to hyperlink up my Spotify account. Word {that a} Spotify Premium account is required to play offline music in your watch (thus, no telephone required). As soon as linked although, you’ll be able to select which playlists you wish to sync.

You’ll be able to pair/save a number of headphones/Bluetooth audio units if you would like, corresponding to a pair of sporty headphones after which non-sporty ones. The music menu will routinely immediate you to do that, or you’ll be able to all the time handle headphones within the sensors menu (the identical place you’d handle coronary heart charge straps).

You too can use Spotify to obtain podcasts, which is a useful means of doing it versus the common Garmin podcast characteristic that requires a pc to sync the podcasts. Whatever the explicit streaming service you employ, it’ll use WiFi for this synching. You’ll simply select which playlists you need after which wait a quick bit. You’ll be able to estimate it taking about 5-10 seconds per music to obtain, so about 10 songs per minute (pace varies primarily based on the size of the music and different components).  And searching forward, so long as the Spotify app checks in as soon as per 30 days, your music stays legitimate.

Behind the scenes, the Spotify app may also replace the music checklist over WiFi while you join your Epix to a charging cable, in order that it’s all the time in sync for dynamic playlists that get usually up to date.  You’ll be able to obtain a number of playlists from a number of companies (plus manually load music on the watch utilizing a USB cable, corresponding to MP3 recordsdata. The bottom mannequin of the Epix has 16GB of house, and the Sapphire has 32GB. Nevertheless, remember that you’ll lose house for mapping, plus some inner Garmin stuff (like your exercise storage).

When you’re able to play music, you’ll be able to entry the music controls a couple of alternative ways, corresponding to a shortcut button, the controls menu, or the music widget. As soon as inside that, you’ll be able to select the playlist you need, and skip songs. You too can play/pause a observe, change quantity, and alter the play order (e.g. shuffle, repeat, and many others…). That is accessible each inside a exercise and out of doors of it in common smartwatch mode (corresponding to simply sitting at your desk or simply goofing off generally).

I haven’t had any skips or dropouts in both informal listening to music at my desk, or in exercises utilizing the Beats Studio Buds.  Whereas I’m not an enormous listening-to-music-while-working-out particular person, I discover generally lately Garmin and others appear to have resolved the connectivity points from the early days of wearable music help.

Now, switching gears a bit you’ve obtained contactless funds. These use NFC, and in Garmin’s case their fee platform is named Garmin Pay. It’s primarily no completely different than Apple Pay or different fee platforms, and is mostly supported wherever you go so long as the cardboard itself is supported by that service provider. And in reality, that’ll possible be your foremost limiter when it comes to utilization: Whether or not or not your bank card is supported.

For this, you’ll want your financial institution to be supported by Garmin. That’s most of the large banks within the US, however past that it varies fairly a bit. It’s hit and miss. A full checklist is right here.

In my case, my Netherlands financial institution (ING) isn’t supported (nonetheless). Nevertheless, my US Visa bank cards (Chase) are supported. My French Checking account (HSBC) isn’t supported, nor are a few of my US native banks. In the end, this requires Garmin going to each single financial institution worldwide and get them onboarded. It’s not only a clean Visa/AMEX/Mastercard sort factor. Therefore why it’s hit and miss.

In any case, including a financial institution takes about 2-3 minutes, so I added my US Chase card as an alternative. As a part of the setup course of you’ll create a pin code to make use of when making a fee. You’ll be able to entry the pockets both from the controls menu, or by assigning a shortcut key to it.

This pin is simply used while you really go to faucet and make a fee, so it’s not one thing used all through the remainder of the day. And so long as the watch stays in your wrist, it received’t ask you for the pin for one more 24 hours.

After which you’ve obtained 60 seconds to finish your transaction by tapping the NFC reader:

After which it’ll give a profitable inexperienced ring of win, indicating the fee accomplished.

When you received’t get any fee receipts on the watch, you’ll be able to see it later within the Garmin Join app beneath ‘Latest transactions’ throughout the Garmin Pay particulars.

For most individuals, they have a tendency to make use of the sort of performance on their watches for well-known institutions that help contactless funds. For instance, at a sure café or espresso store they could cease at after a run (skipping bringing a pockets or smartphone). As all the time with contactless funds, I wouldn’t depend upon an unknown store/service provider supporting NFC funds – since ya by no means know what is going to really be obtainable. Inversely, that is additionally useful merely as a backup in case your telephone dies and also you don’t have a bank card on you.

Multi-Band Satellites Overview:

I had thought of putting this part throughout the GPS & Altimeter Accuracy part, or even perhaps throughout the Sports activities Utilization part. However each of these sections had been already fairly lengthy. So with a lot to cowl, this now turns into its personal standalone part. You’ll be able to think about this a shorter primer to the slate of modifications Garmin has made round their GPS know-how in wearables. There’s really extra than simply the addition of dual-frequency (multi-band) GPS right here. Garmin has additionally revamped fairly considerably each its base GPS mode for giant battery life financial savings, in addition to gotten rid of the GLONASS/GALILEO choices. Sorta.

We’ll begin out by taking a high-level take a look at what multi-band GPS really includes. At a non-technical stage, it’s been touted because the holy grail of GPS accuracy. However technically, GPS is the improper phrase. That’s as a result of GPS is definitely a ‘model’, whereas that is formally GNSS’s (World Navigation Satellite tv for pc System). However we’ll put aside the Kleenex argument for the second. The operational principle behind dual-frequency GPS is you could leverage two completely different frequencies to speak with the satellites.  That is fascinating as a result of if one frequency is having connection or visibility troubles you’ve gotten the choice now to mitigate that by offering not only a secondary frequency to validate towards (L5), however a frequency that’s 10X higher. So the place you’d usually have a reachable constellation of maybe 20-25 satellites, you’d now have nicely over 60 satellites that your watch can see. And by seeing extra satellites, along with growing the sign and ranging the frequency, it permits your watch to raised mitigate sign obstructions and finally enhance accuracy.

Garmin is hardly the primary firm right here on this house. Whereas Garmin did roll out multi-band GPS to a few of their hand-held units a 12 months in the past, the Fenix 7 & Epix are their first wearables from Garmin with the know-how. Previous to Garmin’s Fenix 7 & Epix, the primary endurance sports activities watch so as to add multi-band GPS was the COROS Vertix 2 this previous summer season, after which extra lately Huawei has touted it of their GT 3. In my testing of the COROS Vertix 2, I sadly didn’t see holy-grail-like outcomes. It wasn’t dangerous, nevertheless it wasn’t the promised land both on the time of launch. After all, the tech is new, and thus we’re prone to see (and have seen) firmware updates rapidly launched that’ll enhance the accuracy points over time. Extra on that in a minute. Within the case of COROS, they’re utilizing the MediaTek/Airoha chipset (AG3335M), and Garmin confirmed they’re additionally utilizing Airoha as their provider. Previous to affirmation from Garmin, this made sense in my testing, as in nearly each situation during the last 6-7 weeks, the Vertix 2 and Epix/Fenix 7 items made the very same errors in nearly equivalent methods (and inversely, did issues appropriately in near-identical methods).

First although, on the Fenix 7 and Epix sequence, Garmin has revamped the GPS choice course of. There are two locations you’ll be able to change satellite tv for pc issues:

Complete watch (System): It is a system-wide setting throughout all sport profiles, and is taken into account the default for any sport profiles except in any other case specified
Per-Sport/Exercise Profile: This lets you enhance (or lower) GPS accuracy on a given sport, possible in change for battery life.

So the concept right here is you could maybe use higher-level dual-band accuracy on an openwater swim or a mountain-bike experience via tough terrain, however then go together with less-battery-draining choices for a highway bike experience, which is usually one of many simpler issues to trace GPS-wise.

Subsequent, there are actually 4 GPS settings you’ll be able to select from (solely Sapphire/Titanium editions have Multiband):

GPS Solely: That is the bottom GPS-only possibility, nevertheless, Garmin says they’ve drastically elevated the battery life right here in comparison with the previous GPS-only possibility, and certainly, you’ll be able to see that within the battery chart.
All Methods: This confusingly named possibility is seller’s selection between GLONASS and GALILEO, and Garmin is the seller. As a person you’ll be able to’t select which one to make use of, however as an alternative, Garmin is now switching between GPS< GLONASS, GALILEO, BeiDou, and QZSS primarily based on the standard of the satellite tv for pc alerts from every, figuring out “which to prioritize”
All Methods + Multiband: That is the brand new dual-frequency possibility that everybody has been ready for, which mixes the All Methods possibility, after which makes it multi-band throughout each L1 and L5 satellites. In consequence, this burns a boatload extra battery, and in principle is essentially the most correct.
UltraTrac: This setting is for crazy-long adventures, whereby it reduces the GPS replace charge considerably. Don’t ever use this setting except you completely want it, your GPS tracks received’t be fairly. Consider this because the emergency possibility.

Word that the same old smart-recording or 1-second recording possibility continues to be within the settings (and nonetheless annoying defaulted to ‘Good Recording’), however that has no bearing on the GPS reception timing/show, it’s purely what it writes to the recorded file. Additionally, technically there’s expedition mode, however that’s solely recording a GPS level as soon as each hour by default.

Right here’s the battery chart for what every of those choices do, relying on which mannequin you’ve gotten.

Remember the fact that this chart is absolutely simply a place to begin for battery optimization. Utilizing the Energy Supervisor characteristic, you may get crazy-detailed on which options you care about (for instance, toggling off optical HR sensor and connecting to a chest strap saves a boatload of battery), and thus can simply lengthen these battery instances. Or, inversely, doing loopy issues like turning on the flashlight whereas enjoying music will lower them. Use your powers correctly.

For tremendous easy context in comparison with the opposite top-dog within the battery house, the COROS Vertix 2, their key claims are:

GPS-only: 140 hours
All Methods – GLONASS/GALILEO/BeiDou/QZSS: 90 hours
All Methods GPS + Music: 30 hours
All Methods + Multiband: 50 hours
Extremely mode: 240 hours
Everyday smartwatch: As much as 60 days

One factor to bear in mind is that Garmin does observe vastly extra well being stats behind the scenes than COROS does and does so at the next charge, which actually has an enormous battery drain part. You’ll be able to flip off a few of these although, which might enhance the battery life additional on the Garmin.

Although, the GPS battery life one-upmanship is quirky. From a sport standpoint it largely solely impacts the higher tier of Extremely opponents. Nevertheless, from a sensible day-to-day standpoint, it merely means you cost your watch much less continuously.

GPS & Altimeter Accuracy:

There’s possible no subject amongst ardent sports-wearable customers that stirs as a lot dialogue and fervour as GPS accuracy.  A watch may collapse and provide you with dire electrical shocks whereas doing so, but when it exhibits you on the improper aspect of the highway?  Oh hell no, carry on the fury of the web!

GPS accuracy may be checked out in numerous alternative ways, however I want to have a look at it utilizing numerous units in real-world eventualities throughout an unlimited variety of actions.  I take advantage of 2-6 different units directly, making an attempt to get a transparent image of how a given set of units handles circumstances on a sure day.  Circumstances embody all the things from tree/constructing cowl to climate.

Over time, I’ve continued to tweak my GPS testing methodology.  For instance, I don’t place two items subsequent to one another on my wrists, as that may influence sign. If I achieve this, I’ll put a skinny cloth spacer of about 1”/3cm between them (I didn’t try this on any of my Epix actions nevertheless, all exercises solely had a single machine per wrist).  However usually I’ll merely carry different items by the straps, or connect them to the shoulder straps of my hydration pack or backpack.  Plus, carrying a number of watches on the identical wrist is well-known to influence optical HR accuracy.

So, we’re going to begin with a feast of watches on a route that’s each straightforward and very difficult. I begin off alongside some canals and farms, after which ultimately wind my means down via a protracted skinny avenue of 12-18 story buildings on each side. For this check I had the Fenix 7S on my left wrist, and the Fenix 7X on my proper wrist. Then, in every hand I used to be carrying a COROS Vertix 2 (proper hand), and an Epix (left hand), plus additionally a FR745 in the proper hand. All these had been separated and secure, as to not influence one another. I carry them the very same means corporations themselves do GPS testing:

So, right here’s that information set, and at a excessive stage, issues look fairly comparable. All Fenix 7/Epix/Vertix 2 items had been set for multiband GPS, and the FR745 was set for GPS+GLONASS. All of the items had no issues within the openness sections:

Nevertheless, as we approached the primary set of sunshine buildings and bridges, the influence of multiband GPS turned obvious, with these items plotting barely clearer tracks. For instance, the FR745 in pink turns means too early beneath the bridges, whereas the remainder obtained it proper.

I’d additionally see some minor variations between the COROS Vertix 2 and Garmin items. For instance, right here the COROS Vertix 2 incorrectly will get frisky whereas going beneath a tunnel, sharply meandering off to the aspect. Nevertheless, a brief bit later, the Fenix 7X then did some much less sharp however longer bushwhacking away from the trail. Which is attention-grabbing as a result of generally I noticed that more often than not if the Vertix 2 made an error, then the Fenix 7 and Epix repeated it.

Quick forwarding into the downtown sections with tall buildings on each side, we will very clearly see the FR745 struggles barely extra right here, it’s the unit with out multiband. Which nevertheless, isn’t to say it was horrific, nor to say that the others had been good. The multi-band ones had been merely a *TINY* bit higher. However all of the items traded having GPS tracks that blasted via the perimeters of buildings. Let’s be clear about that, this isn’t some holy grail we hoped for (simply because it wasn’t and nonetheless isn’t on the Vertix 2).

The remainder of the run was largely boring and constant. In a single different situation the place I handed beneath a large chunk of the Hospital, the FR745 zigged, whereas all the opposite items zagged. Virtually talking, neither was completely appropriate, they had been simply improper in reverse instructions and the multi-band items had been clearly simply very barely much less improper. Barely.

That mentioned, do perceive I’m nitpicking right here. I’m discovering among the most difficult eventualities I can, after which criticizing their performances. There’s additionally some attention-grabbing nuanced patterns with slight variations relying on which aspect of my physique the items had been on, relative to buildings I handed. In each situation, the items on the extra ‘open’ aspect of my physique did higher than the items going through the constructing aspect, no matter model.

Subsequent, let’s head into the jungle for a hike/path run. This one had all of it! From deep woods and, dense timber, and towering cliffs. Right here I used to be evaluating the Garmin Epix on my left wrist, the Fenix 7 on my proper wrist, plus each a COROS Vertix 2 (proper hand) and a Forerunner 745 (hydration pack).

 

Right here’s the high-level GPS information and observe, which from this angle appears to be like close to equivalent:

And as you get into the weeds, actually, of the jungle, it’s laborious to see a lot distinction. Which means that the three items are practically equivalent in each situation (inside 1-2 meters of one another, wobbling alongside), besides that the COROS appears very barely extra smoothed. That has professionals and cons. The profit is that it tends to clean-up the GPS tracks slightly bit bit in more durable areas, however the draw back is that it additionally incorrectly cuts some corners and such that you simply really hiked – because it doesn’t appear to be 100% sure between a brief switchback for a pair meters, and a GPS error.

I’m not saying Garmin is true right here, however I’m saying that primarily based on all my check information each during the last 6-7 weeks, but in addition from this previous summer season/fall with the COROS Vertix 2 and multiband, that it tends to over easy in areas the place the going will get robust. That in flip tends to end in decrease total distances. On a tree-dense route like this, or frankly, any extremely route, it’d be practically unimaginable to know the precise precise distance you went. Even a measured path course isn’t going to know whether or not you took every nook a foot or two wider (which might add up significantly over an extended route).

In loads of locations although, it’s simply nearly equivalent:

It is usually true that each the COROS Vertix 2 and Garmin Epix/Fenix 7 items in multiband, outperformed the FR745 (utilizing simply GLONASS). One can see that in quite a few events. Nevertheless, remember that further unit was largely on my backpack shoulder strap, which has body-blockage results.

In the meantime, if we take a look at the elevation profile of all these items, they’re scary comparable.

The overall unfold in ascent between all these items is 27m (out of 1,341m), which is a max unfold of two%. The COROS Vertix 2 appears to begin off nevertheless about 20-25m greater than the opposite items, however over the course of 5 hours, drifts nearer to the opposite items. Given there was no absolute recognized good reference level alongside the path to check towards, it’s laborious to say precisely who was good. However I believe it’s honest to say that any unit would have been greater than enough on this situation.

In any case, sufficient of that, let’s take a look at a protracted experience with prolonged very tall pine tree sections, plus some cliffs and such. This experience was 118KM lengthy:

The easiest way to have a look at this one is random spot-checks alongside the course. For instance this notably dense part of tree and switchbacks:

Or up towards giant rock cliffs:

Or quick descending switchbacks within the forest:

Or down via small cities with loads of turns and energy traces at moderately excessive pace:

All of that is spot on. Nevertheless, it’s not as in the event that they’re on the right aspect of the highway (or persistently on any given aspect of the highway). In order that’s the place we have to park the Holy Grail GPS Bus, and do not forget that hasn’t arrived but:

Then we’ve obtained an openwater swim. That is fairly spectacular for each Epix & Fenix 7, although we see slight variations. For instance, the Fenix 7 appears very barely extra smoothed than the Epix, although, it’s not clear why as each had been on equivalent settings. My guess right here could be that is really a stroke distinction in how excessive up my proper hand/wrist goes in comparison with my left wrist, which may positively have a slight influence. However nonetheless, there are astoundingly shut GPS tracks right here to the reference items on the swim buoy.

Right here’s one other openwater swim, this time straight evaluating the Epix to the COROS Vertix 2 on reverse wrists. Positive, no Fenix 7 right here, as I solely need one unit per wrist. You’ll be able to see the Vertix 2 is barely extra wobbly, and the Epix additionally overshot very barely on the nook. Although, this was additionally a month in the past, so issues have undoubtedly modified in GPS efficiency (as we see above):

Irrespective of which units I pull up on the Epix or Fenix 7/7S/7Xfrom the final 6-7 weeks, the general GPS tracks look excellent. Are they completely good? No, however they’re on par or higher than anything I’ve seen currently. And as I alluded to elsewhere, I believed it was attention-grabbing that if I examine the latest Vertix 2 tracks to the latest Epix/Fenix 7 tracks, they’re practically equivalent in lots of instances. Each making the identical errors and non-errors on the identical time when worn collectively on exercises. The one distinction being that it seems COROS applies barely extra smoothing in a wide range of conditions, which has the beforehand outlined professionals and cons.

Altitude-wise, all the things is nearly equivalent between items, and appears to appropriately lock onto the proper altitude (when recognized – corresponding to on the seaside). The entire linked units may be opened up and you may peak at this altitude graphs additional. Additionally, I’m going so as to add extra units in the present day and over the next days. Some comparability units usually are not included right here for units not but launched, whereby the secondary machine was nonetheless unreleased. Cling tight!

(Word: The entire charts in these accuracy sections had been created utilizing the DCR Analyzer instrument.  It permits you to examine energy meters/trainers, coronary heart charge, cadence, pace/tempo, GPS tracks, and lots extra. You should utilize it as nicely in your personal gadget comparisons, extra particulars right here.)

Coronary heart Fee Accuracy:

Earlier than we transfer on to the check outcomes, be aware that optical HR sensor accuracy is slightly various from particular person to particular person.  Facets corresponding to pores and skin shade, hair density, and place can influence accuracy.  Place, and the way the band is worn, are *crucial* items.  A unit with an optical HR sensor must be cosy.  It doesn’t want to go away marks, however you shouldn’t be capable to slide a finger beneath the band (at the least throughout exercises).  You’ll be able to put on it a tiny bit looser the remainder of the day.

My check exercises embody all kinds of intensities and circumstances, making them nice for accuracy testing. Mainly, they’re my day-to-day actions for the previous 6-7 weeks.  Swims, bikes, runs, hikes, indoor exercises, and extra.

In the meantime, for HR accuracy testing I’m sometimes carrying a chest strap (both the Polar H10 or the Garmin HRM-PRO), in addition to one other optical HR sensor watch on the bicep (largely the Polar Verity Sense, as nicely because the Whoop 4.0 band). Word that the numbers you see within the higher proper nook are *not* the averages, however slightly simply the precise level my mouse is sitting over.  Word all this information is analyzed utilizing the DCR Analyzer, particulars right here.

We’ll begin off with one thing comparatively primary to get warmed up, on this case an indoor 45 minute treadmill exercise, in comparison with a Polar H10 and the Fenix 7. As you’ll be able to see, it’s nearly equivalent. The one bobble really comes from the Polar H10 within the first 30-40 seconds, with what seems to be an incorrect half-hearted spike forward of the warm-up, after which it corrects. Right here’s that information:

Wanting momentarily at a comparatively steady-state 5K exterior, the Epix has no points, and truly barely outperforms the Polar H10 – which is attention-grabbing the place you see that dip in HR in blue, for which there was no legitimate purpose since tempo stayed the identical, and in the direction of the tip, a dash up a hill, the Epix and Venu 2 appropriately did that, whereas the H10 appeared misplaced. Uncommon, each notable. Right here’s the info.

So, with that being straightforward, we’ll step it up a slight bit, with a bit extra intense coach experience, on RGT, to see the way it handles with flex on the wrists:

Once more, as we will see, no issues in any respect. So, let’s  add some laborious intervals, this time on the Peloton Bike, versus the Polar H10 chest strap:

Or this TrainerRoad exercise, once more, nearly spotless:

Now as we see, this time there’s the tiniest little bit of lag, about 2-4 seconds generally, however hardly worrisome. Most use instances would by no means discover that, and it’s actually solely on the restoration of every interval versus the rise in HR.

So, let’s break issues a bit and head exterior. Right here we’ve obtained a 75-minute experience, beginning off comparatively straightforward, then a bunch of climbing, earlier than looping again round once more. You’ll be able to see that anytime I had depth, issues had been nice with Epix, however once I stopped or was descending – particularly the descending, it obtained messy. That is fairly widespread for optical HR sensors – however was worthwhile nothing right here. Right here’s that information:

Thus, growing issues once more – a 7-hour experience up and down a volcano. That is notable as a result of it exhibits how issues deal with particularly ascending versus descending, but in addition some longer sustained durations. At a excessive stage, issues look a bit fuzzy, however clearly we’re seeing some trending alignment between the chest strap and the Fenix 7 & Epix items on reverse wrists. Right here’s the info:

I wish to zoom in although on one of many longer sustained climbs of about an hour or so. Right here you’ll be able to see the Epix has a bit extra wobbliness that I’d ideally prefer to see. Discover how that inexperienced line spikes and drops a bit right here and there, whereas the yellow line of the Fenix 7 is way extra tame.

Now there isn’t in principle a great purpose for this, on condition that these are equivalent sensors in nearly equivalent casings. However, can simply go to point out among the challenges of measuring optical HR even on completely different wrists of the identical particular person.

In the meantime, whereas descending, issues separate fairly significantly, which is just about my expertise throughout most wrist-based optical coronary heart charge sensors. Particularly given this was an hour-long descent in comparatively chilly circumstances up prime.

Lastly, right here’s a lengthy hike/path run, which had some bigger sustained efforts that extra simply present up on the charts:

You’ll discover that for the primary 2hrs and 42 minutes, issues are usually very shut, with solely comparatively minor disagreement when strolling downhill (average in that we’re at 100-110BPM, so it frankly isn’t going to matter a lot if one is 103BPM and the opposite 107BPM). For nearly all uphill/average/intense segments, it’s equivalent. That straight-line part is once I was filming, so issues are a bit wonkier there – don’t fear about that. Then after that, issues snap proper again to it. The drop-out line across the 4:30 marker is just me taking off the watches to take a couple of photographs of the shows.

Oh, and lastly be aware that whereas the instances are completely different, this is similar sensor because the Fenix 7 with the identical firmware, so you too can take a look at that in-depth evaluation to see how issues dealt with there, since in all probability it’ll mirror it right here.

Thus, finally if I take a look at all these units, plus a boatload extra indoor coach/treadmill units, they’re all very constant throughout the board. As normal, and as anticipated, the principle quirks had been round descending. However so long as there was some depth utilized, the responsiveness and accuracy appeared fairly good for my pores and skin tone/wrist placement.

Abstract:

For years, people have puzzled once we’d see a “fairly display screen” Fenix sequence machine. And eventually, in the present day, it’s right here. Whereas it’s referred to as Epix, it’s finally a Fenix 7 with an AMOLED show. The 2 items siblings share the identical core software program variations, and carry all the identical capabilities and options. Besides, Epix merely appears to be like prettier in nearly each gentle. Although inversely, it could actually’t fairly go the identical distance because the Fenix 7 items can.

After all, that presumes it is advisable to go that sort of length. Whereas the ultra-long battery lifetime of these items isn’t purely the flexibility to run for 100 hours continuous, it’s an enormous a part of it. It’s basically how these corporations prefer to market these watches, regardless that 99% of us received’t use it that means. Nevertheless, the ancillary profit for the remainder of us is we merely cost our watches much less for extra common exercises. However I believe most of us are capable of “get purchase” with 20-30 hours of GPS runtimes and 6 days of real-world battery life for an always-on show that appears prefer it’s from this decade.

In my testing throughout a variety of environmental circumstances, I’m seeing nearly no utilization draw back to Epix in comparison with the Fenix 7 (setting apart battery). The singular situation I had some troubles was again in early December in desert-sun shiny circumstances with shallower ClimbPro ascent gradient coloring particularly, the place sure shades of dark-blue on a black background was near-impossible to see. Nevertheless, that’s since been modified to simply seen lighter blues. Undoubtedly, there might be different edge-case quirks that I didn’t see, although, I really feel like I’ve seen the overwhelming majority of information pages/fields within the watch. Equally, on the ultimate manufacturing firmware, I’ve had no excellent bugs. There are some match and polish issues I see (for instance map sure areas have graphical cons and others don’t, relying on which a part of the interface you’re in), however my guess is these will quietly be resolved and no person could have seen besides me. As for the {hardware}, it’s been in manufacturing for months.

Taking a look at parts just like the multiband GPS (in Sapphire editions), it’s clear that GPS chipset maker Airoha is making progress over the previous 6+ months, and I see that evaluating my COROS Vertix 2 tracks from this previous summer season to what I see now (they use the identical provider). It’s enhancing for not simply Garmin, however COROS too. Whereas it’s not the holy grail but, it’s positively equal and in some restricted instances higher than non-multiband. Nevertheless, I nonetheless suppose we’re most likely speaking 6-12 months+ earlier than we actually see these features. Simply as we noticed with when Garmin switched to Sony years in the past, it was that mass-unit impetus (or large company whip) that took tough efficiency from when solely Polar & Suunto had been utilizing it, to when Garmin jumped onboard. Which isn’t a slight towards both of these, however the merely actuality that when an organization as large as Garmin comes together with hundreds of thousands of items per 12 months, they’ll inform different corporations to leap greater and sooner. And hey, all distributors finally ended up benefiting.

In the end, as I mentioned in my my Fenix 7 evaluation, if I’m going to determine between buy both the Fenix 7 or Epix, it’s going to be the Epix. Any day, all day. It appears to be like sharp, really works nicely, and suits my battery utilization wants.

With that – thanks for studying!